How to Choose and Hang Wall Art: An Artist's Guide
Size, height, frames and the small decisions that help a painting belong in your room.
People often write to me with a photo of a wall and one simple question: “What would you put here?” I love those messages. After many years of painting, and of creating interior mockups for every new watercolor, I have learned that the right artwork is only half of the answer. The other half is how it lives in the room: its size, its height, the frame around it and the space you give it.
So instead of another list of trends, I would like to share the things I look at myself when I imagine one of my paintings on someone’s wall.
Start with the room, not the painting
Before choosing a print, I look at the furniture that will sit beneath it, the light that falls on the wall, and the colours and materials that are already there. A long sofa, a narrow hallway and a bedroom wall above a headboard each ask for something different.
I rarely try to match a painting to one cushion or one rug. I find it much more helpful to ask whether the artwork supports the atmosphere you want: calm, fresh, warm, quiet. When the mood is right, the colours usually follow.
Choosing the size
Most walls ask for a little more than we expect. A single small picture above a large sofa can feel lost, while a group of two or three prints connects the wall to the furniture below.
A simple rule of thumb I like: let the whole arrangement cover about two thirds of the width of the furniture beneath it. Above a sofa of around 200 cm, a set of three prints in 30×40 cm or 40×50 cm usually feels balanced. For a narrow wall beside a door, one taller print is often enough.
My prints come in sizes from 5×7 in (13×18 cm) up to 30×40 in (80×100 cm), and I am happy to prepare custom sizes on request. My print size guide helps you compare formats before you choose your frames.
How high to hang pictures
This is the question I hear most often. A good starting point is to place the centre of the picture, or the centre of the whole group, at roughly eye level – around 145 to 150 cm from the floor.
Above furniture, I would let the artwork relate to what is below it rather than to the ceiling. Above a sofa or a sideboard, leave about 15 to 25 cm between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frames. In a dining room, sit down before you decide: a group that looks right from the doorway can feel too high from your chair.
Spacing a set of prints
Keep the gaps between the frames even, usually around 5 to 8 cm. Even spacing is what makes two or three pictures read as one calm group. Before drilling, I always recommend cutting paper rectangles in the outside size of your frames and taping them to the wall. Step back to the place where you usually see that wall. Do they feel connected? Does a lamp cover one of them? Those small checks are worth more than any rule.
Frames and wood
My prints are sold unframed, so you can choose frames that suit your home. With a wooden table or sideboard, I would first try simple light oak frames, and let the white background of the print separate the motif from the wall. With painted furniture, white frames make the transition softer. Darker wood or black frames draw a clearer outline around each watercolor – lovely in a room with dark furniture or in a more graphic interior.
I look for a relationship between materials rather than an exact colour match. A frame that echoes the floor or one piece of furniture is often enough.
Let the room breathe
Watercolor is soft by nature, and it needs a little space around it. I would rather hang one beautiful set with room to breathe than fill every wall. The interior designer Isabella Hamann, with whom I once wrote about home trends, put it beautifully: “Especially in spaces meant for relaxation, like bedrooms, art should have a calming effect to enhance our well-being and inner balance.”
Room by room: where to start
Every room has its own piece of furniture that the art belongs to. Here are the starting points I use most – and on each room page you can drag a slider to see the same room empty and with my prints.
- Living room: above a sofa of about 220 cm (87 in), a set of three; frames 20–25 cm (8–10 in) above the backrest. → Living room wall art
- Bedroom: about two thirds of the bed’s width – a set of two above a 160–180 cm (63–71 in) bed, a set of three above a king-size bed; 25–30 cm (10–12 in) above the headboard. → Bedroom wall art
- Dining room: decide sitting down; above a long table of about 220 cm (87 in), a set of three in a row. → Dining room wall art
- Kitchen: 30–40 cm (12–16 in) above the worktop, away from the hob and splashes. → Kitchen wall art
- Bathroom: away from the shower, frames with glass; lower edge 25–30 cm (10–12 in) above the bath rim. → Bathroom wall art
- Hallway: above a 120 cm (47 in) console, a set of two in 40 × 50 cm (16 × 20 in). → Entryway & hallway wall art
- Home office: above a 100–120 cm (39–47 in) desk, a set of two, 25–30 cm (10–12 in) above the desk top. → Office & home office wall art
- Nursery: above a crib, light frames with acrylic glazing, fixed with two hooks. → Nursery & kids room wall art
Where my eye comes from
Many of my colours come from the places I return to again and again. Mallorca is my biggest love – the clear turquoise water in the morning, the pale stone, the olive and pine trees, and quiet, secluded places like Punta del Caló near Betlem, where the light in the late afternoon turns everything soft. Trips to Italy and France have added their own warm tones. When I paint, I imagine these colours in real homes: beside linen and oak, in a bright kitchen, above a calm bed.
That is also why I create interior mockups for my paintings. They are not meant to show the one right way to style a print. They show possibilities.
Ask me about your wall
If you are unsure which size or set would suit your room, send me a photo of your wall with its approximate measurements. I am always happy to suggest a print, a size and a frame that would work in your space.
Explore my sets of 2 · sets of 3 · size guide · wall art by room
