Two numbers decide this, and only one of them is the bed. The width of the bed sets how far the art should reach; the height of the headboard sets where it starts. Get the first right and the wall looks deliberate. Get the second wrong and it looks deliberate but too high.
Width: two thirds of the bed
European beds come in three widths, so there are only three targets to hit.
| Bed | Two-thirds target | Lower limit (half the bed) |
|---|---|---|
| 140 cm | 93 cm | 70 cm |
| 160 cm | 107 cm | 80 cm |
| 180 cm | 120 cm | 90 cm |
What is useful is that the gap between frames is an adjustable variable. Changing it from 4 to 8 cm moves the total span by 4 cm on a pair and 8 cm on a row of three, which is often exactly the fine tuning a wall needs.
| Arrangement | Gap 4 cm | Gap 6 cm | Gap 8 cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two 30×42, portrait | 64 cm | 66 cm | 68 cm |
| Two 50×70, portrait | 104 cm | 106 cm | 108 cm |
| Three 50×70, portrait | 158 cm | 162 cm | 166 cm |
| Two 70×100, portrait | 144 cm | 146 cm | 148 cm |
Set that against the targets: the 50×70 pair covers a 140 cm bed at three quarters and hits a 160 cm bed almost exactly; the 70×100 pair suits a 180 cm bed. Exact dimensions for every format are in the size guide.
Height: the headboard is the variable
The standard advice of centring art at 145 cm above the floor assumes an empty wall, and a bed is not an empty wall. Measure instead from the top of the headboard and leave 15 to 25 cm of bare wall below the frame. Take 20 cm as the working figure and every format has a calculable centre.
| Top of headboard | Frame bottom | 30×42 centre | 50×70 centre | 70×100 centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 cm | 90 cm | 111 cm | 125 cm | 140 cm |
| 90 cm | 110 cm | 131 cm | 145 cm | 160 cm |
| 110 cm | 130 cm | 151 cm | 165 cm | 180 cm |
| 130 cm | 150 cm | 171 cm | 185 cm | 200 cm |
The bottom right corner is the warning. A 70×100 hung portrait above a 130 cm upholstered headboard has its centre at 200 cm and its top edge at 250 — above the ceiling in most homes. With a tall headboard, the format has to shrink or turn landscape. The 90 cm row is the coincidence worth knowing: a 50×70 above a 90 cm headboard lands at exactly 145 cm, which is why that combination looks right so often. The reasoning behind the standard is in how high to hang art.
With no headboard at all, the standard height applies again — but check that the bottom edge clears the pillows when the bed is made, which usually means keeping it above 100 cm.
Peacock by Ohara Koson japansk kunstposter
Fashion Brands Poster
Curiosity - Maarten Léon
Maddies Mood - Jotadejai
Cat in Window Poster
Tree of Life Collage - Thomas Nordentoft
Why two smaller often beat one large
A pair is not a compromise here; on this particular wall it is usually the better answer, for four reasons that are all measurable.
- Width without height. Two 50×70 give 106 cm of span at 70 cm tall. A 100×140 landscape gives 140 cm of span but is 100 cm tall, which above a 90 cm headboard puts the top edge at 210 cm.
- The gap is adjustable. A single format is a fixed number. A pair can be tuned by 4 cm without changing anything you bought.
- Weight. Two lighter frames over a sleeping person are an easier proposition than one large sheet of glass, and each needs a smaller fixing.
- Symmetry. A pair centres itself on the bed by eye. A single piece has to be measured to the centimetre or the error shows against the headboard.
If you want more than two, keep them in one row and align the frame centres rather than the top edges; arrangements with figures are in the gallery wall layouts. Frames in all five sizes are in the frame range, and the prints made for this wall are in the bedroom selection.