5 Guidelines for Sizing and Hanging Wall Art:
Selecting wall art to best fit your space can be daunting if you aren’t familiar with a few guidelines for interior design. The last thing you want is to invest in a piece of artwork that you love and then find it doesn’t fit quite right in your space. A few simple tips will ensure you understand the perfect size artwork to purchase for your space, and help you find the perfect way to display it, regardless of the size.
Guideline #1 - MEASURE YOUR AVAILABLE WALL SPACE
Artwork should cover between 4/7 (0.57) and 3/4 (0.75) of your available wall space.
Whether you are considering a single statement piece, or a gallery or salon wall, the same sizing rules apply. Artwork should cover between 4/7 (0.57) and 3/4 (0.75) of your available wall space. First, measure the width and height of the wall space where you’d like to hang your art piece. If you are hanging artwork over furniture, like a bed, couch, dining table or fireplace, the wall area you are measuring should be the area over the furniture piece (not the entire length of the wall). This is important because artwork looks best when it is displayed in proper proportion to the wall space and furniture around it. You want your room to feel balanced and complete. If your artwork is much larger than your furniture it can make your furniture look smaller and less significant. If the artwork is too small, it will look out of place with all the empty wall space.
Artwork - Sugarloaf/USA “Oh My Gosh” Corner by Amber Howard
Once you’ve measured your space, multiply the width by .57 and then again by .75. These two numbers give you the range in sizes for the width of an art piece. Then multiply the height by .57 and then again by .75. This gives you the range in sizes for the height of an art piece.
For example, if your available wall space is 48 inches wide,
48 x 0.57 = 27
48 x 0.75 = 36
This means, the best size piece for this space is between 27-36 inches wide.
Artwork - Newport Cove by Amber Howard
Guideline #2 - HANG ART AT EYE LEVEL
An important thing to consider when selecting artwork is how high it will hang, whether on a blank wall or above a piece of furniture. The general rule here is based on how artwork is typically hung in gallery and museum spaces, where two-dimensional works are hung so that the center of the piece falls at eye level, approximately 57-60 inches from the floor. But in your space this level may vary given your decor and architectural details.
If you are seeking to hang artwork in a space with low ceilings (less than 8-9 feet), abandon the 4/7 - 2/3 rule. Instead, divide the height of your wall into quarters and hang your art in the third quadrant up from the floor.
If you are planning on hanging artwork above a bed, couch, dresser, dining table or other piece of furniture, hanging the work 4-12 inches above the top of the furniture is recommended. If you’re hanging art above a fireplace, 3-6 inches above the mantle is recommended. Select a piece with a width that is larger than the fireplace opening, but smaller than the mantle.
If you are hanging a gallery or salon wall, the same rules apply. Treat the group of artworks as one unit and place the center of the grouping at eye level or spaced above furniture as described above.
Guideline #3 - ART ORIENTATION
Depending on the height of your space, you may wish to select a piece of artwork depending on its orientation. If you are trying to find artwork for a narrow but tall space (like a sliver of wall between two windows), it may be best to look for an artwork piece in portrait orientation (more tall than wide) to create a sense of height and openness. On the other hand, if you are trying to fill a wide wall, a long hallway, or a space above a headboard or dining table, it may be best to look for a piece in landscape (horizontal) orientation. This orientation is more wide than tall and can help fill a wide space.
Guideline #4 - ART FRAMING
Don’t forget to take framing into account! If you are purchasing a piece of artwork unframed, keep in mind that adding a frame and picture matting could add inches to your piece. Keep this in mind when choosing your artwork, selecting frame and matting, and hanging your artwork.
Images by Unsplash
Guideline #5 - GALLERY OR SALON WALLS
Image by Unsplash
If one large statement piece doesn’t fit in your budget, or if you’re trying to find the best way to display smaller pieces, consider a gallery or salon wall. A gallery wall is multiple pieces hung in a group. Usually they are displayed in an ordered fashion, like in a grid, with the same or similar frames. A salon wall is multiple artworks hung at many different heights and formations. This is a great way to display a lot of pieces on the same wall. It is also common to see different styles of framing displayed together on a salon wall. This style is reminiscent of 19th century France, where works in art competitions were hung and displayed at random at the Paris Salon. Salon walls work best when you mix and match multiple different types of wall art from paintings, prints, photos, text pieces, to wall sculptures.
In a gallery wall, space pieces 2-4 inches apart. For salon walls, hang larger pieces two to three inches apart, and smaller pieces one and a half to two inches apart. Be sure to take these spaces into account when measuring.
Whether you’re hanging a single piece or multiple, the same principles apply. Treat your gallery or salon and their spacing as one unit when measuring using the 4/7 - 3/4 rule.
TIP: Gallery and Salon walls can be tricky to plan and hang. You can find suggested gallery layouts and templates online to help with planning. When it comes time to hang, use post-it notes to mark the corners of where you want your artwork, or use paper sized to match your artwork to give you a sense of scale and help you visualize the display before drilling holes in the wall.
Gallery Wall
Salon Wall by Architectural Digest
Bonus: KNOW THE STANDARD MEASUREMENTS
Here are the standard wall art sizes to hang above furniture in your home:
Image by Unsplash
For a twin bed, choose art that’s between 22-30” wide.
For a full sized bed, choose art that’s between 30-41” wide.
For a queen bed, choose art that’s between 34-45” wide.
For a king bed, choose art that’s between 43-57” wide.
For a 96” sofa, choose art that’s between 54-72” wide.
For a 72” sofa, choose art that’s between 41-54” wide.
For a 60” table, choose art that’s between 34-45” wide.
If you have any questions about what size piece may fit best in your space, feel free to reach out, I’d love to help! And if you’ve designed an incredible gallery wall you’d like to share or you’ve hung some of my artwork in your space tag me on Instagram @maineseastonestudios or post with the hashtag #islandhoppingart - I’d love to see your incredible spaces!
