How to choose art for your home: a 5-step method
Most people choose the picture first and the size last. Do it the other way round and the result almost always looks better.
1. Start with the wall, not the picture
Which wall does the eye land on when you enter the room? That is where art matters most. Note what is in front of it: a sofa, a bed, a sideboard, nothing at all.
2. Measure
Measure the furniture under the wall. Art above furniture should span about two thirds of its width: a 200 cm sofa wants around 130–150 cm of art, which is one 70×100 cm print or two 50×70 cm prints side by side. On an empty wall, let the art cover roughly half to two thirds of the wall's width between doors and corners. Our guide to art above a sofa has a table.
3. Choose a palette
Find one or two colours already in the room, in a rug, cushions, a chair or the wall itself, and look for art that repeats one of them. The rest of the print can be anything.
4. Decide the mood
Calm or energetic? A Hiroshige rain scene slows a room down; a Hilma af Klint Youth painting wakes it up. Bedrooms usually want calm, living rooms can take more.
5. Frame and hang
Frames should suit the furniture: oak with wood, black with metal and dark tones, white with light walls. Hang the centre of the art at about 145 cm from the floor, see how high to hang art.