MISplacing art

Some homeowners like to keep guests on their toes. Enter ILevel: a company devoted strictly to art placement and installation.

"We're a uniquely positioned company in that our expertise lies in helping people arrange their collection. We just do arranging and placing and also provide installation services. Our staff consists of both designers and installers. And by art, I would define that in the most liberal of terms imaginable, including everything from fine art and mirrors to family photos, drawings and sketches, folding Asian screens, plates, and other three-dimensional objects," says founder David Kassel.

Kassel founded ILevel with the intent of unveiling new ways of seeing art through skillful display. In other words, they offer "an alternative to hanging the green painting above the green sofa."

He suggests hanging art asymmetrically, or hang things in odd numbers. Erecting a salon style is another idea: "meaning it's not on a grid, but based off a more free-form, organic style. The arrangement is still balanced, but not necessarily the same old view of one piece in the middle and two on each side."

The crux of any project though, is simply having a visual awareness and an eye for design, says Kassel. "So that being said, there's nothing really wrong or right but it entails a feeling for what looks good together. Eighty percent of a project is getting a sense for what the owner's tastes and priorities are."

People value art differently, he says. "Some cultures hang things higher. Certain people are meticulous about matting."

Another element to consider strongly is eye levels. "Keep height in mind," Kassel points out. If hanging something in a child's room, it needs to be placed lower and securely hung in the appropriate materials (plexiglass is a good option).

And don't ignore the obvious. ILevel always considers archival conservation. "You don't want to hang a watercolor in direct sunlight." He also instructs clients to think about what pieces might want to stand on their own and to figure out where certain things SHOULDN'T be hung. "You need some space for your eye to rest. You need to know where to hang and where not to hang."

For more information on ILevel and their services, visit www.ilevel.biz. See below for some examples of their work!