The easiest way to judge how a painting will look on your wall is to see photos of real homes. Below are 15 ideas for the living room, each shown in a photo customers sent us after delivery, with a link to the painting shown. Every painting is hand-painted to order and can be ordered in the size that fits your wall. The full selection is on living room paintings.
Sofa rule: the painting or group should be about two thirds of the sofa’s width, with the bottom edge 20 to 30 cm above the backrest.
15 living room wall art ideas
1. A large abstract above a corner sofa
In Photo 1 a large, colourful abstract in a gold floater frame hangs above a grey corner sofa, with the dining table and kitchen behind. In an open-plan room a painting like this ties the living area to the kitchen because it repeats colours from both. Similar ones: modern abstract paintings.
2. A long landscape format above a long sofa
Photo 2 shows a long version of Klimt’s Tree of Life above a dark velvet corner sofa. The long, narrow format fills the width of the backrest without reaching too far towards the ceiling.
3. A square painting above a shorter sofa
In Photo 3 the square painting Turquoise Horizon hangs above a green velvet sofa. A square suits a shorter sofa or loveseat, and the turquoise tones pick up the cushion colour.
4. A splash of colour on a white wall
Photo 4 shows a long red, yellow and blue abstract above a white leather sofa. When the room is white and calm, the painting can be its only colour accent.
5. A portrait format for a tall wall
In Photo 5 the portrait-format Golden Reflection hangs above a black leather sofa. A portrait format visually raises the ceiling and suits tall, narrow walls.
6. A famous painting as the focal point
Photo 6 shows Van Gogh’s The Starry Night in a dark frame above a black leather loveseat. A famous painting draws the eye at once and starts conversations, so hang it where guests look first.
7. A calm landscape above a dark sofa
In Photo 7 Van Gogh’s A Wheat Field with Cypresses hangs above a dark sofa. A landscape with a blue sky opens the wall like a window and makes the room feel larger. More landscapes: landscape paintings.
8. A painting beside the TV unit and shelves
Photo 8 shows Rothko’s portrait-format Pink, Purple and Blue beside a TV unit and wall shelves. Next to a TV, choose calm fields of colour that don’t compete with the screen.
9. A gold painting above the dining table
In Photo 9 Klimt’s The Kiss in a gold frame hangs above a wooden dining table with black chairs. Above a table, keep the painting narrower than the table, with the bottom edge about 60 to 80 cm above the tabletop.
10. A long painting above a long table
Photo 10 shows Monet’s The Water Lilies – Green Reflections in a long format above a dark stone dining table. The long painting follows the length of the table and separates the dining corner from the living area.
11. A painting above a sideboard
In Photo 11 Leonardo’s The Battle of Anghiari (Detail) hangs above a cream sideboard. Above a sideboard the painting can be slightly narrower than the furniture; a lamp or vase can stand in front.
12. A white frame on a stone wall
Photo 12 shows Kandinsky’s Sky Blue in a white frame on a natural stone wall above a beige sofa. On a busy wall, a light frame sets the painting clearly apart from the background.
13. A painting by the stairs in an attic
In Photo 13 Hopper’s Nighthawks in a gold frame hangs on an attic wall next to the stairs. A wide format suits low attic walls where a portrait format would not fit.
14. A multi-panel painting by the terrace door
Photo 14 shows the three-panel painting Inspiration on the wall beside a terrace door. A multi-panel painting covers a wider wall, and the gaps between panels give it rhythm. Multi-panel paintings are always stretched, without a frame. More: multi-panel paintings.
15. A figurative painting at the end of the sofa
In Photo 15 a painting of a woman seen from behind, in a black frame, hangs at the end of a light sofa. A painting doesn’t always need to be centred: at the end of a sofa or by the opening to the kitchen it fills an empty corner.
How to choose the size
- Above a sofa: about two thirds of the sofa’s width; for a 220 cm sofa that is a painting or group about 140 to 150 cm wide.
- Above a dining table: narrower than the table, bottom edge 60 to 80 cm above the top.
- Above a sideboard: as wide as the sideboard or slightly narrower.
- Height: centre of the painting about 145 to 155 cm from the floor when there is no furniture below.
Paintings come in several sizes, for example from 60 x 40 to 180 x 120 cm in a 3:2 format, panoramas from 80 x 40 to 200 x 100 cm and squares from 40 x 40 to 180 x 180 cm. Multi-panel sets measure from 90 x 60 to 300 x 100 cm. For large walls see large paintings.
Framed or not
You receive paintings rolled, stretched on stretcher bars (2.5 cm) or framed; we stretch and frame them in our workshop in Slovenia. A gold frame, as in Photos 1, 9 and 13, suits classic paintings and warm tones; a dark or white frame, as in Photos 6 and 12, suits modern furniture. Multi-panel and abstract paintings look best without a frame. More: how to choose a frame.
How the paintings are made
Every painting in these photos is hand-painted to order. They are painted by different painters in different places, in oil or acrylic depending on the painting. You get a photo of the painting before dispatch. Paintings in stock arrive within 6 working days, paintings made to order in 15 to 45 days. We have sold paintings since 2011. Where and how to buy a painting is compared in the guide where to buy paintings for the wall.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a painting above a sofa be?
About two thirds of the sofa’s width, with the bottom edge 20 to 30 cm above the backrest. For a 200 cm sofa that is a painting or group about 130 cm wide.
One large painting or several small ones?
One large painting looks calmer and suits modern rooms. Several small ones or a multi-panel painting cover a wider wall and add rhythm; keep equal gaps of 5 to 8 cm.
Which colours work in a living room?
Repeat one or two colours you already have in cushions, rug or curtains. In a white or grey room the painting can be the only colour accent, as in Photo 4.
Can I order a painting from the photos in another size?
Yes. Every painting shown can be ordered in other sizes; for sizes outside the range or your own subject there is the paintings made to order page.
Are these really customers’ homes?
Yes. Customers sent us these photos after their paintings were delivered. We do not publish customers’ names.
Choose your painting from living room paintings and the size that fits your wall.