Size Guide
Choosing the Right Size
Getting the size right is the most important decision in buying a print. Too small and the piece disappears. Too large and it overwhelms the room. The right size depends on what the piece is doing: anchoring a wall, sitting above furniture, or joining a collected arrangement. For paper selection, see the Paper Guide.
Art size comparison
The comparison below shows the relative scale of our common portrait and landscape sizes. It is proportional, not life-size on screen.
Use the visual as a scale reference, then choose based on the wall, the furniture below it, and whether the piece needs to anchor the room or support a larger arrangement.
How to measure your wall
Start with the wall space or furniture piece you are designing around. For art above a bed, sofa, console, desk, or mantel, the piece should usually land around two-thirds the width of the furniture below it. This keeps the print visually connected to the object beneath it instead of floating alone on the wall.
For an open wall without furniture below it, think in terms of presence. A small print can work if the wall is narrow or if the piece is part of a group. A larger uninterrupted wall usually needs an anchor.
Our common sizes and where they work
12 x 18
The entry size. Works well in smaller spaces: a reading nook, bathroom, narrow hallway, shelf wall, or as part of a gallery wall. Strong enough to stand alone on a small wall, but usually too modest for a large open wall by itself.
16 x 24
The most versatile size. Works in bedrooms, studies, above a smaller console, beside a doorway, or as the lead piece in a smaller wall arrangement. Large enough to register from across the room without taking over.
20 x 30
The anchor size. Best for walls that can carry weight: above a bed, mantel, console, desk, or large uninterrupted wall. At this size, the piece becomes part of the room's architecture.
Portrait versus landscape
Portrait pieces add height and presence. They work well above nightstands, beside bookcases, in hallways, and on narrower walls.
Landscape pieces add width and distance. They work well above beds, consoles, mantels, desks, and longer walls where the room needs a horizontal anchor.
Hanging height
The center of the piece should sit around 57 inches from the floor, close to average eye level. Above furniture, leave about 6 to 8 inches between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame. This keeps the piece connected to the furniture instead of visually floating.
Still not sure?
Start with the role of the piece. If it needs to hold the wall on its own, choose the larger size. If it is part of a gallery wall or a smaller space, choose the smaller or middle size. If the wall feels empty after you imagine the piece there, it is probably too small.
