Getting the size right is half the job. The other half is where it goes, and that changes room by room.
Living room
The default is above the sofa or the mantel, centred, with the middle of the dial around 7 to 8 feet from the floor. If there is a mantel, leave 8 to 12 inches of clear wall between the shelf and the bottom of the clock — any tighter and it reads as cramped.
Resist hanging it opposite the television. A clock in your peripheral vision while you are watching something is a small, permanent irritation.
Kitchen
Hang it where you look up from the counter, not where it decorates a gap. Above the door or on the wall facing the main prep area works; above the range does not, because grease and heat will find it.
Kitchens are the strongest argument for full numerals and a high-contrast dial. You are reading it in three-second glances with your hands full.
Bedroom
On the wall you face when you wake, not above the headboard where you cannot see it. This is the room where a silent sweep movement earns its money.
Home office
Behind your monitor, at roughly eye level, so checking the time does not mean turning around. If you are on video calls, remember the clock behind you is on camera — a large plain dial reads as considered; a novelty one does not.
Hallway and entrance
Sightline from the front door is what matters. This is where an oversized clock does its best work, because the viewing distance is long and there is usually nothing competing with it.
Stairwell
Hang for the landing, not the hall. The most common mistake is hanging at a comfortable height for someone standing at the bottom, which puts it at knee level for anyone on the stairs.
The wall to avoid
Any wall in direct afternoon sun. Ultraviolet light fades printed dials, yellows white plastics and dries out wood finishes, and it does it unevenly — you end up with a clock that is two colours. If that is the only wall available, buy something in metal or dark wood rather than a pale printed dial.
Fixing it properly
The weight is on every product page here for a reason. Under about 2 lb, a picture hook in plasterboard is fine. Between 2 and 5 lb, use a proper drywall anchor. Above 5 lb, find a stud — a large gallery clock coming off the wall will destroy itself and whatever is beneath it.
Check the back of the clock before you drill: some use a keyhole slot, some a bracket, and a few of the heavier cased clocks want two fixings.
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