Artwork: Sizing and How to Hang Art Perfectly in Every Space

Art by Megan original painting above a headboard in a Master bedroom.  Photo by Amy Frances Photography.  

One of the most frequently asked questions by my commission clients is "what's the best size for this space?" I agree that it's a tricky decision but I know that the perfect statement piece of art is so awesome when creating a beautiful space.  I also know that there are MILLIONS of ideas out there, so did a lot of research and have come up with the best answers and takeaways to make our decision making MUCH easier!  

image courtesy of Emily Henderson's blog

One of my go-to resources for interiors and inspiration is Em Henderson.  Here, she talks all about what size artwork suits best for each space in a home.  Side note: I love her and I think we should be friends.  My takeaway from her lesson: Bigger is always better! 

Joy Cho of Oh, Joy! is a ray of sunshine and a total inspiration.  I love her eclectic, quirky and unique style and think that she should TOTALLY own an original Art by Megan for her amazing gallery wall.  Just sayin'.  I love her take on picking artwork for your home.  My takeaway: more is more and collections are cool! 

Apartment Therapy has an awesome article on how to pick art for a room here.  In this video, Liz Lidgett of Adore Your Walls says that the size should ALWAYS be 75% of the size of furniture that it will reside above.  What an awesome and easy mathematical ratio! Also, she says that you should always hang art about 10" above the furniture.  AMAZING!  My takeaway: 75% is the magic number. 

Art by Megan original painting featured on Houzz.  This painting measured 40x60 and hangs above an oversized sectional couch in a Manhattan Apartment.  

One Kings Lane is one of my dream shops.  I love their combinations of textures, styles and looks with a fresh, fun and unique vibe.  Go on with your bad selves OKL.  OK, so they say that bedroom art can be fun and awesome and share their tips here on picking artwork for above a bed. My takeaway: Do whatever you want in the awkward space above your bed, but pick a piece of art that is calming, inspiring or just plain awesome.  

Also, One Kings Lane has some great ideas on how to style an Entryway here.  I like their idea of picking a painting with the longest side of around 40" for a statement piece upon entry that won't overwhelm.   They say, "To hang the work, center it above your piece of furniture, leaving several inches between the bottom edge of the frame and the furniture surface—a few more for a horizontal work, a few less for a vertical piece." My takeaway: a 30x40 painting suits best in an entryway.  

Master Bath artwork idea - image courtesy of Chairish.

Chairish has a great style and wonderful ideas for how to style and hang artwork in a Master Bath. Check out their recommendations here.  I love their recommendation for calm, peaceful artwork or a fun nude or other "cheeky" (their adjective, not mine, hehe) piece for this private space.  My takeaway: do whatever you want.  It's your life and your Master Bathroom.  But, that being said, I have an original 16x20 in mine, if that helps.  

A list + some math for fun, because who doesn't love doing math problems for fun.  

• ABOVE A FIREPLACE: The average fireplace mantle is 48"-54" wide.  Therefore a 24x36 or 30x40 painting would fit perfectly! 
• ABOVE A COUCH: The average couch is about 86" wide.  Now, that's just a generic measurement and you should totally measure your couch before selecting artwork for above it.  So, with our new 75% rule, the artwork should take up about 64".  I would pick a 40x60 painting or a diptych (2 paintings) hung side by side to take up a bit more space.  
• ABOVE A BED: The size of a queen bed is approx. 60" wide + room for a headboard, if you have one.  So, with that in mind, an approx. 40" wide painting would look amazing above your bed!  Another option that comes up a lot for above beds is hanging 2-3 pieces in a row, which equals 2 paintings measuring 16x24 (width x height) or 3 paintings measuring 12x24 / 12x36. 
• DINING ROOM: Something HUGE over a table.  Don't forget the 75% rule.  
• ENTRYWAY: A 30x40 painting hung above a console table or other statement piece works best.  
• MASTER BATH: Total creative license here based on the size of the room and personal taste! 
• BOOKSHELF: Something tiny is best - ranging from 8x10 - 11x14 framed or unframed.  
• LAUNDRY ROOM: Something fun to brighten up an otherwise "serious" space.  Defined by the size of the room and how much space is available, but a fun medium-sized painting (18x24 range) would be a good dose of sunshine here. 
• ABOVE A DRESSER: 75% of the width of the dresser.  
• OFFICE ARTWORK: Depends greatly on the size of the office.  For above a desk, a 30x40 or a 24x36 overall would look great.  Remember, these sizes can reflect the size of the painting or the final size of the framed piece, including matting and framing.  
• NYC APARTMENT TINY BATHROOM: Pick something cute and fun. If your space is tiny like a real Manhattan apartment, pick something in the 12x12 range or go super tiny with an Art by Megan mini.  It will add a splash of color without totally overwhelming the room.  
• ACCENT PIECE ANYWHERE: An idea I love is to add a little painting anywhere in a room for a treat.  Minis (4"x4" and 6"x6") are just perfect for that.  Also, hanging a mini gallery wall is fun, too!  

Now, I know that there are those of you out there who ascribe by the "do whatever you want rules" of life.  I also ascribe to this rule.  For you, I say "pick whatever you want from here". 

Art by Megan original painting hanging at the Bayberry Inn in Newport, RI 

Art by Megan original painting hanging above a sectional couch.  Painting measures 30x40.