How-To: Proper Clock Placement
In this age, where every aspect of our lives is becoming increasingly digital by the day, there's something especially reassuring about all things analog. A well-placed wall clock serves as a helpful reminder to take a break from our screens and savor these precious moments at home.
With a silent, continuously sweeping hand, our wall clocks are here to help you keep track of the passing time in every room of the house. Here we've rounded up a few tips and tricks to help you find the perfect placement for your wall clock.
Room Selection
Wall clocks are a useful helper in every room, so when choosing which part of the home your Schoolhouse clock belongs in, consider practicality first and the design potential second. Where do you check the time most frequently? Which room could benefit most from a functional, eye-catching decor piece? A clock in the kitchen will help you keep an eye on the time while cooking but perhaps the living or family room gets the most frequent use.
Finding The Right Height
As a rule of thumb, eye level is always a good starting point when deciding where to hang your wall clock. Utility is truly key so you'll want your clock to be comfortably in view throughout the day.
In many spaces, a clock will also work beautifully above eye level. A clock placed above a doorway can act as a nostalgic reminder of the classroom clocks from your school days and will stay in sight as you're moving throughout your home.
Make sure your wall clock is hung higher than the tallest obstruction in the room, so it's visible and unblocked from every angle. Allow space between the clock and tall pieces, so it's visible over furniture even when you're seated.
Ideal Spacing
A wall clock is a piece of art and should be treated as such. You can use many of the principles of hanging art to find the perfect placement for your clock.
Avoid Overcrowding: Leave 4 to 6 inches of space between your clock and any surrounding furniture, lighting or other art.
Take Scale into Account: Note the dimensions of each clock. Some of our clocks may be larger than they appear in images, so make sure the size of your clock doesn't overpower nearby furniture or art.
Try a Gallery Wall Arrangement: Wall clocks command attention when placed alone, but also add movement and texture to gallery walls. Treat your clock the same as you would the other pieces of art and try placing it off-center to add visual interest to the arrangement.
Pro Tip: Trace your desired clock on a piece of paper and cut out the same size as the dimensions to play around with the placement to help find the perfect spot. This will allow you to step back and visualize scale before committing to a spot. When you're ready to hang your clock, you can put a nail hole straight through the paper to ensure your clock will hang in the exact position you've chosen.
How to Hang
Once you've found the perfect spot, you're ready to hang your clock. Here are some helpful tricks from our Facilities Manager, Nicholas.
- Because of their weight, clocks should be mounted to a stud if possible. If a stud is not an option, a “wall anchor” that is weight rated to carry the clocks weight will be required.
- Make sure that the screw or nail you use has enough of a lip to not allow the keyhole-shaped clock hanger to slip off.
- Before drilling, note the distance between the top of the clock and the location of the hanger on the back of the clock. Say, for instance, the hanger is mounted at 3” below the top of the clock. Hold the clock up for exact wall placement and gently mark the wall where 12 o’clock is, and remove the clock to reveal your mark. Then, measure 3” down, and that's where you'll install the nail or screw.
