[Illustration: A correct method of hanging pictures]
_How to Hang Pictures._--If wire be used for hanging pictures, it
should be as small and inconspicuous as possible. In place of the
braided steel wire, which may be needed for large pictures, a single
brass or copper wire is much to be preferred for those of lighter
weight. In all cases where the wire shows it should appear as two
vertical lines against the wall and not as a single wire bent over
a single hook in the form of an inverted V, so commonly seen and so
manifestly failing to conform with any lines of a room. Levelling
the picture may be easily managed by using only one wire, making it
continuous through the screw eyes on the back of the picture. These
screw eyes should be placed near the top of the frame--about one
sixth the whole vertical width of the picture from the top--so that
the picture may hang nearly flat against the wall. Whenever possible,
however, pictures should be hung without showing the wire at all. This
may be easily managed without seriously marring the finish of some
rooms by driving two fine finishing nails in the part of the lower wall
which is to come directly behind the top of the picture, allowing them
to project about 1/2 of an inch and bending them up a little with
a pair of pliers so that the wires will not slip off. Choice, small
pictures may be hung in this way on fine upholstery tacks. It is often
possible, when the wire must be exposed, to stop it just below the dado
cap and thus avoid showing the wire over the frieze. Whenever it is
necessary, as it often is, to suspend wires by means of the so-called
picture hooks from a picture moulding or cornice strip placed above the
frieze, some attention should be paid to the colour of these hooks.
Bright metal hooks showing over a delicately coloured moulding are in
bad taste. Some people prefer to use the inverted V suspension in order
to reduce the number of these picture hooks. But it is far better to
retain the straight, fine, and nearly invisible wires and colour the
hooks to make them less conspicuous.
In determining the height of pictures it is only necessary to remember
that they are placed upon the walls to be enjoyed. While monotony
in height is to be avoided, the average eye level should not be
disregarded. The frontispiece illustrates an effective placing of a
picture in the dining-room of the model house.