The wall above the sofa is calling. You know something needs to go up there - something big, something personal, something that ties the room together. But how big is big enough? And which subject suits a living room? These are the kinds of questions that make a large painting for the living room feel like an overwhelming decision.
We'll make it simple. In this guide you get a concrete formula for size, four format recommendations with actual dimensions, and a rundown of which subjects suit which living-room style. When you've finished reading, you'll know exactly what to order.
The 70 % rule that always works
Here is the simplest rule of thumb in interior design: your painting should fill between 60 % and 75 % of the width of the piece of furniture it hangs above. Is your sofa 240 cm wide? Then the painting should be between 144 cm and 180 cm wide. Is the wall-hung sideboard 120 cm? Then the sweet spot is 72-90 cm.
The rule works because the eye looks for balance. A small painting on a large wall looks like a postage stamp. A painting that fills the whole wall feels overwhelming. 70 % is the point where the painting becomes the focus without taking over.
A quick example
Standard sofa: 220 cm wide. Calculation: 220 x 0.70 = 154 cm. So you are looking for a painting about 150 cm wide - for example 150x100 cm or 140x100 cm.
Four sizes that work in a living room
We paint in all sizes from 60x40 cm up to 150x100 cm and more. Here are the four formats we sell most often for living rooms - and what they suit.
60x40 cm - the intimate format
Suited to a smaller wall, a shelf niche or as part of a gallery wall with several paintings. Price with us: from 495 CHF incl. floating frame and free shipping. It is the smallest we recommend for the living room, and only if you hang it next to other pictures.
70x70 cm - the neutral middle format
This is the format we sell the most of for flats. Big enough to have presence, small enough not to dominate. Fits well above a sideboard, a desk or as a focal point in a corner.
100x70 cm - now it's getting big
Here we begin to talk about a genuine large painting for the living room. 100x70 cm fills an ordinary sofa wall beautifully if the sofa is 180-220 cm. It is also where the price begins to reflect that it is art - 100x70 cm costs 1'095 CHF incl. frame and shipping.
120x80 cm and upwards - a giant painting
If you have an open living room with a high ceiling and a wide sofa, go up to 120x80 or 150x100 cm - these are custom sizes, which you choose directly on the product page (40-150 cm per side) at the same price per cm² as the fixed sizes, frame and shipping included. This is the format level where people stop in their tracks when they step into the room. A family painting in that size becomes the heart of the home.
Subjects that suit a living room
Size is only half of the equation. The subject determines the mood of the room. Here are five types we make most often for living rooms.
Family portrait
A family painting above the sofa is the most classic - and personal - solution. It ties the whole house together, because everyone who lives there is on the wall.
Couples and love
A romantic portrait of the two of you - from a wedding, a holiday or a perfectly ordinary day - becomes an anchor in the relationship. Wedding paintings are especially popular as first-anniversary gifts.
Children on their own
A portrait painting of the children works fantastically in the children's room, but also in the living room as a focal point. Portrait paintings at 70x70 cm are the best-selling format here.
Nature and landscapes
A painting of a special place - the holiday home, a mountain in the Alps, the beach where you proposed - works fantastically in a living room where the family portrait hangs elsewhere. It gives the room calm.
Colourful or flower painting
If the living room is kept in white and grey tones, a colourful painting or a flower painting can add life. We also paint flower subjects from your own photos - for example from the garden's spring peonies.
Placement: how high should it hang?
The centre of the painting should be at eye level when you are standing. For most people that means 145-150 cm from the floor to the middle of the canvas. Above a sofa you can go a little higher - but never so high that the painting "floats". There should be 15-25 cm between the back of the sofa and the bottom of the painting.
Questions about a large painting for the living room
How large can a painting be for a living room?
Let it fill 60-75 % of the furniture beneath it. For a standard 220 cm sofa, a width of 140-160 cm is a suitable format.
What does a large painting on canvas cost?
With us it is one fixed price per size - floating frame and free shipping are included. 100x70 cm costs 1'095 CHF. A hand-painted family painting is an investment - but it lasts a lifetime.
Can I order a nature or flower painting from my own photo?
Yes. We paint from all types of photos - including landscapes, flowers and nature subjects. Just upload your photo when you order - the price depends only on the size you choose.
How long does delivery take?
2-3 weeks from when you have sent the photo and approved the draft. We always send a digital preview before we pack the painting.
Ready to choose your own large painting for the living room? Order your hand-painted painting here - and get one step closer to the wall you have dreamed of.