One of the questions I hear most often from people browsing the studio is this: "I love it - but will it be the right size?"
It's one of the most common reasons people hesitate before buying original art. And it's completely understandable - a painting that looks bold and beautiful in a photograph can feel very different once it's on your wall.
The good news is that choosing the right size doesn't have to be guesswork. A few simple principles make all the difference.
Bigger than you think - but not always
In large, open rooms, art tends to disappear. If you're hanging something above a sofa or a fireplace, err on the side of generous, but be careful not to overwhelm your space.
In smaller spaces - a hallway, a bedroom, a kitchen wall, dining space, home office, home library - a single or two well-chosen small paintings can have enormous presence. It's not about filling the wall. It's about the right piece in the right place.
Small paintings deserve more credit
There's a tendency to think small means less impactful. It doesn't. A 20-30cm original on a picture ledge, propped alongside a few favourite objects, can stop you in your tracks every time you walk past it. Small originals are also the perfect starting point for a gallery wall - a collection you build slowly over time, adding pieces as you find ones you love.
Think about the furniture first
Art doesn't hang in isolation - it lives alongside everything else in the room. A painting above a console table, a chest of drawers, or a bedside table should feel in proportion to what's beneath it. As a loose guide, aim for the art to be roughly two thirds the width of the furniture it sits above.
Subject matters too
The size of a painting is only part of the decision. The subject - a still life, a landscape, a floral - changes how a room feels. Some subjects suit certain rooms naturally. A calm seascape in a bedroom. A warm still life in a kitchen. A landscape that makes a small hallway feel like it opens onto something bigger.
Art that moves with you
One of the quiet joys of collecting original art is that a well-chosen piece doesn't have to stay in one place forever. As your home evolves - a room is repainted, a season changes, a new piece of furniture arrives - paintings can move too. Something that lived in the hallway for a year might find a new life in the bedroom. A small floral that sat on a kitchen shelf might feel just right on a winter bedside table. Letting your art travel around your home is one of the simplest ways to bring fresh joy to spaces you've stopped noticing.
Want the full room-by-room breakdown? I've put together a free Art Sizing Guide - with specific size suggestions for every room, gallery wall ideas, and tips on choosing by colour and subject. Download it free here.
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