How to Choose the Right Size Art for Your Wall: A Simple Guide

We want to help you find the perfect wall art size for your living room, bedroom, hallway, or entryway and sometimes choosing artwork for your home can feel overwhelming. We hear a lot of "Where do we even start?" "How do I know the right size?" "Do I need a horizontal or vertical piece for this space?" *Including the brutally honest "I always confuse 'horizontal' and 'vertical'" -you are not alone ;)

Yesterday a new collector told me his house has a huge wall of windows "the natural light is great but it makes it hard to choose art; we think we find something we love and hang it in that room and BAM glass glare (even with museum glass finish on the frame)" *we hear this a lot too - check out our blog about Alan's UV protected ArtShield if this is a problem you're facing.

Here we'll go through some of the most common questions we hear in the gallery along side the most Google searched questions when it comes to putting up art in your home. 

“What size art should I hang on my wall?”

The biggest mistake many people make is buying artwork that’s too small for the wall. A piece that’s too small can make a space feel unfinished or out of balance. And a piece that's too large ends up overwhelming the space and looking somewhat ridiculous.

The good news? There are a few simple, designer-approved rules that make choosing the perfect artwork size easy—no guesswork required.

"What size art should I hang above our couch?"

The living room is often the centerpiece of your home, and your sofa usually anchors the wall.

Tips for perfect placement:

• Choose artwork 60–75% the width of the sofa.

• Hang the piece 6–8 inches above the sofa.

• Use one large statement piece or a gallery wall of smaller frames.

💡 Example: An 84-inch sofa pairs well with artwork 50–63 inches wide.

This grand view print is 53" wide - plus a few extra inches with the frame - creating a perfect size above their sofa.

"What Size Art Should I Hang Above a Bed?"

Artwork in the bedroom helps frame the space and adds personality.

Guidelines:

• Center the piece above the headboard.

• Hang 8–10 inches above the bed.

• Horizontal pieces usually work best for balance OR the combination of three vertical pieces depending on the size of the bed.

💡 Example: A queen bed works well with artwork 36–48 inches wide.

This 24" x 36" Sunset at Ladies Delight print works beautifully above this queen sized bed.

"What Size Art Works for Entryways and Hallways?"

Entryways and hallways are transitional spaces that can make a big impression:

• Statement pieces welcome guests in entryways.

• Vertical artwork works best on narrow walls.

• Hallways are ideal for series of smaller pieces or a mini gallery wall.

💡 Tip: Keep artwork centered at eye level to create a polished look.

These three prints: Sebago Kayakers, Chairs Overlooking Ram Island Travel & Oh Buoy vertical prints look perfectly spaced in this entryway. The collector wanted to add color to this entry while maintaining a clean, minimal space. 

How to Space 3 Frames on Your Wall

Hanging multiple pieces can feel tricky, but a little math makes it simple. Here’s how to get it perfectly balanced:

Step 1: Measure Your Wall Space
Decide how much wall you want your three frames to fill. Let’s say you have a wall that’s 72 inches wide.

Step 2: Measure Your Frames
Each frame is 18 inches wide. With three frames, the total width of the frames is:

18+18+18=54 inches

Step 3: Decide on Equal Spacing
We want equal gaps between each frame and between the outer frames and the wall edges.

Step 4: Calculate the Spacing
Use this formula:

$$\text{Space between frames} = \frac{\text{Wall width} - (\text{sum of frame widths})}{\text{number of spaces}}$$

• Wall width = 72″

• Total frame width = 54″

• Number of spaces = 4 (one on each end, two in between)

$$\text{Space} = \frac{72 - 54}{4} = \frac{18}{4} = 4.5 \text{ inches}$$

✅ That means 4.5 inches between each frame and between the outer frames and the wall edges.

Step 5: Hang Your Frames
Mark lightly with a pencil, step back, and admire your perfectly balanced arrangement.

💡 Pro Tip: Even small adjustments can make the arrangement feel just right, especially if your frames are a mix of vertical and horizontal.

When to Choose Large Artwork

Larger pieces often feel more intentional and polished. Consider them for:

• Living rooms

• Dining rooms

• Above fireplaces

• Large entryways

💡 Tip: A bigger piece anchors the room and creates a bold statement.

This 36"x53" Skiing Snow Bowl frame fits perfectly in this open area stairway. It draws your eye, brings subtle color and anchors the room.

How to Create a Gallery Wall

A gallery wall is one of the easiest ways to make a big style statement in your home. The key is planning, spacing, and balance. They work well in a stairway, small or large areas. Gallery walls are a fun way to display multiple artworks:

• Start with a central anchor piece.

• Keep 2–3 inches between frames.

• Lay the arrangement on the floor first before hanging.

💡 Extra Tips for Readers:

• Mix textures: frames, canvases, and 3D objects for depth

• Stick to one wall color for contrast, or mix wall textures for interest

• Don’t be afraid to rotate pieces seasonally

Gallery walls are meant to mix sizes and orientations; mix personal photos, plants, clocks and mirrors too! Gallery walls should be fun so do what you like most!

 

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Quick Wall Art Size Reference Chart

This chart helps you quickly determine the right size for your space.

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Common Questions About Hanging Art

Q: How high should artwork be hung?
A: Center the piece at 57–60 inches from the floor, roughly at eye level.

Q: Should artwork match furniture?
A: Not exactly—aim for color or style harmony, not exact matching.

Q: Can artwork be wider than the sofa?
A: It’s usually best to keep artwork slightly narrower than the furniture to maintain balance.

Q: How do I hang a gallery wall evenly?
A: Use a level, tape measure, and paper templates to plan spacing before putting nails in the wall. There are so many great tools out there now that can help!

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right wall art size doesn’t have to feel complicated. Follow these simple, designer-approved guidelines, and your artwork will feel balanced, intentional, and inspiring in every room.

💡 Bonus Tip: Rotate artwork or swap pieces between rooms to keep your home feeling fresh! And don't forget to share your Alan Claude pieces to our Love My Space event. These events run through the year - you could win more Alan Claude art!

Remember: the most important rule is choose pieces you love—they’ll make your space feel truly yours and make you happy! Don't we all want to be surrounded by things that bring us happiness?