Keep in mind the orientation of your artwork. Horizontal format will look better over a couch or bed, while vertical format is ideal for narrow walls.
Measure the space and decide then on the type of artwork you’re planning on buying. A good rule of thumb is to aim to fill about two-thirds to three-fourths of your available wall space (or furniture piece’s width).
Small Wall Art is between 18 and 24” in height or width. This size is ideal for:
– smaller spaces (like a reading nook, a short hallway, or the corner of a room…),
– placed on a floating shelf (or bookshelf) with other decorative elements,
– grouped with other artworks (you can either go for a full-on maximalist gallery wall to create an impactful accent wall, or play on symmetry and use only two or three pieces).
– most city apartments, which are never that big, unless you’re among the lucky ones to have a loft with high ceilings and lots of wall space,
– placed by itself above a couch or bed,
– paired with a similar-sized artwork to create symmetry and double the impact (depending on your space, don’t forget you could place them vertically, which is a great alternative to the traditional horizontal setup).
– don’t try grouping it with other artworks as it will dwarf them,
– let it breathe. Make sure there’s enough negative space around it so it doesn’t end up looking crowded and cramped.
Oversized Wall Art is anything bigger than 40” (4 feet) in height or width. Perfect for a loft in SoHo or Downtown LA, or a manor in the British countryside! Kidding aside, a XL print will bring a major wow factor to your place.
FYI: we will happily work with you to create a custom piece for your space. Simply contact us!
You can give more oomph to a small artwork by using a wide matte around it (just don’t go crazy or it will look off-balanced). And you can minimize a print by bypassing the matte and choosing a thin frame.
If the print is a little too big, a thin frame will help. And you can move around your furniture or decorative elements to make it work. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
Note: These calculations work for both individual pieces and groupings / gallery walls.
For a print going on a blank wall, measure the height and length of your wall.
Multiply the height by 0.57 and again by 0.75 to get the range in which the ideal height of your print needs to be. Do the same for the length to get the ideal width options for your piece.
Your artwork (including frame) needs to cover 2/3 to 3/4 of space.
For a print going above a piece of furniture, multiply its width by 0.57 and 0.75. The results are the range in which your artwork measurement needs to fall to properly complement the space.
For example, if your sofa is 84” wide, your framed print should be between 47 and 63” wide.
If your headboard is 60” wide, your framed print will ideally be between 40 and 45” wide.
(This again follows the general rule that your framed print needs to needs to cover 2/3 to 3/4 of your space.)
Although it’s good to know the rules, it’s also fun to break them once in a while!
Placing a small-size artwork in a bedroom, next to one of the bedside tables for instance, or above the chair where you drop your clothes at the end of the day, can create an unexpected and delightful vignette.
Alternatively, you could go big and have one large print in your studio apartment to create a strong statement. It’s your place – do as you please!
Next, how to hang your print!