Guides & tips

Poster sizes: how to choose the right size for your wall

The right size is what makes a print look like it belongs. Too small and it gets lost on the wall, too big and it takes over the room. This guide goes through every size we make, from 8.3x11.8 to 39.4x55.1 in XL, with simple rules for the sofa, the bed and the gallery wall – and how frames and mat boards fit in.

A large XL poster above a stack of books and a small side table

A small framed botanical print on a light wall above a round table

In short

10sizes, from 8.3x11.8 to 39.4x55.1 in XL – six rectangular and four square
19.7x27.6 inour most popular size, at home above a sofa, bed or table
66–75%of the furniture's width is the sweet spot for the art
2–3 inbetween the frames when you hang a group

All our sizes at a glance

Six rectangular sizes from 8.3x11.8 to 39.4x55.1 in and four square from 15.7x15.7 to 39.4x39.4 in, shown here to scale so you can see how big the step is from one size to the next. Click a size to see every poster in it.

8.3x11.8A4

11.8x15.7

15.7x19.7

19.7x27.6Most popular

Rectangular sizes on the left, square on the right, all drawn to the same scale. Sizes in inches.

Start with the furniture, not the wall

Most walls have something in front of them – a sofa, a bed, a sideboard – and that is what the art relates to. A simple rule: let the art, or the group of art, cover about two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the furniture below.

Measure the furniture, multiply by 0.66 and 0.75, and you have the width to aim for. Then choose one large print or a group that adds up to that width, with 2–3 in between the frames.

Furniture	Width	Aim for	Our suggestion (in)
Nightstand	20 in	13–15 in	One 8.3x11.8 or 11.8x15.7
Sideboard or dresser	40 in	26–30 in	One 27.6x39.4, or two 11.8x15.7 side by side
Desk	48 in	32–36 in	Two 15.7x19.7 side by side
Twin bed	38 in	25–29 in	Two 11.8x15.7, or one 19.7x27.6 for a calmer look
Queen or king bed	60–76 in	40–57 in	One 39.4x39.4, or two 19.7x27.6
Small sofa	63–71 in	42–53 in	Two 19.7x27.6, or three 15.7x19.7
Large sofa	79–94 in	52–71 in	Two 27.6x39.4, or one 39.4x55.1 as a statement

The widths are for the posters themselves – the frames add a little. A single XL print can be narrower than the rule and still hold the wall, because the size does the work. Our guide to hanging wall art covers the height and spacing.

Size calculator

What size fits your wall?

Choose the furniture, enter its width and see what fits – with the size, the gap and the height to hang it.

StatementSubtleA pairSquare

39.4x55.1 in · landscape

55 inwide in total
8 inabove the sofa
61 infloor to center

One large print that sets the tone – the wall does the talking. Covers about 70% of the sofa’s width.

Shop 39.4x55.1 posters Five gallery wall layouts →

Based on our hanging guide: 8–10 in above the furniture, about 2.5 in between frames and the top edge no higher than 83 in. Standard furniture heights and an 8 ft ceiling.

A large abstract print hanging alone above a low velvet sofa

A landscape-format floral print centered above a bed

A large dark abstract print above a rattan sideboard

What each size is for

Where each size works best, from the desk to the big wall above the sofa. Click a size to see every poster in it.

A48.3x11.8 in21x30 cmDesks, shelves and the building block of a gallery wall.Shop 8.3x11.8 in posters →

Easy to combine11.8x15.7 in30x40 cmAbove a nightstand or desk, and the easiest size to combine.Shop 11.8x15.7 in posters →

15.7x19.7 in40x50 cmThe mid-size that fills a wall without taking over.Shop 15.7x19.7 in posters →

27.6x39.4 in70x100 cmOne print, one wall – big enough to define the room.Shop 27.6x39.4 in posters →

XL39.4x55.1 in100x140 cmOur largest, for a wide wall or a high ceiling.Shop 39.4x55.1 in posters →

Square sizes15.7x15.7 and 19.7x19.7 in suit shelves, nightstands and narrow walls, or break up a row of rectangular prints. 27.6x27.6 and 39.4x39.4 in work alone as a calm focal point.15.7x15.7 19.7x19.7 27.6x27.6 39.4x39.4

A small framed poster above a desk with a table lamp

A mid-size framed print above a curved sofa next to a green side table

The Great Wave with a wide white mat board in a square black frame

One large print or several small?

A single large print gives the room a calm, clear focal point. A group adds rhythm and lets you mix motifs, colors and sizes. Whichever you choose, treat a group as one large piece: measure the whole group against the furniture, not each frame on its own.

Sizes that work together

Proportions matter more than you might think. 8.3x11.8, 19.7x27.6 and 27.6x39.4 in have almost the same proportions, about 1:1.4, so they line up neatly in a grid. 11.8x15.7 and 15.7x19.7 in are a little squarer, which suits a looser, salon-style mix. Four combinations that work, drawn to scale above the furniture they suit:

The classic centerpiece

A 19.7x27.6 in print in the center with two 11.8x15.7 in and two 8.3x11.8 in prints around it. About 48 in wide – right for a 63–71 in sofa.

The tidy grid

Four 11.8x15.7 in prints in two even rows, about 26 in wide, above a 35–39 in sideboard or desk. Six 8.3x11.8 in prints work the same way.

The pair

Two 27.6x39.4 in prints side by side, about 57 in wide – made for a 79–87 in sofa or a wide bed.

The relaxed mix

One 15.7x19.7 in, one 11.8x15.7 in and one 15.7x15.7 in square in a loose row, about 48 in wide, above a 63–71 in sideboard.

Start with the largest print, hang it at eye level and build outward from there, keeping the same 2–3 in between all the frames. Or start from one of our ready-made gallery walls, with every print, frame and size already chosen.

A gallery wall of six framed prints in warm neutral tones above a cream sofa with a mushroom floor lamp

A seven-print gallery wall in mixed sizes above a wooden bench in a light living room

Portrait, landscape or square?

Portrait formats lift the eye and make a ceiling feel higher, which is why they suit low furniture and narrow walls. Landscape motifs follow the length of a sofa, bed or dining table. Squares feel calm and balanced, and they are the easiest way to break up a row of portrait prints.

Frames and mat boards

Our frames are made to fit our posters exactly: a 19.7x27.6 in poster fits a 19.7x27.6 in frame. Choose "Add frame" on the poster's product page and you get both in the same order. A mat board is the same size as the frame, and the poster inside it is one size smaller. Our mat boards come in four frame sizes:

Frame and mat board (in)	Poster (in)
11.8x15.7	8.3x11.8
15.7x19.7	11.8x15.7
19.7x19.7	15.7x15.7
27.6x27.6	19.7x19.7

Mat boards aren't available for our other frame sizes. Our XL frames in 39.4x39.4 and 39.4x55.1 in are sold together with the poster – we mount it and deliver it ready to hang. Read more in our guide to mat boards.

Corners of picture frames in black, oak, dark oak and white stacked on top of each other

A framed print with a blue mat board in a black frame above a round table

Test before you buy

Cut out paper in the sizes you're considering, or mark them on the wall with painter's tape, and look at them from where you usually sit or stand. It takes five minutes and saves you from guessing. If you're torn between two sizes, go for the larger one – art is far more often too small than too big.

What are the standard poster sizes?

Our rectangular sizes are 8.3x11.8, 11.8x15.7, 15.7x19.7, 19.7x27.6, 27.6x39.4 and 39.4x55.1 in, and our square sizes are 15.7x15.7, 19.7x19.7, 27.6x27.6 and 39.4x39.4 in. In centimeters, that is 21x30 to 100x140 cm and 40x40 to 100x100 cm.

Is 8.3x11.8 in the same as A4?

Almost. A4 measures 8.3x11.7 in (21 x 29.7 cm), so an A4 print fits our 8.3x11.8 in frame. Our 8.3x11.8 in posters and frames are the A4 format.

Which size is the most popular?

19.7x27.6 in is our most popular size, and 11.8x15.7 in is another favorite. Both work almost anywhere, on their own or in a gallery wall.

What size poster should I hang above an 80 in sofa?

Aim for art that is about 53–59 in wide in total: two 27.6x39.4 in prints side by side, or a gallery wall of the same width. If you want a single print, 39.4x55.1 in XL makes the biggest impact.

Do your frames fit your posters?

Yes. Our frames are made to fit our posters exactly – a 19.7x27.6 in poster fits a 19.7x27.6 in frame. With a mat board, the poster is one size smaller than the frame.

Is the poster delivered framed?

The poster is delivered without a frame, unless you choose "Add frame" on the product page. Then you get the poster and the frame in the same order. XL frames in 39.4x55.1 and 39.4x39.4 in are mounted by us and delivered ready to hang.

Shop by size

Posters8.3x11.8 11.8x15.7 15.7x19.7 19.7x27.6 27.6x39.4 39.4x55.1 15.7x15.7 19.7x19.7 27.6x27.6 39.4x39.4

Frames8.3x11.8 11.8x15.7 15.7x19.7 19.7x19.7 19.7x27.6 27.6x27.6 27.6x39.4 39.4x39.4 39.4x55.1

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