Solutions for when you can not hang pictures on the walls, anyone?

Carolyn
by Carolyn
Our home was built in the 1920's. Hubby spent hours (days really) prepping our paneled living room walls, filling the holes with putty and sanding them before he put on 2 coats of kill paint and 2 coats of one-coat paint. He says I can not hang pictures on the wall, absolutely no holes are to be put in the wall. So for the renters out there and those of you who have someone with the mindset of my hubby, what are your solutions? I'm not a fan of command hooks and some of my pictures are large and meant to be hung on walls. No space to hang the pictures in other rooms.
  19 answers
  • Velcro strips are an option!

    • Carolyn Carolyn on Mar 12, 2017

      I guess, but then I'd have to do something to get the glue off the walls if I moved the location of the pictures. Thanks for the idea. Hum...maybe a gem of an idea is starting to form... Thank you!

  • Jcw Jcw on Mar 12, 2017

    Room for Easels? If Large pics are Large Enough.

    • See 2 previous
    • Carolyn Carolyn on Mar 16, 2017

      I'll have to go look, thanks for the suggestion.

  • Kate Baxter Kate Baxter on Mar 12, 2017

    I was going to suggest railings like dish railings. Don't know the correct name for them. That is how they hung things in the old days but your husband seems adamant that his wall is not to be touched. I don't like hanging things either but after a miserable winter of snow, ice and cold I bought a 'wall decor' poster. It is 2 x 3 feet and looks just like a window opening onto a beautiful tropic beach. I see it every morning when I wake up and think yes summer is coming :)

  • Pat Pat on Mar 12, 2017

    Command strips...no marks..no holes.

    • Carolyn Carolyn on Mar 12, 2017

      Looking for a different solution. Thank you for replying.

  • Toni Mccall Toni Mccall on Mar 12, 2017

    Command strips do work pretty well.

  • Carolyn Carolyn on Mar 12, 2017

    What's the largest, heaviest painting you've used command strips to hang?


    I'm looking to do something free standing, a portable, movable solution such as a padded or cork faced art wall, picture display room divider, free standing grid, picture pole, portable art gallery display , bi-fold door art display..... No need to reinvent the wheel if someone else has already accomplished the same. Maybe even a portable slat wall and hooks. Thought the solutions might come in handy for renters also.

  • Dss14589699 Dss14589699 on Mar 12, 2017

    There are molding like trim-looks nice,paint to match existing trim. You hang pics from decor wire, rope, ribbon etc. How it used to be done. Great for people who like to switch out art.

    • Rose M Fagan Rose M Fagan on Mar 27, 2017

      Yes, I was going to suggest stringing picture wire across the wall, near the top or lower, where you want to hang the pictures. It will be sturdy if it's taut, and will look cool, and not damage the walls.

  • Chris J Chris J on Mar 14, 2017

    Try using something called picture rails. I found some on Pinterest. Victorian homes never nailed art to walls. They hung it from picture rails. Here is a pic that I found on Pinterest. Or talk to your museum people, I am sure they could help you figure something out for hanging as well. Tour some of the old houses in your city that were built in the same age as your house. You'd be amazed at what you can find.

  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 15, 2017

    research picture rails- many Victorian houses had them.

  • Country Design Home Country Design Home on Mar 16, 2017

    How about you go ahead and put the nails in the walls and hang the pictures. When hubby asks, tell him that when they come down, you will putty and paint the walls : ) Then you both get your wish!

  • Grandma Grandma on Mar 27, 2017

    If all else gets ruled out, maybe divorce?


  • Maggie Smith Maggie Smith on Mar 29, 2017

    While we were in the military moving around alot, (35-40 years ago), I solved that problem. Military housing and/or rentals didn't want holes either. I got a 4'x8' sheet of plywood, painted it a matching color, attached (also painted) 2"×4" x6' boards to the back. The sheet of plywood is used horizontally. Then I started arranging all of my pictures. When I was finally satisfied with the arrangement, I started putting the nails in and numbering each picture with the corresponding nail number. I think I had about 25 pictures - none larger than an 8x12. I leaned the thing against the wall and pushed the sofa against it to keep it from falling. Then when we moved to the next base, I just needed to match the number on the back of the picture to the number by the nail.


    In the many moves we made, it never fell forward from being top heavy, nor any of the pictures falling off.

  • Carolyn Carolyn on Mar 29, 2017

    Great Idea! Did you "frame" the plywood or just put the board on the bottom to kick it out a bit? I'd think with moving around you'd need to frame all of it in some manner to keep it from warping. A little more detail please. Sounds like it would work at least in one space for me. I have a "bench" in a five foot span between 2 doors where this sounds like it would be perfect. Have to do something taller for another space, maybe a folding door divider.

    • Bernice H Bernice H on Mar 30, 2017

      A folding door divider would work great. Also..try bifold doors...louvered...maybe from rehab,or shutters-lean against wall...or set on a table......hang pics from the slats.

  • D roach D roach on Mar 30, 2017

    will he allow you to put hooks in the ceiling? If so you can hang picture wire on hooks from ceiling to back of picture. Make sure the hooks go in to joists in ceiling

  • Choo Magoo Choo Magoo on Apr 17, 2017

    My house was built in the 1860's and has lath and plaster walls. We have picture rail 18" from the ceiling (walls are 11.5 ft) all around the room. It looks great and its fun to "hide" the wire on the picture with ribbon or fancy wire.


  • Carolyn Carolyn on Apr 18, 2017

    Great solution for home owners.


  • Carolyn Carolyn on Apr 18, 2017

    I love everyone's ideas and as a homeowner all are doable; however, Maggie Smith's idea is the closest to one an artist who attends craft fairs suggested. He suggested covering that board with burlap so I could rearrange pictures as tastes or frames change and the fabric would hide the rearranging. In all probability, I'll eventually do all of the ideas somewhere except the command hooks. I've also seen wall braced leaning book/whatnot shelving; however, I don't want anything but pictures on the display. Still hopeful for more ideas for apartment/renting solutions that others have or can use. Happy solutions everyone!

  • Danielle Odin Danielle Odin on Apr 18, 2017

    If you have a large and heavy picture, You can use the Command hooks that will bear the weight and put 2 or 3 across on which to hang the piece.

  • Sharon Sharon on Apr 25, 2017

    I've hung heavy frame old mirrors with 2 command hooks, If the wire on the mirror back is low enough the hooks won't show.