This article was taken from the February 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Nature has geometric rules that can be replicated at home to create elegance and aesthetic correctness, as Kimberly Elam, author of Geometry of Design, explains.
Learn the rule of thirds
Divide a wall into thirds horizontally and vertically to create a grid, and hang pictures where the grid intersects. "This division of space feels very comfortable," explains Elam.
Find golden section points
More pleasing is the point of intersection in a five-by-five grid of two columns from the right and two rows from the bottom. It was favoured by Renaissance painters as the best point to draw the eye to.
Play with Asymmetry
"Hang five small pictures in a horizontal line on the wall," says Elam. "Take the second from the left or right, and raise or lower it. The eye will rest longer in the asymmetric composition."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
