What Size Should My Artwork Be?

Art adds personality and style to your space. While selecting art is a personal decision, there are some rules about purchasing the right size. If you are confused about what size art to purchase or don’t know where to start, you are not alone. A lot of people are unsure about what size their artwork should be. One of the biggest mistakes people make is hanging artwork that is too small for their space. Here are a few rules to help make that decision easier.

Rule # 1: Go big. If in doubt, go large. Bigger is better! Did you know that your artwork should fill up 2/3 to 3/4 of the available wall space? After all, you want your artwork to stand out and complement your space. Your artwork can even become a focal point.

Rule #2: Hang artwork at eye level. Another common mistake people make is hanging their artwork too high. That equates to about 60 inches from the center of the artwork to the floor. For some that is very hard to hear but if you ask the experts you get answers from 60 to 64 inches above the floor.

Rule #3: Remember proportion. Artwork should be proportionate to your furniture. For example, if your bed is 60 inches (the normal size of a queen bed), your artwork should be 40 – 45 inches wide (which is 2/3 t- 3/4 the width of the bed). If you have a king size bed (approximately 76 inches) your artwork should be 50 – 57 inches wide. A good rule of thumb when hanging artwork over a bed is to hang the artwork 6 - 12 inches above the headboard. The same is true for other furniture pieces such as a sofa or dresser.

When hanging artwork about a mantel, you can bring artwork down a bit. Consider hanging just 3 – 6 inches above the mantel. Another option is the lean your artwork on the mantel. Just make it big!

And don’t forget about small areas like end of hallways, between doorways, etc. Here might be a good place to put two pieces side by side or several pieces together, making up a gallery wall.

Rule #4: Gallery walls can be a fun way to fill a large space using smaller pieces of art or an odd space with several pieces of art. Pick pieces that complement each other. Consider the collection as one piece of art, whether you are hanging 2 pieces or 12 pieces.

Buying printable art is a wonderful way to create inexpensive gallery wall art. Etsy is full of inexpensive printables and of course you can shop my shop SND Printables. Once you purchase the printable art, simply print and frame.

Rule #5: Measure your space before you buy. This is probably the most important rule for buying artwork especially when ordering custom art that is made to order and cannot be returned. I’ll repeat what I said at the beginning, when in doubt buy bigger! Small sizes such as 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 are better suited for a table or a shelf. Don’t expect them to look good on a wall by themselves.

Still having trouble visualizing? Here is a handy guide to refer to if you still need some help with sizes.

Artwork is an investment so buy what you love and make sure you buy the right size for your space.

Hope you found these tips helpful. If you enjoyed this and want to read similar articles in the future, be sure to sign up below. In addition, you will get a 10% coupon towards items here and in my Etsy shop.