How to Determine the Frame Size for a Wall Space

Too many frames can make your wall feel cluttered.

Too many frames can make your wall feel cluttered.

Filling your wall space with art sometimes seems daunting, but there are some simple ways to determine what size frames you should buy for your different wall spaces. You want the art to be noticeable but not overwhelming. Think about where people are likely to stand when viewing the art inside the frame as well as how big your wall is. Instead of taking the whole wall into account, consider only the sections needing a focal point, such as above a sofa or fireplace.


Measure the height and width of your wall space with measuring tape. Break your wall into sections to determine where to place art. If your entire wall is 15 feet long but has two windows, measure only the space between the windows. If you want to place framed art above a sofa, measure the length of the sofa to determine the width of your wall space.


Determine where people are likely to stand when viewing the framed picture. As a general rule, the diagonal measurement of the art should be about equal to the viewing distance. For example, if you're putting a picture over a sofa, people are likely to stand about 3 to 4 feet away because of the couch dimensions. When you determine how far away people are likely to stand, you can better calculate the best frame size.


Calculate two-thirds of the height or width of the wall space. For example, if your space is 6 feet wide, two-thirds would be 4 feet. This is your first guideline for the size of your frame. It doesn't have to fill two-thirds of the entire space, only two-thirds of the distance in one direction.


Mark a rectangle with painter's tape on the wall in the size that you calculated as two-thirds of your wall space height or width. Stand back at a typical viewing position to see if the frame looks too big or too small. Measure the diagonal of the rectangle to see if it comes close to the distance you were standing from the wall. If the painter's tape frame seems too big, break it into two smaller frames with about 4 inches in between. Sometimes two or three frames work better than a single frame to fill large areas, such as above a sofa.

Things You Will Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Calculator
  • Painter's tape


  • It's better to have frames that are slightly farther away than the diagonal measurement of the frame rather than closer than the measurement. For example, if the frame measures 26 inches on the diagonal, the art would still work if people stood 3 feet away. It won't work as well if people are likely to stand 20 inches away.
  • Hang your frames so the vertical center is about 60 inches from the floor, which is an average eye level.

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