What Size Print Should Go Above a Sofa or Bed?

Aim for art that covers about two-thirds of the width of the sofa or bed under it, and hang it so the bottom edge sits 8 to 10 inches above the sofa back or headboard.

Anywhere between half and three-quarters of the width works. Much less than half and the print looks like it's floating on its own. Wider than the furniture and the wall looks crowded.

The numbers

These are typical widths. Measure yours, including the arms of the sofa or the full headboard.

How wide each print actually is

My prints come in three sizes. On the wall, hung horizontally, they're about this wide:

• 24 × 36 metal (limited edition): 36 inches, a little more in its float frame.
• 13 × 19 paper in an 18 × 24 mat: 24 inches, plus your frame.
• 8.5 × 11 paper in a 16 × 20 mat: 20 inches, plus your frame.

Worked examples

Queen bed or loveseat (60 inches). One 24 × 36 metal print, hung horizontally and centered. At 36 inches it covers 60% of the width, which is close to ideal.

King bed (76 inches). The 24 × 36 still works at 47%, a little under the rule. Two framed 18 × 24s side by side, 3 inches apart, come to about 51 inches, which is right on it.

Standard sofa (84 inches). This is where people go wrong. A single 36-inch print covers 43%. It's under the rule and you'll notice. Two 24 × 36s side by side would be 75 inches, which is too wide and a lot of money. The better answer is two framed 18 × 24s (about 51 inches) or three framed 16 × 20s in a row, 3 inches apart (about 66 inches).

Large sofa (96 inches). Three framed 16 × 20s (66 inches) or three 18 × 24s if the wall is tall enough.

One opinion, for what it's worth: if you love one image and it comes out a little small by the rule, hang it anyway. The rule is about balance. A 36-inch print you love over an 84-inch sofa is better than a 56-inch print you don't.

How high to hang it

Above a sofa or bed, keep the bottom edge 8 to 10 inches above the sofa back or headboard. Closer than 6 inches looks cramped. Much more than 12 and the art stops relating to the furniture.

On an empty wall, put the center of the print 57 to 60 inches off the floor. That's roughly eye level, and it's the height most museums use.

Hanging two or three together

Treat the group as one piece. Measure the total width including the gaps, and apply the same two-thirds rule and the same height. Keep the gaps equal, between 2 and 4 inches. Bigger gaps split the group into separate pictures.

With matching frames, line up the tops. With mixed sizes, line up the centers.

Test it before you drill

Cut paper or cardboard to the outside size of the frame and tape it to the wall. Leave it up for a day. It takes ten minutes and catches most mistakes, especially the print that turns out too small.

Silence Basin

from $300.00

3 sizes available

Silence Basin, Sossusvlei, Namibia.

For which kind of image suits which room, see choosing landscape photography for each room. Full print dimensions are in the size guide.