How to Choose the Right-Sized Print for Your Wall
- National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Great Photography
- Photography: The Definitive Visual History
- Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs
- Twin beds: choose art between 22-30” wide
- Full beds: choose art between 30-41” wide
- Queen beds: choose art between 34-45” wide
- King beds: choose art between 43-57” wide
- 96” sofas: choose art between 54-72” wide
- 72” sofas: choose art between 41-54” wide
- 60” tables: choose art between 34-45” wide
Photo by Ben Neale on Unsplash
If you’re trying to figure out how to choose the right-sized print, you’re definitely not alone. The wrong sized print can ruin the aesthetics of your home and distract from the gorgeous print you’re trying to highlight.
Thankfully, there are some industry secrets for sizing your photographic prints, and a long list of tips for sizing images for your wall in your home.
Keep in mind that learning how to choose the right-sized print is a journey and all of these tips are merely suggestions. None of them are set in concrete so feel free to play around.
But before we get to that...
If you're like me and you enjoy a good canvas print, you'll want to check out the video above.
I did a $100 secret shopper canvas print comparison review, and share the results of my review in the video.
Not all canvas is made alike, and that's abundantly clear after my extensive testing!
Keep the Golden Rule of Wall Art in Mind
Photo by Naomi Hébert on Unsplash
When learning how to choose the right-sized print, I find that very few people know there’s an industry standard for wall decor. Photographic prints should be between 4/7 and 3/4 as wide as whatever it is hanging above (like a couch or bed).
The center of your print should also be around 58” above the ground (which just so happens to be eye-level for the largest majority of people and the standard height for museum paintings).
Photo by Kelsey Dody on Unsplash
Finally, if you’re hanging your photographic prints above furniture, it should be between 6” and 12” from the top of that furniture.
Recommended Photography Reading
Are You Choosing a Gallery or Single Photo?
Photo by Amy Humphries on Unsplash
Now, a lot of those golden rules get thrown out the window if you’re creating a photographic prints gallery instead of hanging a single photo.
If you want to create a gallery some rules still apply, like the amount of space you’ll want to cover above your furniture. All pieces should be hung between 2” and 4” apart from one another to give the piece cohesion and to allow your eyes a break between the photographic prints.
Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash
As such, it’s always easier to know whether you want to create a gallery before you start trying to do so. An important factor in making this decision is figuring out how much wall space you have.
Large-format canvas prints may be much easier for smaller rooms or apartments, while photo galleries work better in larger homes.
Learn More:
Measure, Measure, Measure
Photo by Jennifer Burk on Unsplash
Before your order any photographic prints, make sure you know exactly how much room you have to work with.
In order to establish the width of your art, measure the furniture below it and multiply it by .57 (4/7) and .75 (¾) so you know the amount of room you have to work with.
So, if you’re hanging your art over your king-sized bed, then your art should be between 43” and 57” wide.
When in Doubt, Use Standard Sizing
Photo by Alex Otto on Unsplash
If learning how to choose the right-sized print sounds like a little too much work for you, then you can always use the industry standards.
How to Choose a Canvas Print Company
Now that you understand how to choose the right-sized print, you also need to know how to choose a canvas print manufacturer.
You’ll want to go with a manufacturer that can create large-format canvas prints cheaply without compromising quality.
You also need to ensure that whichever company you go with is able to create customizable sized canvases. This is especially true if you live in a small apartment or a very large home, since you’ll probably have vastly different canvas size needs.
For all of these qualities and more, I work with CanvasHQ.
I started working with CanvasHQ because there’s rarely a day when they aren’t running a sale. For instance, you can save 30% off their already reasonably-priced canvases right now.
But, I kept working with them because they put the love your canvas prints deserve into each piece they create. As a small business, it’s essential that they keep their customers happy and they do so by hand-crafting each canvas frame, hand-stretching each canvas print and walking you through the process the entire way.
They won’t even print your canvas until they’re certain you’ll be happy with it, which means their customer service team members may reach out if they flag any potential problems, like a print that is slightly off-center.
Every one of their canvases use UV-resistant ink, which means your canvas print will be viable for decades. This is made only more true by the fact that they also refuse to use canvases that aren’t high-art grade.
And, finally, their products are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you’re not happy, neither are they. If that’s not reason enough to shop with CanvasHQ, I don’t know what is!
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