How high to hang art — and how to choose the right size

The 57-inch rule, the sofa rule, and what our four frame sizes look like on a real wall.

Most art is hung too high. Galleries hang work so that its centre sits at average eye level, and the same rule works at home.

The 57-inch rule

Hang the centre of the frame (or of the whole group) about 57–60 inches — roughly 145–152 cm — from the floor. In rooms where you mostly sit, like a dining room, you can go a little lower.

Above furniture

Leave 8 to 10 inches (20–25 cm) between the top of the sofa, bed or console and the bottom of the frame. Any more and the art floats away from the furniture; any less and it feels cramped.

Choosing a size

Above an 84-inch sofa, a single frame should be at least 24 × 36; otherwise group smaller frames so the set spans about two-thirds of the sofa.