What size art goes above a sofa?
Two thirds of the sofa’s width. That is the short answer, and it holds whether you hang one large print or a group of three.
The two-thirds rule
Measure the sofa from arm to arm. The artwork, or the whole group of artworks, should cover roughly 66 to 75 percent of that width. Below about 60 percent the art looks like it has been left behind; above 80 percent it starts to crowd the sofa and the wall.
The rule is widely used by framers and interior stylists (Montcarta, Frameology). It works because the sofa and the art then read as one composition: the sofa is the base, the art sits on it like a lid.
Sizes for common sofas
| Sofa width | Art width (66–75%) | Prints that fit |
|---|---|---|
| 180 cm (71 in) | 120–135 cm | two 60×80 with 8 cm between (128 cm) |
| 200 cm (79 in) | 132–150 cm | two 70×100 with 8 cm between (148 cm) |
| 220 cm (87 in) | 145–165 cm | 40×50 + 50×70 + 40×50 with 8 cm gaps (146 cm) |
| 250 cm (98 in) | 165–188 cm | three 50×70 with 10 cm gaps (170 cm) |
| 290 cm (114 in) | 191–218 cm | 50×70 + 70×100 + 50×70 with 10 cm gaps (190 cm) |
For a group, count the gaps too: three 50×70 prints with 10 cm between them are 170 cm wide, not 150.
How high above the sofa
Leave 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) between the top of the sofa back and the bottom edge of the lowest frame. Closer, and people lean their heads on the glass. Much higher, and the art floats away from the sofa it is supposed to belong to. If the sofa is low, let the eye-level rule decide instead: centre the group at 145 cm from the floor, see how high to hang art.
When to break it
- A very long sofa or a corner sofa. Use the section of the sofa that faces the room, not the full length.
- A tall, narrow wall. Go vertical: one tall print, or two stacked, can cover less width and still look deliberate.
- A deliberate statement. One oversized piece that runs past the sofa arms can work, but it is a choice, not an accident.
Our worked example
In the living room on our home page, the sofa is 290 cm and the wall 375 cm. The first suggestion hangs 50×70, 70×100 and 50×70 cm with 10 cm between them: 190 cm, 66 percent of the sofa, centred at 145 cm. Soon Tintame will do the same sum for your own wall.