Create a showcase of warmth and personality to any room by changing your wall decor. Adding an arrangement of framed photographs, mirrors, wall sculptures, and collectibles is an affordable way to transform any room in your home. Here are some tips for arranging and hanging your wall art with confidence.

Arranging Your Art: The goal when arranging wall art is to create a pleasing visual display that showcases it.

• To plan your layout, cut out butcher paper templates the same size and shape as the wall decor you want to hang. Tape them on the wall with masking tape, moving them around to your liking. Mark the positions lightly with a pencil on the wall. You may also arrange your artwork on the floor to your satisfaction before nailing to the wall.

• Group your art according to theme.Create a display by grouping the items by theme repeating colors and styles of the room's interior.

• Group similar items and create a symmetrical shape. The secret to arranging wall art is to achieve balance. For example, small pictures hung on a large wall can look out of balance and will appear lost in an open sea of space. If you have a larger painting or mirror, it has enough presence to stand alone on a large wall. Symmetry adds balance and is generally very pleasing to the observer.

• If you have to take down your artwork to repaint, take a photograph of your arrangement so you can put it back just the way it was.

Hanging Your Art: Tools you will need are a hammer, level, tape measure, picture hangers or nails.

• You've probably always heard that artwork should be hung so that the center point of the picture or grouping is about eye level for the average height of a person. A good place to start is to hang the piece approximately 60-65 inches from the floor to the center of the art. Pieces should be hung approximately 6 inches over a mantle or shelf. Don't leave a large empty space between art and furniture. There should be a 10 inch clearance above sofas and headboards.

• When hanging art over a piece of furniture, it should not be longer than the width of the furniture.

• If the art weighs five pounds or more, use two wall anchors per painting to distribute the weight evenly. The picture will hang more evenly, also.

• To protect your wall and prevent the picture from shifting, attach felt pads to the bottom corners on the back of the frame.

When done correctly, hanging wall art is a quick, easy and affordable way to add impact and breathe new life into your home.