· 2 min read
What size print should go above your sofa?
Aim for two thirds of the sofa's width and hang it 8 to 10 inches above the back. Real sizes for 72, 84 and 96 inch sofas, with prints to match.
It's the most common question about wall art, and there's a simple answer: aim for a print about two thirds the width of the sofa. Go much smaller and the wall looks empty. Go wider than the sofa and it starts to feel crowded. Anywhere from two thirds to three quarters looks right.
Measure the sofa, then do the math
Measure the sofa from arm to arm and take two thirds of that. That's your target width, for one print or for a group of prints with the gaps counted in.
- A 72 inch sofa or loveseat: about 48 inches. A 48 x 16 panorama fits it exactly.
- An 84 inch sofa: about 56 inches. A 48 x 16 panorama still works, or two 24 x 30 prints side by side with a few inches between them.
- A 96 inch sofa or a sectional: about 64 to 72 inches. This is what a 72 x 24 panorama is made for.
Panorama or a taller print?
Long, low walls above sofas and beds are where panoramas shine. A 3 to 1 print fills the width without climbing up the wall, and it echoes the long line of the furniture below it.
If your ceiling is high or the wall is tall, a 3 to 2 print gives the wall more height to work with. Kaʻaʻawa Sunrise at 36 x 24 is a good example. On a narrow wall beside the sofa, a single vertical like Pūʻao works better than squeezing in something wide.
Hang it at the right height
Leave 8 to 10 inches between the top of the sofa back and the bottom of the print. Any higher and it floats away from the furniture; any lower and heads will bump it.
On a wall with nothing under it, hang the print so its middle is about 57 to 60 inches from the floor. That's roughly eye level, and it's what most galleries use.
See it before you buy
Every print on this site shows up to scale on a living room wall. Open a print, scroll to "See it on a wall," and switch between sizes to see the difference between 48 and 72 inches before you order. The sizes and pricing page shows every size on the same wall, side by side.
