It's a common mistake to hang wall art too high so that it doesn't relate to nearby furnishings or to the architecture. This isolation makes the art look random and spotty, and the room feels oddly out of joint.

Remedy the imbalance by lowering the art so that it's 4 to 6 inches above a table or chest; place it at seated eye level if it's adjacent to a chair or sofa.

Look through cupboards and closets for objects that will complement the colors in the artwork with their own size, shape, and color. Candlesticks, vases, and pitchers are obvious choices for verticals that will link the tabletop to the framed piece, but you can also use smaller framed pieces, sculpture, or bowls and raise them on stacks of books.

The tall, slender cans lead the eye from the tabletop up to the photos, and the flowers add graceful shapes and lines, lifting the eye still higher. The footed picture frame injects variety with a different shape. It's not quite tall enough, so standing it on a book raises it to overlap the wall art by about an inch to make the needed connection.

Create a focal point by balancing one large piece with two smaller ones. Hang the pieces close together so the frames align (or nearly do) to allow the group to work as a unit. Prop a fourth piece against the poster to link the grouping to the bookcase.