Photo Print Size Guide: What Size Print for Your Wall?

The most common mistake with wall art is buying it too small. Here is a simple way to pick a size that fits the wall, and the sizes we offer for each kind of print.

Quick rules

• Over a sofa, bed or sideboard, choose art about two-thirds as wide as the furniture. A 7-foot sofa (84") pairs well with a piece about 56" wide, such as a 60x20 panorama, or a group of prints that adds up to that width.
• On an empty wall, aim to fill roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the open space you want to cover.
• Hang it at eye level. The center of the piece is usually about 57 to 60 inches from the floor.
• Above furniture, leave about 8 to 10 inches between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame.
• Test it first. Cut paper or painter's tape to the size and stick it on the wall for a day.

Common sizes and where they work

• 8x10 and 11x14: desks, shelves, hallways and gallery walls.
• 16x20 and 16x24: a single piece over a nightstand, desk or small console, or the center of a gallery wall.
• 20x30 and 24x36: a statement piece over a sofa, bed or fireplace.
• 30x40 and 40x30 canvas: large living room and bedroom walls.
• Panoramas (8x20, 12x36, 20x60): long walls, above beds, and wide landscape or group photos.
• Squares (8x8 to 36x36): Instagram-style photos and modern rooms.

Sizes by product

• Gallery-wrapped canvas: 8x8 to 60x20, 28 sizes including 30x40, 36x36 and 20x60.
• HD acrylic: 8x10 to 36x24, including 12x12 and 20x20.
• Metal: 8x10 to 36x24, plus small desk sizes with an easel.
• Mounted prints: 8x10 to 20x30, plus 8x20.
• Framed prints: desktop frames from 4x6, wall frames up to 24x36.
• Large format paper prints: 12x12 up to 24x36, including 8x20.
• Standard photo prints: 5x7 to 8x12, plus TruMobile prints sized to phone photos.

Portrait, landscape or square?

Match the shape to the photo so nothing important gets cropped. Most sizes come in both directions, for example 16x20 (portrait) and 20x16 (landscape). Phone photos are usually 3:4 or 9:16, so the designer may crop a little to fit 8x10 or 16x20. You can move and zoom the photo in the designer before you order.

Will a big print look sharp?

The designer warns you if a photo is too small for the size you picked. Recent phone photos usually print well up to 16x20 and often larger. For 24x36 and up, use the original file rather than a screenshot or a photo saved from a messaging app.

Choosing a material too? Read canvas vs. acrylic vs. metal prints.