The Right Canvas Above Your Sofa: Size, Words and Placement

The wall above the sofa is the most important wall in many homes, and also the one most often filled with the wrong size of picture. A canvas that is too small looks lost. One that is too big can swamp the room. Here is how to get it right with a Letters in Linen canvas from the Canvas Builder.

Measure the sofa first

Measure the width of the sofa, not the wall. Aim for a canvas, or a group of canvases, that is about two-thirds of that width. For a 200 cm sofa, that points to around 130 cm of art in total. A single Extra Large landscape canvas can do this alone, such as the 120 x 100 cm and 150 x 100 cm sizes.

One big canvas or a set

A single wide canvas feels bold and calm. A pair or a set of three smaller canvases feels more layered and flexible. If you have a very long sofa, a set of two or three often looks better than one enormous piece. Our guide to pairs and triptychs explains how to plan them.

Choose landscape in most cases

Above a sofa, landscape usually looks natural, because it echoes the horizontal line of the furniture. Portrait can work for a narrow wall, or as one of a pair, but a single tall canvas above a wide sofa often looks out of place. Square is good for a pair.

Leave the right gap

Hang the canvas so there is about 20 to 25 cm between the top of the sofa back and the bottom of the canvas. Closer than that looks cramped, and further looks disconnected. The centre of the canvas should sit around eye level for someone seated, which is a little lower than standing eye level.

Choose words for a room people relax in

A living room canvas is seen for hours. Words that feel warm and lasting, such as a family name, a phrase about home, or something calm, tend to suit it better than something that demands attention. Gallery pieces like Relax and Unwind show the tone.

Match colour to the sofa

Pick a lettering colour that echoes a cushion or a throw, and a canvas colour that sits comfortably against the wall. If the sofa is a strong colour, a neutral canvas lets it lead. If the sofa is neutral, the canvas can carry the colour.

Try before you commit

Cut paper to the width and height you are considering, tape it above the sofa, and sit down. If it feels too small from where you sit, go up a size group.