How difficult is it to hang pictures on a wall? Just about anyone can succeed on the most basic level. All you need is a hammer, a roofing nail and enough coordination not to smash your thumb.

But a picture hook is better than a nail. A stud finder and a bubble level help you avoid that “amateur” look. And driving the nail through a little piece of masking tape stuck on the wall prevents the chipping of plaster.

See, this can get complicated.

There are several ways, though, to make the experience easier:

Rail systems

Basically, these are horizontal rails that discreetly run along the ceiling or the top or bottom of a wall. To them are attached adjustable nylon or steel wires that are in turn attached to the back of the item being hung.

Advanced do-it-yourself skills are not necessary. But you will need to know how to put anchors in the wall (to which the rails are mounted) as well as be able to work on a ladder.

An example would be the STAS system, a version of which recently won best new product recognition at designEX 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. STAS systems are available in the U.S. through Quadro Frames (arthangingcenter.com).

The Picture Wall

It takes skill and a good eye to group 10 pictures of varying sizes together and not have it look like you brought in Larry, Moe and Curly for the job. The Picture Wall is designed to make easier work of decorating a full wall.

A $349 kit comes with 10 Plexiglas-fronted frames (available in a variety of finishes) and mats. There are also hooks, marking pins, bubble levels and a template to mark the wall for (supposedly) error-proof picture hanging. The template can be arranged in a number of layouts, even going up a staircase.

For the unimaginative or artwork-challenged, the PicturewallCompany even puts images in the frames. Customers also get a year of free downloads from the company’s library. The only tool needed is a hammer. Available through thepicturewallcompany.com.

Huddle Frame

Similar in concept to the Picture Wall, the Tom Vincent-designed Huddle Frame lets you group photos without having a background in geometry. Seven-, eight-, 10- and 11-photo setups are available, ranging in price from about $25 to $105. Can be purchased at umbra.com or target.com.