How to Choose the Ideal Art Size for Above the Bed

In my home staging consultations, I’m often asked how to choose the ideal size art for above the bed. There’s no perfect answer and lots of variations to take into account when it comes to ceiling height, headboard size, and style of the room. That means there are a lot of beautiful art combinations that can look great and help show off your bedroom to potential home buyers!

Want even more insider tips on staging every room of your home? Check out my Easy DIY Home Staging for Home Sellers™ Course! It’s packed with practical strategies to help your home stand out and sell faster.

I’ve compiled some general guidelines below to help you get started…

Photo by Julie Coppa Designs, Inc. – Discover bedroom design inspiration

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How to Choose the Right Size Art to Hang Above the Bed

To select the right art size for above your bed, aim for art that is approximately 2/3 to 3/4 the width of your headboard. In fact, wall art above any piece of large furniture (sofa, dresser, buffet table, etc.) should generally span between 60% to 80% of the width of the piece.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you put that rule into practice and find the perfect fit:

1. Measure your headboard.

Start by measuring the width of your headboard. This will be your guide. For example, a queen headboard is usually around 60 to 62 inches wide.

2. Apply the 2/3 to 3/4 rule.

Multiply your headboard width by 0.67 (two-thirds) and 0.75 (three-quarters) to find the best range for your artwork. Example: 60 inches × 0.67 = about 40 inches, and 60 × 0.75 = 45 inches. So, artwork between 40–45 inches wide is ideal.

3. Factor in your space and style.

In smaller rooms, choose slightly smaller art so it doesn’t overwhelm the space. With high ceilings, go for taller, vertical pieces to draw the eye upward. Prefer a gallery wall? Mix and match sizes, but keep the total width within the 2/3 to 3/4 guideline. Decide between a single bold piece or several smaller ones for a more eclectic vibe. Remember, rules are helpful, but if you love a piece and it feels balanced, go for it.

4. Visualize before hanging.

Use painter’s tape to outline potential sizes on the wall so you can see how they’ll look. As for placement, a good starting point is to center the art 57–60 inches from the floor, then adjust based on your headboard and personal preference.

Pro tip: Preparing to sell your home and need neutral artwork? Take a look at this artwork we like for home staging.

Photo by Keeping Interiors – Search bedroom pictures

More Tips for Selecting the Ideal Size Art for Above the Bed

• If using multiple pieces, evaluate the width of the entire art grouping as a whole. In other words, if you hang two pieces of art that are each 24” wide with 6” between them, the width of your total grouping would be 54” (24” art + 6” space + 24” art).
• Hanging art too high is one of the most common mistakes I see in homes, and artwork above the bed is no exception. The bottom of your artwork shouldn’t be more than about 6” away from the top of your headboard. Read our blog post for more tips on how to hang art like a pro.
• Keep ceiling height in mind as well as you select art. Wider pieces are often taller. Leave a minimum of 18” between the ceiling and the top of your artwork when working with large canvas prints.
• Large table lamps on your nightstands can sometimes act as a nice balance to smaller art groupings.
• For headboards with an arc or high point in the middle, it may look best to use two pieces of art evenly spaced on either side of the arc.
• If you live in a region prone to earthquakes, don’t hang anything heavy over the bed!
• Heavier artwork may require more than a simple nail. I love Monkey Hook picture hangers for hanging large art. And they leave minimal damage to walls!

Monkey Hooks Picture Hangers, 30-piece set

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Ideal Art Size Above a King Bed

Most king-sized headboards are approximately 80” wide, which means your wall art should be between 48” and 64”. That’s pretty big for an individual piece! You may want to consider using a grouping of multiple pieces to fill the space properly. There are lots of options, so play around with different combinations. Here are a few we like:

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Ideal Art Size Above a Queen Bed

When trying to determine the best size art above a queen bed, keep your piece(s) within that magical range of 60% to 80% of the headboard width. Most queen headboards are about 62” wide, give or take a couple of inches. So you’ll want the art above a queen bed to occupy somewhere between 37” and 50” of wall space, frames included. Take a look at these examples:

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Ideal Art Size Above a Full Bed

A full-size headboard is typically about 56″. Again, remember that your art should be somewhere between 60% and 80% of the width of the piece of furniture it hangs above. That makes the ideal art size above a full-size bed between 34″ and 45″.

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Ideal Art Size Above a Twin Bed

Twin headboards are about 41″ wide. If you’re decorating the wall space above a twin bed, keep the total width of your artwork between 25″ and 33″.

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Best Over-the-Bed Art Ideas for Home Staging

Looking for some inspiration? Take a look at some of our art recommendations that work well for home staging.

Staging a Home for Sale? We Can Help

If you need a hand getting your artwork “just right” to prepare for a home sale, Three Bears Home Staging can help! Take a look below at some of the ways we’re helping homeowners around the country:

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