So you’ve chosen a style or theme for your home, you’ve picked out the artworks to hang, and you’ve also determined where to place it, you should be all set, right? NO. You left out one other integral part of decorating: wall art sizes.
The size of your wall art does matter significantly. If you’re looking to take on DIY decorating projects, read on and learn the basics of wall art dimensions and how to pick sizes that go well with each room of your home as this will come in very handy.
Balance
Beyond aesthetics, balance is key. This applies to wall art dimensions when decorating your home. In design, the art size on the wall matters.
Everything should be proportional. A large art size may overwhelm the walls of a small space, while a small artwork may also seem lackluster and inadequate. Proportion is just as vital when you’re putting up a gallery wall or multi-paneled artworks. This is the importance of learning sizing rules and how to choose wall art size that goes best with your space at home.
To get you started, this wall art size guide walks you through the essentials of dimensions, sizes, and a few tips and tricks.
Sizing Rules
The basic sizing rule: SCALE.
Make a BIG statement with one BIG piece of wall art. Leave room on the wall to make it the focal point. It’s best that it’s the only décor on the wall.
When choosing the art size to hang, be sure to measure your wall’s width and height. Use this as a basis for your wall art dimensions. Ideally, according to common wall art size chart guides, the artwork should take up at least 3/4 of the blank wall space.
When you’re displaying a single piece of art behind a couch, make sure that the large artwork measures at least 1/3 or 2/3 of the furniture piece. The wall art’s top half should be level with your face when standing.
Large wall art. If you’re unsure how to decorate with wall art, going for a large, single piece is the easiest way to go.
Gallery style on your walls. If you’re thinking of using smaller art piece sizes, a group of these can also have the same impact as large wall art.
Try to create a single look from a myriad of different wall art sizes. You can mix different sizes of wall art but keep in check that everything still looks cohesive.
A gallery of pictures may be a common wall décor, but it’s the layout that can make the difference between an eye-catching décor and a dull one. If you already have the art and theme for a gallery wall, decide its layout. You can choose from a variety of approaches: baseline, topline, plumb line, box-shaped, wave-shaped, etc. Each of these layouts goes well with specific wall art sizes, so choose one that matches your art pieces.
Rule of 3. This interior decorating rule applies if you have 3 different sizes of wall art. You can hang three differing sizes of art pieces that have the same theme or style.
Common Canvas Sizes
Knowing the standard wall art sizes helps you decide which sizes go best with your walls. It gives you an idea of how to scale your wall and how much space it’s going to take.
Being familiar with different wall art sizes also helps if you decide to use frames for your art pieces.
Here’s the common wall art size guide in inches:
- 8 x 10”
- 9 x 12”
- 11 x 14”
- 12 x 16”
- 16 x 20”
- 18 x 24”
- 24 x 24”
- 24 x 30”
- 24 x 36”
Choosing the wall art that fits your style is one thing and choosing the size that feels just right is another. These aren’t really fixed rules that you must follow in designing a space for yourself, but it can be a great tool in choosing the pieces to achieve harmony and balance in your living space.
