ANATOMY OF A LOVER

The same image can act as an intimate detail or a visual anchor. Tape out the actual dimensions on the wall, then look from the doorway before deciding.

Compare the work with the furniture beneath it. Roughly two-thirds of that width is a starting point, not a requirement. Include the frame and the gaps in a group.

Matching is one approach. A cool passage against warm timber can introduce tension; a repeated accent can connect distant parts of a room.

Darkness, dense detail and contrast can pull the eye. Consider what already commands attention—a window, fireplace or dark chair—before adding another strong centre.

Repeated lines can echo shelves, panelling or a row of windows. A different rhythm can interrupt that repetition and give the eye somewhere to pause.

Decide what you want someone to notice on entering. One dominant work and quieter neighbours create a different hierarchy from several equally forceful pieces.

The visible wall around a work changes its emphasis. Leave room for the edges to register; test the arrangement alongside lamps, switches and adjacent doorways.

A portrait format can emphasise a vertical interval. A landscape can follow a sofa or low console. Check the artwork's actual proportions rather than choosing from the subject alone.

Canvas introduces edge depth and surface texture. Glazing introduces reflections. Look at the selected format's specifications and consider the direction of light in the room.

From across a room, large shapes and tonal relationships register first. Close up, marks and texture become legible. Choose for both the doorway view and the place where you sit.