Frame & Hanging Size Guide
Size frames, spacing and hanging height from your wall and furniture
Frame & Hanging Size Guide
Work out frame size, spacing and hanging height from your wall and furniture. These are common display rules of thumb, not fixed standards.
Wall, furniture and frames
Your hanging plan
How high to hang
- Centre line 145–152 cm: adult eye level is roughly 145–155 cm, so the middle of the artwork sits on this line.
- Above a sofa: 150–155 cm works better, so the sofa back does not block the view when seated.
- Above a bed: 145–150 cm; raise it to 150–155 cm if the headboard is tall.
- Very high ceilings (over 3.5 m): keep the centre near 150 cm and fill the space above with a larger piece or a gallery wall.
Five common arrangements
| Arrangement | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Single frame | Above a sofa, bed or sideboard | Width 60–75% of the furniture below |
| Two side by side | Long sideboard or dining table | Equal sizes, 5–8 cm apart, centred on the furniture |
| Two stacked | Narrow walls, beside a door, stair turns | Keep the group centred at 150 cm |
| Triptych | Above a sofa or bed | Three equal frames, 6 cm gaps, total width under the furniture width |
| Gallery wall | Stair walls, large sofa walls | Lay it out on the floor and photograph it before drilling |
Common frame sizes
| Size | mm | inches | Where it suits | Common pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 × 297 | 8.3 × 11.7 | Small walls, above a desk | Photos, small posters |
| A3 | 297 × 420 | 11.7 × 16.5 | Hallway, beside a bed | Single poster |
| A2 | 420 × 594 | 16.5 × 23.4 | Beside a sofa, above a sideboard | Large poster |
| 30 × 40 | 300 × 400 | 11.8 × 15.7 | Small walls, grouped sets | Pairs and triptychs |
| 40 × 50 | 400 × 500 | 15.7 × 19.7 | Above a bed or sideboard | Two in a row |
| 50 × 70 | 500 × 700 | 19.7 × 27.6 | Single piece above a sofa | Main artwork |
| 60 × 90 | 600 × 900 | 23.6 × 35.4 | Large sofa or above a bed | Large single or triptych |
Five common mistakes
- Hanging too high: copying door-frame height puts the centre above 170 cm.
- Frames too small: a piece under half the furniture width looks lost.
- Uneven gaps: eyeballing the spacing across several frames.
- Looking only at the wall: centring on the wall and ignoring the sofa or sideboard.
- Drilling without a trial layout: holes end up in the wrong place.