Photographs and art reproductions: size options

The purchase of a painting is often spontaneous. Fascinated by the beauty of a landscape or the perfection of abstract art geometry, we acquire a work of art without even thinking whether it fits into our interior concept. One of the rooms has no place for it, the other, on the contrary, has too much free space for the canvas to look good, and the third (whose size seems to allow a work of art in the interior) looks much smaller with a picture hanging on the wall. What should you do? Should you really turn down the chance to enjoy the work of the best artists every day? Not at all! To select a right-size image, you just need to know a few simple but useful rules.

Envisage your dream artwork… and look down

Imagine that you are planning to order a photo print or a portrait on canvas, an art reproduction, a photo collage, or a poster. What size are you thinking of? In order to answer this question, you first need to decide on the future location for your artwork, and then look at what’s below it. If there is a table, a console or a bed, the painting must be at least 1/2 of its length. Particular attention should be paid to the dimensions of modular paintings. There should be free space between the elements of the composition, and depending on its type (diptych or triptych), they can occupy up to 2/3 of the length of the sofa.

A glance into the future

Large works of art are best viewed from afar. An imposing beautiful image can be the ideal element for decorating any interior, but its skillful placement is the key. In order to make the right location choice for your canvas, it is vital to determine which wall the people entering the room will look at first. But that’s not all! Equally important is the distance from the picture to the intended viewpoint. Thus, experts agree that a distance of 2 times the height of a painting is optimal for viewing. That is, if an artwork is 1 meter in height, the most optimal viewing distance is 2 meters.

What’s up with the ceiling?

When choosing a painting size, special attention is paid to ceiling height. Experienced designers know that an unremarkable picture can make a significant difference in the visual appearance of the interior. For instance, vertically oriented canvases make the ceiling seem much higher, which is the key to solving certain interior decoration problems in some apartments. The best option for average ceilings is a painting that’s 2 m x 70 cm, or even smaller. Trust us, there’s not much room for experiment here!

Work with what you have (mind the room area)

When determining the picture size, it is also necessary to take into account the area of the apartment. If you’re not planning to turn your small room into a tiny cage, stop hanging large photographs on the walls. If you can’t help your desire to organize wall space, it’s better to opt for several medium-sized paintings. For a large room, however, everything works in exactly the opposite manner. Replace small family photos with large posters or grand paintings. However, you can also use the "scaling down" design technique. It entails the placement of a large painting against the wall, which doesn’t narrow the space down and make the interior livelier and more original.

The other side of the coin

Have you decided to order photos printed on canvas, modular paintings, reproductions, photo collages, or posters? Pay attention to wall finishing! Some materials are a work of art in and of themselves. However, they, too, can be decorated. The key here is moderation and skillful handling of black and white photographs.

Leave room for a breath of fresh air!

Overloading the walls with paintings of even the most eminent masters is not a sign of good taste. Incompetent organization of space, on the other hand, brings disbalance into the interior and practically makes you suffocate.

Old-fashioned methods

Want to make things easier for yourself? Just buy the cheapest newspapers and, changing the formats of the "pictures", attach them carefully to the wall. Try different versions, and go with the composition size that seems most attractive.

Everything is much easier than you think!