Collector's Handbook: The Wall Art Size Guide

Thinking of buying art for your home, but you’re not sure what size fits your wall? You’ve come to the right place. Figuring out the right art wall proportions can sometime feel intuitive, and at other times may require a little added calculation. Adding art to your space will most definitely enhance its style and give it life. Whether you’re looking at a canvas painting, a photograph, or a framed print, finding the right art size for your wall is nearly just as important as the art itself.

Here are a few tips to consider when deciding what size art to buy:

1. THE ART SIZE CALCULATOR

The size of paintings can vary widely, ranging from small to oversized. Choosing the most popular canvas sizes can be highly tricky, and mostly subjective. If some art seems too small for one wall, it may fit perfectly on another. Here is a rundown of the most common art canvas sizes:

• Mini (Between 10 and 17 inches)
• Can stand alone, but are most often grouped together as part of a collection
• Small (Between 18 and 24 inches)
• Most noticeable when grouped, or paired with another for a more symmetrical look
• Medium (Between 25 and 32 inches)
• Depending on the space, medium-sized art can stand alone, or be integrated with art of different sizes
• Large (Between 33 and 40 inches)
• Can stand alone and make a wall look complete
• Oversized (41 inches or larger)
• As a focal point of a wall or room, an oversized art piece can stand alone. Make sure to measure the wall beforehand as it can completely overwhelm the space.

Take into consideration how much furniture is in the room, how large the wall is, how high the ceilings are, and base your decision on those factors.

2. THE WALL YOU’RE CHOOSING

The wall you’re choosing for your art is the ultimate deciding factor on what size art to buy. Most often, bigger is better. A common mistake buyers make is choosing art too small for their walls. You wouldn’t want to invest in an art piece only to find it too awkwardly small for the room, and still makes the space look barren. Take into consideration how much furniture is in the room, how large the wall is, how high the ceilings are, and base your decision on those factors. Measure the wall of your choice, and keep in mind that for tall, narrow walls, a similar shaped canvas with a portrait or vertical orientation will work best, while the same is true for horizontal wall spaces where landscape-oriented art works best. 

3.    THE ROOM THE ART WILL LIVE IN

Whether you are choosing to display art in a gallery, kitchen, living room, hallway, or bedroom – there are a few helpful key measurements to keep in mind. The size of a painting for a wall in your living room will most likely be dependent on the size of your sofa. For hanging art above a sofa, a helpful tip is to keep the bottom frame of your wall art 6-12 inches above the top of your sofa, while the width should span to no more than 2/3 to 3/4 the length of your sofa. If you’re hanging above a fireplace, 3 to 6 inches above the mantel will suffice. When choosing art for a bedroom, the ideal art size above a king bed, or a queen bed, should be around 60%-80% the width of the furniture.

4. HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG?

Just as critical as the colors of the art you're choosing, so is proportion and placement. How high should art be hung? A general rule of thumb is hang art at eye level, so that its midpoint is between 57 and 60 inches from the floor. If you have a room with ceilings higher than eight feet, artwork can be hung a little higher than 60 inches. Once you pick the right height for your space, stick with it for consistency.

When you’re decorating your space and you’ve bought all the right pieces, you want to make sure, that at the end of the day, your pieces fit the puzzle. You can have the perfect sofa, the perfect sized rug, and a lamp that lights up your world, but if the art size isn’t quite right, you will notice that something’s feeling a little off. Take these tips into consideration and maximize your interior the next time you’re looking to buy art.