Art for the living room: what size, how high, which piece

Most living room walls go wrong on size and height, not on the choice of picture. These are the rules of thumb interior guides use, with the sums worked out so you can measure your own wall.

At the end are Riya Kumari’s paintings and prints, with their real sizes, and a tool to see any of them on a photo of your own wall.

How big should living room art be?

Art over a piece of furniture should span about two-thirds of the furniture’s width, roughly 60–70%. Over a 200 cm (79 in) sofa, that is 120–140 cm (47–55 in) of art: one large piece, or a group of smaller pieces hung together, measured across the whole group. Large empty walls take an oversized piece or a set of panels; small rooms suit medium pieces or a group of small ones. Avoid a large piece on a narrow wall.

How high to hang it

Hang a single piece with its centre at eye level, about 145–150 cm (57–60 in) from the floor. Above a sofa, keep the art close to the furniture so they read together: with the centre about 20–25 cm (8–10 in) above the backrest is a common guide, and adjust for a tall or low sofa.

One piece or several?

A single statement piece is the simplest choice above a sofa. Several smaller pieces work just as well if you treat them as one: keep the same gaps between frames, usually 5–8 cm (2–3 in), and give them something in common, one frame colour, one palette or one subject.

Planning a gallery wall

Lay the frames out on the floor first and move them around until the spacing feels even, then hold the same gap on the wall. Hang the largest piece first and build outward from it. Measure the whole group as one piece when you check it against the two-thirds rule.

Light and care

Keep paintings and prints out of direct sunlight, which fades colour, and away from damp walls and heat. Frame prints behind UV-protective glass.

Worked example with these pieces

Riya’s framed prints and paintings are small to medium: the A3-framed prints and the paintings are about 33 x 43 cm (13 x 17 in) framed, the A4-framed prints about 23 x 32 cm (9 x 12.5 in). Three portrait A3-framed pieces side by side with 6 cm gaps span about 111 cm (44 in), right for a sofa of about 160–185 cm; three landscape ones (about 41 cm wide each) span about 135 cm (53 in), right for a sofa of about 195–225 cm. On their own, they suit a console, a side table, a desk or the narrow wall beside a window. For a single larger piece, ask for a quote for a bigger print.

Questions

What size art goes above a sofa?: About two-thirds of the sofa’s width: 120–140 cm (47–55 in) of art over a 200 cm (79 in) sofa, either one piece or a group measured as a whole.
How high should art hang above a sofa?: With its centre about 20–25 cm (8–10 in) above the backrest, or, on a wall with no furniture, with its centre about 145–150 cm (57–60 in) from the floor.
How far apart should frames be in a group?: About 5–8 cm (2–3 in), the same gap between every frame.
Can I see a piece on my own wall before buying?: Yes. Open “See it on your wall” on any piece’s page, upload a photo of your room, and the piece is drawn at its real size on your wall. Nothing is uploaded; the photo stays on your device.

See a piece on your wall · Original paintings · Fine art prints · What is a giclée print?

See it on your wall