Hanging guide
What size art should go above a bed?
About two thirds of the bed's width, and always narrower than the headboard. A 140 cm double wants roughly 95 cm of art, a 160 cm queen about 105 cm, and a 180 cm king around 120 cm. Hang it 15-25 cm above the headboard, or above the mattress if there is no headboard.
The numbers by bed size
| Bed | Width | Ideal art width |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 90 cm | 60 cm |
| Double | 140 cm | 93 cm |
| Queen | 160 cm | 107 cm |
| King | 180 cm | 120 cm |
| Super king | 200 cm | 133 cm |
Two thirds of the bed width, same as above a sofa. Beds are where people most often go too small, because a headboard is wide and an A2 print above one disappears.
Why bedrooms punish small art hardest
A bedroom wall above a bed is one of the largest uninterrupted surfaces in a home, and the bed below it is a large low object that makes everything above look smaller by comparison. The same print that holds its own above a narrow console vanishes above a king bed.
Check it first
Photograph the wall above your bed and Murello will render any piece on it at its real measured size, so the difference between 60 cm and 110 cm is visible before the parcel arrives.
Questions people also ask
What size art above a queen bed?
A queen is about 160 cm wide, so aim for 105 cm of art - one piece, or a pair or trio spanning that including the gaps between them.
Should art be wider than the headboard?
No. A piece wider than the headboard makes the bed look undersized and unbalances the wall. Narrower than the headboard, wider than half the bed.
How high above the bed should it hang?
15-25 cm above the top of the headboard. If there is no headboard, measure from the top of the mattress and add the same gap, which usually lands the centre near the standard 145 cm.
Is one large piece better than several small ones?
Either works if the total span is right. A single piece is calmer, which suits a bedroom; a trio gives the same span for less money. What does not work is one small piece floating in the middle.
What about a sloped or attic ceiling?
Hang lower than you think and keep the piece horizontal. On a slope the usable wall is shorter than it looks, and a landscape-format piece fits where a portrait one will not.
Is glass above a bed a bad idea?
In earthquake regions or with children, yes - canvas, acrylic or an unframed print avoids the question entirely, and canvas is lighter for adhesive fixings too.