How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comHow was your weekend? We had the most lovely time skiing & enjoying Jackson Hole, but it’s always nice to return home. Short weekend road trips have been really fun for us this winter- and a great opportunity to explore some neighboring mountains. Before we left, Emmett & I started pulling our newly painted guest room back together. I’m hoping to have that finished space for you in a few weeks, just as soon as my remaining artwork arrives! In the meantime, some of you asked about the art installation above the bed. I shared a sneak peek on Instagram last week that generated quite a few questions… how do you hang artwork in front of curtains? Consider this an easy tutorial for that exact topic! If you also love the layered work of art perfectly floating above soft & textural drapery panels, this post is for you… click through for a very detailed tutorial- or pin & save it for later.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comTo tackle this project, you’ll need the following…

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comWe began by finding the center with our laser level, and mapping out the exact preferred artwork placement.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comEmmett carefully measured to find & mark the center position, both horizontally and vertically.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comNext, we screwed in a sawtooth picture hanger directly onto the back of the artwork. If your art doesn’t have one of these, it’s best for this type of installation- as opposed to a wire hanger.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comWe located a scrap piece of wood and cut it to the exact vertical size of our art, spanning from top to bottom.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comNext, we calculated the projection or depth… how far in front of the wall & drapery panels we wanted the art to rest. We screwed some scrap wood blocks together until we reached our desired depth.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comHere’s a closer look at our little wood block sandwich… we needed two of these (one for the top and one for the bottom) that perfectly match, in regards to depth.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comWe mocked up the blocks onto the strip of wood. These will be inset, to give the floating appearance…

Then, we double checked our measurements, moving the strip onto the wall, making sure everything was aligned and properly measured.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comThe blocks get screwed into the wall first. Mark your screw points prior to drilling for perfect alignment…

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comNext, you’ll set the drywall anchors. These are especially important for installing heavy, oversized, or custom framed pieces of art. They add stability and ensure the artwork doesn’t rip from the wall… especially for pieces that project or appear to float, as they pull from the wall.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comScrew the first block into the wall, and repeat the process with the second block. Remember- they don’t have to look pretty, as they’ll be totally hidden.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comNext, secure the strip of wood onto the blocks, making sure your measurements are aligned and accurate.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comAdd a nail to the strip, then you’re ready to hang your art! Keep in mind, it will be a bit wobbly, but we’ll address that in the next step.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comMy easy secret weapon for hanging and securing artwork is sticky tack. On the backside of the artwork (between the art and the wood strip), I rolled up generous balls of sticky tack, pressing to secure the art at the bottom. Once secured, check the art to ensure it is no longer wobbling or can be tilted.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comThe last step is to finesse the curtains or drapery panels, tucking them behind the art. If your curtains are decorative and aren’t often being opened & closed, you can also consider using pins to keep the curtains in place. I just used my steamer to train and tuck them behind the artwork- so they can be styled opened or closed.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comI’ve also heard of people using curtain brackets & wire to achieve the same look, but given the size and weight of my artwork- I needed something a bit more sturdy… which is why we ended up using scrap blocks of wood. All of that to say- this isn’t the only way to hang art in front of drapery panels, it’s just our preferred method.

How to Hang Artwork in Front of Curtains - roomfortuesday.comI hope this artwork installation tutorial was helpful! I’ve always been a fan of the layered look. I think it adds so much depth, softness, and is truly a custom gallery-worthy meets residential look. Have you ever installed art in front of textiles? Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below!

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9 Comments

  1. Good morning! What a clever solution! I absolutely love the layered look of the art and the drapery, but I’m not sure I could have conjured that MacGyver on my own. I am the laziest of art hangers. On the rare occasion when I deign to measure, my results still lack precision. I actually think my eyeballing is more accurate! Ha. I’ll definitely have to keep your sticky tack tip in mind. I recently endeavored to move a painting, and the double-sided tape hanger pulled a chunk of paint off my wall.🤬 Color me displeased. Art installation at my house really is fraught with complications. Anyway! I’m living for these sneak peeks of the guest room! That’s going to be a super-fun reveal!
    Happy to hear that you had a rejuvenating adventure in Jackson Hole! Your pics of the hotel were certainly adorable. I so admire (and envy!) your intrepid spirit. We should add quick weekend getaways to our travel repertoire. Until then, I’ll keep vicariously enjoying yours.😄 Cheers to a lovely week, Sarah!💜

    1. Thanks, Peggi! I’ve also seen some people use curtain brackets to hang art in this way, but my artwork was far too heavy for that. I think either way, it’s a MacGyver situation. Ha! I am SO with you on eyeballing. Emmett always measures, but asks me to double check because I feel like I can usually tell when it’s off. You should see the art in our Tuesday Made office… I just went around hunting for existing nails and plopped things onto the wall. It’s a haphazard situation I should probably correct soon- a painting here, a print there, etc. I’m just waiting on my art to share the guest room. I’m having some of my photos framed. Jackson Hole is always a fun time! The hotel was really charming, the skiing was good, and I definitely indulged in some foods I shouldn’t be eating at the moment, whoops. I’ve got a little blog post with a recap lined up for Friday- and I came home with a couple vintage pieces I thrifted. A good trip, indeed. I’m so excited you’re going to Maine this year!! Hope you’re having a great week!

  2. Well, aren’t you clever! I was wondering how you installed it when I saw the photo. It is beautiful above the bed and in front of the curtains! The size and print is so pretty! I thought you used fishing string to hang from the bed frame LOL! Your method is much more stable & brilliant! My husband & I had to repair half of our wooden fence door due to a certain dog who visited and chewed it up. After several tries, it is finally mended and back up. We made a couple of “newbie” errors but with crossing fingers it is up and hopefully will not be torn up when the dog returns. Ha!
    Your trip to the mountains sounds perfect this time of year. Look forward to seeing the completed room. Hope your Monday is off to a good start!

    1. Thank you, Danna! Hey- I suppose fishing line would also work? Hah! I’m so sorry to hear about your fence… oh, dogs. I’m glad it’s finally mended and back up. That’s no easy feat. Way to go you two! Jackson Hole was such a fun getaway. I love that all these mountain towns are within driving distance from us. I’ve been enjoying our winter road trips. I hope you’re having a wonderful week! xo

  3. I love the look you’ve gone for here- completely missed the sneak on Instagram, but that just means I’ll be even more blown away by the reveal. Ha! I’ve never endeavored to hang art in front of curtains, but it is certainly dreamy. And thanks to your always thorough tutorials, should I ever desire to, I’ll know just how to tackle it! The artwork looks incredible against the ticking stripe and the bed. I am itching to see it all come together and what other surprises you have in store for us. I did get to see your ski views and the lovely images of Jackson Hole. It definitely brought back memories of skiing in Coeur d’Alene and exploring Jackson Hole on our way to Yellowstone. What a lovely weekend getaway! I hope your Monday is less windy than mine- it feels like a tornado is working it’s way through this morning- we’ve already had heavy patio furniture blown across the yard, our deck box lid ripped off the hinge, and our AC unit slid off its concrete pad. 😳 It’s blustery to say the least. Hahah. We’re sliding into the week hanging on for dear life over here! Have a great one Sarah!

    1. Thanks, Lauren! I’m anxiously awaiting my artwork from the framer, so I can photograph everything. I decided to print some of my photos and have them framed, so it will be fun to share those, too! Jackson Hole was such a fun weekend- I love that it brought back happy memories for you. It’s one of my favorite places. I even came home with some vintage taxidermy, which I know you’ll appreciate! Our weather this week has also been kind of crazy… snow, snow, and more snow- with fog mixed in. Not as much wind though. I hope you didn’t have any serious damage! I hope sliding into Wednesday is going better than Monday, haha! xo

  4. Happy Monday Sarah! So glad you had a wonderful weekend skiing, I know how much you enjoy it and a weekend of outdoor fun was a perfect getaway indeed.
    Well I loved getting a glimpse into the guest bedroom with this mornings post. Looks gorgeous 😍 I love, love the wall color and the layered sophistication of curtains and artwork. Wow! How incredibly clever 👍 And beautiful! Can’t wait to see the reveal, it’s going to be exciting! How amazing it is Emmett can tackle any project you request with such precision and perfection. Andrew hung curtains here in this house in Florida and unfortunately he wasn’t so precise 🙈 This type of task is not his strong suit, but bless his heart he really tries. Most artwork he can hang pretty well but a project like this might be risky ☺️
    We are so happy to be enjoying the sunshine and warmth, and seeing our wonderful neighbors and friends in Florida. Wishing you a fabulous Monday! Xoxo

    1. Hi Colleen! I’m playing catch up here this morning, as I’m watching the snow fall. We’re actually headed to Canada in a few weeks for a ski trip, and it will be my first time visiting CA (so crazy, I know)! We’ll be in Banff & Revelstoke, if you have any suggestions. I’m really excited to share the bedroom. I’m just waiting on my arrive to be framed, then it will be ready to photograph. I’m happy with how everything has come together. It’s making me want to tackle our main bedroom next. Ha! Aw, Andrew… so sweet of him to hang the curtains (even if they weren’t totally perfect). I’m so glad to hear you two have been enjoying the sunshine, warmth, friends, & neighbors in Florida! That sounds like the best time. Enjoy it!! xox

  5. You have such an amazing eye for things. What laser level do you use? I want to start installing picture frames myself! Thank you!