Gallery

I confess; I love the starkness of a modern art gallery. The white walls and concrete floors allow the artwork to take centre stage. I have many fond memories from stark galleries - wandering through The Rooms in my hometown, seeking reprieve from the frosty temperatures of Saskatoon during our Valentine's Day vacation at the Mendel Gallery, and pondering Matisse's Snail with some girlfriends at Tate Modern.

Our new home will have stark white walls and dark wood floors... and I couldn't be happier about it. In pondering where to place each piece of artwork that we've amassed, I came across this great tip from Apartment Therapy -- hang each piece of art at 57" on centre (meaning that the middle of the picture is 57" from the floor). Galleries and museums often hang art at 57" on centre because this is the average human eye height. For more art hanging tips, see here. Image via Steve Greaves.