You’ve found the perfect piece of art—a striking WPA-style poster that captures your favorite landscape. Now comes the moment of truth: What size should you order?
Ordering art that is too small for a large wall can look like a tiny postage stamp, completely destroying the visual balance of the room. Order one too large, and it can overwhelm the furniture below it. This “decorator’s dilemma” is the most common mistake people make when buying art online.
But don’t worry—there are simple, tried-and-true rules that professional designers use every time. By following a single golden measurement and understanding a few key principles, you can choose the right size print every single time, eliminating the guesswork and ensuring your room looks polished and proportional.
The Golden Rule: The 2/3rds Principle
Find Your Perfect Fit
Premium framed prints delivered ready-to-hang or Rolled for the do it yourselfers.
The single most important rule in art placement is the
2/3rds Principle. This simple measurement ensures your art feels connected to the furniture below it and creates a sense of visual harmony.
The principle states that your art (or gallery wall grouping) should be approximately
two-thirds (2/3) to three-quarters (3/4) the width of the piece of furniture it hangs over.
Example: If your sofa is 90 inches wide, the width of your artwork should be between 60 inches (2/3) and 67.5 inches (3/4). This rule works over sofas, beds, fireplaces, and consoles.
Pro Tip on Hanging Height: When hanging the artwork, leave about
6 to 8 inches of space between the bottom of the frame and the top of the furniture. If you go higher, the art will appear to float away from the furniture.
Sizing Art Over Key Furniture
To achieve the 2/3rds rule, you need a width between 48 and 60 inches. Here are specific recommendations based on your furniture:
- Over a Full-Sized Sofa (72–90 inches)
- A Single Large Statement Piece: One large piece (like our 18×24 Framed Giclée) is perfect for filling this space with authority.
- A Grouping of Three: Three of our 16×20 Framed Posters hung side-by-side with 2-3 inches between them will reach the target width.
- Over a Queen or King Bed (60–80 inches)
- Target Width: 40 to 55 inches.
- Ideal Sizing: Our 18×24 Framed Prints or a pair of 16x20s work beautifully here.
- Over a Fireplace or Console Table
- General Rule: Keep the art slightly narrower than the mantelpiece or the opening of the fireplace.
Sizing Art for Empty Walls
If you have a large, blank wall with no furniture below it, follow these two rules:
- Keep it Centered at Eye Level: The center of your artwork should be placed at 57–60 inches from the floor. This is the height museums use.
- Measure the Wall: Your art should take up about 60–75% of the available wall space horizontally and vertically.
When in doubt, it is always better to choose art that is slightly too large than art that is too small. Large art commands attention; small art gets lost.
Match the Art Size to Your Style
Now that you know the rules, choose the format that fits your space:
- For Small Spaces: Our 11×17 Framed Posters are excellent for narrow spots or dense gallery walls.
- For Statement Pieces: Our 16×20 and 18×24 prints offer the scale necessary to satisfy the 2/3rds rule over major furniture.
Browse our collection of WPA-style prints today, and use these simple size rules to ensure your new artwork is the perfectly proportioned centerpiece of your room!
