3 key tips for buying the right size art for your living room

By Aoife Valentine Secor 23-03-2018

Art makes a huge difference to a room, but buying the right size art can often be the difference between a new piece fitting right in or feeling a little off for a reason you can't quite pin point.

Art can create many illusions in a room depending on what you want to achieve, and no where more so than in your living room, where art is often the room's main focal point. Here are three major factors you should consider when trying to choose the right size art for your living room.

Image: Femina

1. Size of the room

If you're buying art for a specific room, like your living room, or even a specific wall in a room, it should feel like it belongs on that wall. One of the biggest mistakes people make is buying pieces that are too small, so don't be afraid to buy into the idea that bigger is better, in this instance. The piece of art should ideally take between two thirds and three quarters of the total wall, so bear that in mind.

 

2. Consider where the art is going

Following on from that point, you do have to take into account where the art is going - is it going on a blank wall? Will it go above furniture? Will it be part of a gallery wall? Don't buy a piece that will end up getting lost above your furniture or over your mantelpiece. The rule for art that will live over furniture is that it should be three quarters the width of the furniture/mantel, and should hang six or 12 inches above.

 

Related: Cool and collected - tips for starting your art collection

 

If you're considering a gallery wall, don't go gung ho into hanging up your pieces. Buy all the pieces you think you'll include and lay them out on the floor to get an idea of how it will look on the wall, before you go drilling any holes. Measure the total height and width of the group, arranged as you plan to arrange them on the wall, and proceed to measure it out the same on the wall so it hangs perfectly.

 

3. Don't hang too high

The second biggest mistake people make after buying art is hanging it too high, so consider the overall height of the piece versus the height of the wall, before you go searching or hanging any art. Consider the centre point, which should ideally be at an average eye level, and judge it for the room based on that.

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