Picking a size is the part where most people freeze. You find a print you love, you get to the size selector, and suddenly you're standing in your living room with a tape measure trying to picture what 16x20 looks like on a wall. I get it.
It doesn't need to be complicated! Here's how I think about it.
The one rule that works almost every time
The art should fill about 60-75% of the width of whatever it's hanging above. That's it. Sofa is 72 inches wide? Your art should be roughly 43-54 inches across, whether that's one big piece or a group of smaller ones. It's not a law, but it works!
Too small and the print looks like an afterthought. Too big and it overwhelms the furniture. Somewhere in that 60-75% range, it just looks right.
Our size guide
Above a sofa
This is where most people hang their first print. A sofa is usually somewhere between 72 and 84 inches wide. A single large print works great here. Our biggest size, 16x20, is good for this spot but if you want real impact, a pair of prints side by side or a small grouping fills the space better.
The centre of the art should be roughly at eye level, which is about 57-60 inches from the floor. If you hang it too high it floats away from the sofa. If it's too low it feels cramped. You want a gap of about 6-8 inches between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the frame.
Above a bed
Same idea as a sofa. One big piece centred above the headboard, or a pair of prints. If you have a tall headboard, go wider rather than taller so the art doesn't compete with it. No headboard? You can go bigger and let the art do the work of anchoring the wall.
A lot of people hang art too high above beds. You're usually looking at it while sitting in bed, not standing across the room. Bring it down a bit.
"Wobbly Seagull" framed in a hallway
Hallways and narrow walls
Smaller prints are perfect here. Our 5x7 and 8x10 sizes work really well in hallways, staircases, and those weird narrow walls that every apartment has. These spots are underrated. People walk past them every day and a small print at eye level turns a dead zone into something you actually notice.
A vertical stack of two or three small prints is a nice way to fill a narrow wall without it looking cluttered.
“Jarousse” on a radiator mantle
Above a mantel or fireplace
Keep it narrower than the mantel. That's the main thing. A print that's wider than the shelf underneath it looks off. Our 12x16 or 16x20 usually works well here depending on how wide your mantel is.
You can also lean a framed print on the mantel instead of hanging it. Layer a smaller print in front of a bigger one if you want that collected, lived-in look.
Rocco the Pheasant in a Kitchen
Kitchen and bathroom
Smaller is better. Our 5x7 and 8x10 prints fit well in kitchens and bathrooms without dominating the space. One thing to keep in mind: humidity. Bathrooms with bad ventilation are not great for paper prints. A well-ventilated bathroom or a kitchen away from the stove is totally fine, but don't hang your favourite print directly above a bathtub where it's going to get steamed every day. If you're worried about it, check our print care guide for tips.
Gallery walls
Gallery walls are their own thing and I have a lot of thoughts about them. The short version: mix sizes, anchor with one bigger piece, keep spacing consistent at about 2-3 inches between frames. Start by laying everything out on the floor before you put any holes in the wall.
I'll write a full gallery wall post soon because there's a lot to say. For now, a mix of our 8x10 and 12x16 sizes gives you a good starting point.
When in doubt, go bigger
I say this all the time because it's the most common regret I hear. People play it safe, order the smaller size, and then wish they'd gone up. A print that's too big makes a statement. A print that's too small looks like you weren't sure about it.
If you're stuck between two sizes, go with the bigger one. You won't regret it.
Our sizes
We currently offer four standard sizes: 5x7, 8x10, 12x16, and 16x20. All sizes are the physical dimensions of the paper with no white borders. They're designed to fit standard off-the-shelf frames, so you don't need to get anything custom cut. Check the full breakdown on our size guide page.
All our prints are also available with pre-framed options in solid oak (black, white, natural wood, and walnut) if you're in the US or Canada.
Still not sure? Send us a message with a photo of your wall and we'll help you figure it out. We do this all the time and we're happy to help.
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