The wall space above a couch is a perfect space to display artwork and fine art prints. It is common to have a fairly large, wide open space above a couch, so there are a number of options for what to hang in that space, allowing you to share your interests and creativity with anyone visiting your home.
Print Size Relative to Couch Size
While there are no hard and fast rules about what size prints should be hung over a couch, there are some general guidelines for what will visually look best. Ideally, you’ll want the total width of whatever you are hanging above the couch to be about half to two-thirds the width of the couch. This could be one single large print or the total width of multiple prints spaced out on the wall.
Something to keep in mind when ordering your prints is that if you are ordering paper prints, these will need to be framed. Framing will add extra size, so if you’re aiming to fit a certain space you may want to order a print a bit smaller so that you have room for the additional frame size. It can also help to have an idea of how you'd like to mat/frame your print, so you have a rough idea of how much additional size the framing will add.
If you're new to framing prints, you can check out our helpful guide: 3 Things to Think About Before Frame Shopping to help you prepare.
Suggestions for various couch types
There isn’t quite enough standardization in the size of couches to give exact recommendations based on couch type, but we can give a general idea of what to look for to help get you started.
3-Cushion Couches
On average, 3-cushion couches tend to be between 75”-90”. If you want to hang a single print above a couch in this size range, you’d want to look for something that, after framing, would be around 45”-50” wide. This could easily be a 30”x40” paper print, matted and framed to add some additional size. Or, if you’re looking for a canvas print, these don’t require framing, so you can order exactly the final size you want.
Loveseats
An average loveseat will be about 58” wide. So, if you want to hang a single print above a loveseat of this size, you’ll want the final, framed size to be in the range of 29”-38”. This could be done with an 18”x24” print or 24”x36”, depending on how large you want the print to be in relation to the couch.
How High to Hang Above a Couch
Again, there are no specific rules here, so adjust as needed to fit your space, but a guideline to get you started is that the bottom of whatever you are hanging should be at least 8”-10” above the top of the couch. This distance will of course depend on the height of your print or artwork. If you are hanging a very long panorama that isn’t very tall, it could look awkward if hung too low, as it would be very close to the couch with so much empty space above it. You’d want to hang something like that higher up to balance out the space.
If you're not sure how high you want to hang your print or artwork, you could use painters tape, or any other easily removable tape, to tape out the size of your print on the wall. This will let you step back and see what it will look like before you put any holes in your walls.
Hanging Multiple Prints Above a Couch
When you’ve got a big space to fill you have quite a few options. While you could go for the bold, statement piece that is a single, very large print, you can also opt to fill the space with multiple prints in smaller sizes. This can be an especially great option if you have very high ceilings. Hanging two vertical prints is likely to fill the space a bit better than a single horizontal print would.
Hanging multiple prints also has the potential to be a more budget-friendly option. Larger prints are of course more expensive than smaller prints, to account for the materials used and difficulty of handling. This means that you could potentially get two smaller prints for less than a single large print would cost. Additionally, framing can get exponentially more expensive for large prints once you get into the size range that framers consider to the “oversize”. It won’t always be the case, as frames of all sizes span the gap between affordable and expensive, but it is certainly possible to get two smaller frames for a lower price than one very large frame.
Gallery Walls
If you are feeling creative, a gallery wall is a fun option for filling the space above your couch. A gallery wall is a collection of prints and/or artwork hung in some type of layout. This could be very organized, with prints of the same size spaced out in an even grid, or it could be much looser, with prints of varying sizes laid out however you like them.
Creating a gallery wall can be a great option if you already have a few pieces that you haven’t been able to find a spot for. You can read our guide to creating a gallery wall for more information and some inspiration to get you started.