Art size calculator: what size art for your wall?
Art above furniture should be two-thirds to three-quarters of the furniture's width. Leave 6–10 in (15–25 cm) of wall between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame. On a bare wall, hang art so its centre sits 57 in (145 cm) from the floor; 60 in (152 cm) with ceilings over 9 ft.
Pick what sits below the art, enter its width, and the calculator ranks every arrangement our print sizes allow, from one print to a grid of six, against the two-thirds rule. It draws the wall to scale with real prints and gives the height of every nail.
Hanger drop: measure from the top of the frame down to the hanger (on a sawtooth, to the middle of the teeth).
| # | Size | Nail from the floor | Nail from the left wall edge | Nail from the centre line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunflowers (National Gallery, London) | 18 × 24 in | 65 in | 45 in | 21 in left |
| 2 | Lady with an Ermine | 18 × 24 in | 65 in | 66 in | on it |
| 3 | The Arnolfini Portrait | 18 × 24 in | 65 in | 87 in | 21 in right |
The rules in one table
| Where | Art width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Above a sofa | ⅔ to ¾ of the sofa | 6–10 in (15–25 cm) above the back |
| Above a bed | ⅔ to ¾ of the bed or headboard | 6–10 in (15–25 cm) above the headboard |
| Above a mantel | ⅔ to ¾ of the mantel | 6–10 in (15–25 cm) above the shelf |
| Above a console, sideboard or desk | ⅔ to ¾ of the top | 6–10 in (15–25 cm) above it |
| Bare wall | ⅔ to ¾ of the wall section | centre at 57 in (145 cm) (60 in (152 cm) for ceilings over 9 ft) |
| Between frames | — | 3 in (7.5 cm) in a row; 2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) in a gallery wall |
The rules and the formula
- Art above furniture should be two-thirds to three-quarters of the furniture's width.
- Leave 6–10 in (15–25 cm) of wall between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame.
- Space frames 3 in (7.5 cm) apart in a row or set, and 2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) apart in a gallery wall.
- Nail height = centre height + half the frame height − the hanger drop (the distance from the top of the frame to its hanger).
- Our sizes: 12 × 18, 16 × 24, 24 × 36, 12 × 16, 18 × 24, 24 × 32, 16 × 12, 24 × 18, 32 × 24, 18 × 12, 24 × 16, 36 × 24 in. The outside of a frame is the listed size; our widest single print is 36 in (91 cm).
Worked examples
- An 84 in (213 cm) sofa wants 56–63 in (142–160 cm) of art. A row of three of 18 × 24 in portraits 3 in (7.5 cm) apart spans 60 in (152 cm), 71% of it, hung with its bottom edge 42 in (107 cm) from the floor. Or a row of three of 18 × 12 in landscapes, 60 in (152 cm).
- A 60 in (152 cm) queen bed wants 40–45 in (102–114 cm) of art. A row of three of 12 × 18 in portraits 3 in (7.5 cm) apart spans 42 in (107 cm), 70% of it, hung with its bottom edge 56 in (142 cm) from the floor. Or a pair of 18 × 24 in portraits (a touch under the band), 39 in (99 cm).
- A bare 60 in (152 cm) stretch of wall wants 40–45 in (102–114 cm) of art, centred 57 in (145 cm) from the floor.
Art that fits this wall
Living Room Wall Art & PrintsLarge & Oversized Prints (24×36)
Questions
What size art should I get for my wall?
Measure what sits below it. Art should be two-thirds to three-quarters of that width; on a bare wall, two-thirds to three-quarters of the stretch of wall it occupies, centred 57 in (145 cm) from the floor.
What if one print isn't wide enough?
Use two or three matching prints 3 in (7.5 cm) apart and treat the group as one piece: the rule applies to the group's total width.
Does the frame change the size?
Not with our frames: the outside of the frame is the listed size, and the 12 mm moulding sits over the edge of the sheet.
Should art be centred on the furniture or the wall?
On the furniture when the art sits above it; on the wall when the wall is bare. The calculator centres it for you and gives nail positions from the centre line.
The reasoning behind these numbers: What size art goes above a sofa?.
Sources
- Fine Art America, How High to Hang Art Above a Sofa (two-thirds of the sofa's width; 6 to 10 inches of clear wall; centre at 57 to 60 inches)
- Park West Gallery, Three Simple Rules for Hanging Art (centre at 57 inches; 6 to 8 inches above furniture)
- Chairish, How High to Hang Artwork: a Designer's Guide with Measurements (57 to 60 inches; 6 to 12 inches above furniture)
- PictureFrames.com, How to Group Pictures on a Wall (2 to 3 inches between frames)
Updated 2026-11-03. Free to use; no sign-up. To cite: Madten, “Art size calculator: what size art for your wall?”, https://www.madten.com/tools/art-size-calculator.