How to Choose the Right Size Art Print for Your Wall

Choosing art for your wall should feel exciting. But for a lot of people it becomes overwhelming the moment they have to pick a size. Too small and it gets lost. Too large and it dominates. So how do you get it right?

Here's how I guide my own buyers through the decision.

Start with the wall, not the artwork

Before you fall in love with a piece, measure your wall. Note the width and height of the space you're working with. Then consider what's around it - furniture, windows, doorways. Art doesn't exist in isolation. It lives in relationship with everything else in the room.

A general rule: your artwork should be roughly two thirds the width of the furniture below it. So if your sofa is 180cm wide, you're looking for a print around 120cm wide - either as a single large piece or a grouping.

Consider the viewing distance

How far away will you be standing when you look at it? In a hallway, you're close - a smaller, more intimate piece works beautifully. In a living room where you're seated several metres back, you need scale. A print that looks generous in the studio can disappear on a large wall when viewed from a distance.

Don't be afraid of going bigger

This is the most common regret I hear from buyers - they wished they'd gone larger. A statement piece commands a room in the best possible way. It anchors the space, draws the eye, and creates that sense of intention that makes a house feel like a home.

Use my free wall mock-up service

If you're still unsure, I offer a free wall mock-up service. Simply email a photo of your wall with a reference measurement - a piece of furniture, a door frame, anything with a known width - and the title of the artwork you're considering. I'll drop it onto your wall digitally so you can see exactly how it will look before you commit.

It takes the guesswork out completely. Email me at info@michellefey.com and I'll turn it around quickly.

The right size is the one that makes you stop

Ultimately, art should make you pause. It should earn its place on your wall every single day. Whether that's an intimate 30x40cm piece at the end of a hallway or a sweeping 90x120cm landscape above your sofa - the right size is the one that stops you in your tracks.

Browse the collections at michellefey.com and if you need guidance, I'm always happy to help.