How to hang a picture : and other essential lessons for the stylish home

Like tying a Windsor knot or brewing a perfect cup of coffee, knowing how to hang art on your wall is a hallmark of everyday style and nuts-and-bolts know-how.

The where, what, and whys of hanging art are an overlooked, under-appreciated line of inquiry.

Most of us simply wing it with a quick eyeball and a swing of the hammer.

How hard can it be? We think. What can go wrong? The answer, of course, is plenty: crumbling plaster, ruined antique laths, mismatched art hung too-close together, or a poorly-mounted photograph warping in its frame.

But beyond the technical mishaps, there is a more essential lesson to be learned: The skill and consideration with which you hang your art makes an aesthetic statement about the world you inhabit-and more importantly, when it's done right, it very clearly looks a whole lot better.

Slim and stylish, How to Hang a Picture: And Other Essential Lessons for a Stylish Home is a user-friendly guidebook that details everything you need to know about hanging, framing, and displaying art. If Strunk & White's Elements of Style was crossed with a no-nonsense how-to manual, you will have captured the tone and immediacy of How to Hang a Picture: simple rules and essential information presented with charm and intelligence.