Design

Large Art: When to Hang It And Where to Buy It

June 7, 2023

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Art can transform a room, adding personality, depth, color, character, and more! Equally important to what you hang in your home is the size of what you hang. Gallery walls have been all the rage for some time, and while I love a gallery wall moment, I think it’s nice to switch up how we display art in our homes. One way to switch it up is to have a large art moment, and I wanted to show you some good examples of how to incorporate large-scale art in your home (specifically 35 or more inches), as well as some of my favorite sources.

Large art above a sofa

large art hung over a sofa

Shop the living room

I recently hung this giant new framed canvas painting above the sofa in our living room, which is typically a really great place to hang large art! Of course, you want to be sure that there’s enough blank space around the art so it doesn’t overcrowd the entire wall.

On the other side of the room, we mirrored the large art with… even more large art, topped off with a picture light. This is a great way to bring symmetry to a room, and I love the contrast between the light and darker pieces.

picture light hung over large framed canvas art

Lantern Pendant | Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Blue Velvet Sofa

I think this works especially well if you have gallery art hung in neighboring rooms, like my favorite tree frames that were hung in the dining room before we wallpapered it. My plan is to someday do a gallery of vintage art on that wall, which will balance out the large art in the living room.

Above a bed

large art hung over a bed

Shop the primary bedroom

One reason why hanging bigger pieces of art above the bed almost always works is because the large scale of the bed grounds it. Never ever let the width of the frame exceed the width of the furniture it’s above.

Day Bed | Tapestry | Ceiling Wallpaper | Pillow | Toile Bedding | Black Velvet Pillow

In Polly’s modern cottage bedroom, we hung this darling tapestry above her daybed, and it immediately became the focal point of the room.

Floating

Flush Mount Light | Antique Brass Table Lamp | Mahogany Chest | Endeavor Artwork

Hanging art without furniture beneath to ground it can be tricky. If it’s hung too high, it can look like it’s floating away, but if it’s too low, it can look really heavy. It’s easier to do with larger pieces because they don’t leave a lot of empty wall space surrounding them. Since this tree piece is taller and vertical, I didn’t want it to exceed eye level too much, so I floated it just below the center line of the wall.

On a larger wall

Shop the modern cottage dining room

The dining room in our Modern Cottage house was a host’s dream. One of the walls was so large and blank, so we built a wall-mounted credenza and hung this large-framed canvas, which made the room feel even grander. The great part about using one large piece is that it replaces a bunch of smaller or mid-sized pieces.

Framed TV counts as art

Framed TV | Table Lamp | Credenza | Gold Trash Can | Marble Pen Holder

It would be such a missed opportunity not to mention investing in a framed TV so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds–entertainment and beautiful home decor. You can switch out the art as frequently as you’d like, and it can transform the look and feel of your space in an instant. Check out a tutorial on how to swap your artwork, plus a round-up of digital downloads.

I wanted to highlight a few go-to sources for artwork 35 inches and up, including a recently discovered platform called Singulart. Singulart is an international online gallery for original art. I love it because the collection is so vast, and you can discover NEW artists on this platform. The best part is the Search filters — you can narrow your search to pieces that are exactly the size of the wall that “needs something.” Then you can filter again by price and even dominant colors. In my most recent search, I looked for pieces that were more than 35 inches, less than $500, and in neutral color palettes. I couldn’t believe how many pieces in this grouping fit my home style. I’ve included a few of my favorites from them, as well as other art at every price point. Enjoy!

1. 2022/AJ $3880
2. Natural Daisy Chain’ Wall Art by Leanne Ford $299
3. Endeavor Art $1635
4. Insert Metal Tab Into The Buckle Print $1013
5. Midnight I $1003
6. See Through Wall Art $1199
7. Green Earth $1000
8. Amber Lewis x Loloi Sutter Silver / Ivory Wall Art $339
9. Migration – Kader Boly $995
10. Cursive I $139
11. #106 Distal View – Trandum $2380
12. Moody Landscape Framed Wall Art $85

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What do you think?

  1. Lee Ann says:

    Thanks for this post. May I add a reminder that art is very personal; the art should “speak” to you and mean something to you. Original artwork doesn’t have to be expensive. Don’t just look online for art for your home. Head to local colleges with art programs and look for the senior art shows. Check out the small art galleries in your town. So many restaurants, coffee houses, and offices have revolving art shows of local artists. Head to local small galleries when you’re on vacation. Look for art all around you. When you find something you love, buy it. You’ll be helping an artist, and you’ll be surrounding yourself with art that means something to you.

  2. Ann says:

    I’d be interested in hearing about framing options. In my research, it’s $&, and difficult to transport.

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