The basic rule: the width of the artwork, or of the whole group, should be 66 to 75 percent of the furniture it hangs above. Below 60 percent the piece looks lost, above 80 percent it starts to overwhelm and visually narrows the room. This single proportion settles most doubts.
For a 180 cm sofa that means an artwork 120-135 cm wide. For a 200 cm sofa: 135-150 cm. For a 240 cm sofa: 160-180 cm, though at that width an arrangement of two or three pieces often works better than one very wide one.
The two-thirds rule
Above a bed we use the same rule, measured across the bed frame including the headboard. A 140 cm bed: 90-105 cm of artwork. A 160 cm bed: 105-120 cm. A 180 cm bed: 120-135 cm. In a bedroom it pays to stay near the lower end - more empty wall around the piece feels calmer.
If you choose an arrangement of several pieces, count the total width including gaps. For formats up to 50 cm use a 5 cm gap, for 50-80 cm use 6-8 cm, for larger pieces 10 cm. The gap should be identical across the group and narrower than the narrowest element - otherwise the arrangement falls apart into separate pictures.
Ready sizes for typical furniture
Height is always measured to the centre of the composition, never to the top edge. The gallery standard is 145-150 cm from floor to centre. Above a sofa we drop to 135-140 cm, because the work should read for someone sitting down. Above a bed the lower edge should sit 25-30 cm above the headboard.
Before you drill anything, cut the format out of wrapping paper and tape it to the wall for a day. It is the simplest test there is, and it catches scale and height mistakes before they become holes in the wall. Check it in the morning, in the evening and with the lights on.
Triptychs, spacing and height
The Forma works come in formats from 30x40 cm to 70x100 cm, and larger arrangements are made as sets of two or three prints, or as a hand-painted commission sized to your wall. If you are unsure, send us your furniture dimensions and we will suggest a specific format.
The right size is invisible. The wrong one is obvious from the doorway.