How to Choose Wall Art That Feels Like You

Choosing art for your walls can feel surprisingly hard. There is so much to choose from, and a blank wall can seem to ask, "Are you sure?" The good news is that you do not need an art degree or a big budget. You only need to know what you want the room to feel like.

In short: to choose wall art that feels like you, start with the feeling you want in the room, take colours from things already in the space, choose a size that fills about two-thirds of the furniture below it, and pick the piece you keep coming back to rather than the one you think you should like.

1. Start with a feeling, not a style

Before you look at a single print, ask: how do I want to feel in this room?

• Calm and rested (a bedroom): soft neutrals, gentle lines, lots of space in the image.

• Warm and sociable (a living or dining room): earthy, richer colours, bolder shapes.

• Focused and clear (a study or home office): simple compositions, cool tones, structure.

• Fresh and light (a hallway or bathroom): pale backgrounds, greens and blues.

Style labels like "boho" or "minimalist" can help you search, but the feeling is what you will notice every day.

2. Borrow colours from the room

The easiest way to make art look as if it belongs is to repeat colours you already have. Look at your cushions, rug, wood tones, plants and even the view from the window. Choose a piece that shares one or two of those colours, plus one gentle accent.

If your room is very neutral, art is a lovely place to add colour. A single sage, teal or terracotta piece can bring a whole space to life.

3. Get the size right

Most art in homes is hung too small. A few simple rules help:

• Above furniture (a sofa, bed or sideboard), aim for art about two-thirds of the furniture's width.

• On an empty wall, choose something large enough to be seen from across the room, or group smaller pieces together.

• Hang it at eye level: the centre of the artwork around 145–150 cm from the floor, a little lower above a sofa.

Printable art is helpful here: you can choose the exact size that fits your wall, or the frame you already own.

4. Think about orientation

Landscape (horizontal) pieces suit wide furniture and long walls. Portrait (vertical) pieces suit narrow walls, the space beside a door, or a tall room. A square piece feels balanced and calm, and works well in pairs.

5. One piece, a pair or a gallery wall?

• One large piece feels calm and confident.

• A pair of matching pieces works beautifully above a bed or a sofa.

• A gallery wall feels personal and collected. Keep it cohesive with a shared colour or frame style, and keep the gaps between frames even, about 5–8 cm.

6. Trust your own taste

The best piece is not always the one that matches perfectly. It is the one you keep going back to look at. If an image stays with you, makes you breathe a little slower or simply makes you smile, that is a good sign.

Art does not have to be forever, either. Printable art makes it easy to change your walls with the seasons, or as your home and life change.

A quick checklist

• What do I want to feel in this room?

• Which two colours from the room could the art repeat?

• How wide is the furniture below, and what is two-thirds of that?

• Portrait, landscape or square?

• One piece, a pair or a group?

• Do I keep coming back to it?

Find your piece

Explore our five collections in the Gallery, from the warm tones of Earth & Terracotta to the quiet lines of Line & Stillness. Every print in the Shop comes in 23 sizes, so it fits the frame and wall you already have.

Our artworks are designed with digital tools, including AI, then curated and prepared for print by Ethnoscape Art.