Have you ever looked at a space with art hanging and something just looked off?
Maybe this is something you personally struggle with – not knowing what size art to get for over the couch or in the hallway or anywhere else in your home. This is a common question I get asked and I’m more than happy to help!
There’s an easy formula/general rule that you can use when deciding on the size. The art should take up between 60-75% of the space.
We’ll use some simple numbers as an example. Let’s say you want art for over the couch and your couch measures 100 inches in width. Your art should take up between 60-75 inches in width of space. You can do that with a single piece or with a grouping.
Why is that? It makes your space seem balanced and it’s easy on the eye. When something is too small or too large it will feel off balance.
Too Big
The art is taking over! It’s overwhelming. It can feel like it’s screaming at you and can feel too cluttered. There’s no breathing room. It’s very top heavy.
Too Small
The art is getting lost. It’s way too small for the size of the couch and the wall. Now it feels bottom heavy. You almost don’t even notice the art!
75%
The art below is now about 75% of the couch. It’s large but feels more balanced and has breathing room
The grouping below is taking up the same 75% as the above image but feels lighter because of the space in between the 2 pieces.
60%
Still feels balanced with a bit more breathing room.
Right in the middle – 67.5%
For this particular example I’d go somewhere in between 60-75% if I was using a single art piece. Shown below is at 67.5%
When you do your calculations, remember to include the size of the final art piece. With canvases it will just be the size of the canvas but if you plan to frame a print, use the size of the frame in your calculation.
I hope that helps! If you have any questions let me know.
Looking to add new art to your home or office? Check out my print shop for fine art prints and canvas options.
If you get stuck on sizing let me know and I’d be happy to do a mock up for you.
[…] The size of the art is also important. You don’t want the art to be too small that it gets lost in the room or too big that it overwhelms the space. Measure the wall where you want to display the art and choose a piece that fits the space. Check out this post for more sizing tips. […]