Art Above the Bed: What Size, How High, and One Piece or Two

Art above the bed should be about two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the bed, hung 15 to 25 cm above the bedhead. For a queen bed that means art about 102 to 115 cm wide, and for a king about 122 to 137 cm. The right size depends on the artwork's shape, so use the table below, then check the Direct Art size guide.

What size art goes above a bed?

Designers use the two-thirds to three-quarters rule above any piece of furniture. Anything under half the width of the bed tends to look lost on a big bedroom wall.

Start with the widest part of the bed or bedhead. The figures below are approximate mattress widths for standard Australian beds, so if your bedhead is wider, measure it and use that number instead.

Our sizes depend on the shape of the artwork. A landscape painting, a square painting, a portrait-shaped painting and a panoramic painting each come in their own set of sizes, so the nearest size to your target width changes with the shape. Every size below is the canvas, width first, written the same way as the size selector on the product page.

Each painting only comes in the sizes for its own shape. Near a size boundary, go with the larger one if the wall is wide and empty, and the smaller one if bedside lamps or a window sit close to the bed.

The product photos in this guide show the artworks themselves, not their size on a wall. The measurements in the table are what matters.

Which shape suits a bed best?

Landscape and panoramic shapes are the natural fit, because a bed is wide and low. A square works well above a single, double or queen bed. A single panoramic canvas is too wide for a single bed, so choose a landscape or square there.

Portrait-shaped art (taller than it is wide) is usually too narrow above a bed. To reach the target width, a single portrait canvas has to be very tall: a 100 x 150 cm painting above a queen bed can run close to the ceiling once it is hung above the bedhead. At a sensible height, a portrait canvas looks thin against the width of the bed. The answer is to use portrait-shaped art as a pair.

Should I hang one large piece or a matching pair above the bed?

One large painting is the simplest choice. It gives the wall a single focal point, which feels restful, and it is easier to hang level.

A pair works well above a wide bed, or where a window or light switch sits off-centre. Treat the two pieces as one artwork when you apply the two-thirds rule, and leave 5 to 8 cm between them. Line up the bottom edges and centre the gap over the middle of the bed.

• King bed: two 60 x 60 cm squares with a 5 to 8 cm gap make a group 125 to 128 cm wide. Two 60 x 90 cm portrait canvases give the same width with more height.
• Queen bed: two 50 x 60 cm portrait canvases with a 5 to 8 cm gap make a group 105 to 108 cm wide.

When does a panoramic painting work?

If you have a low bedhead and a wide wall, a panoramic canvas fills the width without climbing too far up the wall. Our panoramic paintings come in 100 x 50, 120 x 60, 150 x 75 and 200 x 100 cm. Horizons, seascapes and long florals suit this shape.

Does a frame change the size of the art above my bed?

Yes, so allow for it before you choose. Our sizes are the canvas itself.

• "Stretched Ready to Hang (FREE)" adds nothing. A stretched canvas is fabric pulled tight over a timber frame, so it hangs at exactly the size you choose. On our masterpiece reproductions the same idea is labelled "Stretched Ready to Hang (Gallery Wrap Inner Frame)"; gallery wrap means the canvas wraps around the edges of that inner timber frame.
• Floating frames ("Gold Floating Frame", "Black Floating Frame", "Silver Floating Frame", "Natural Floating Frame", "White Floating Frame") add about 2 to 3 cm each side. A floating frame leaves a small gap around the canvas, so the painting appears to float inside it. A 120 x 90 cm canvas becomes about 124 to 126 cm wide.
• Ornate and classic frames, such as "Gold Ornate Outer Frame" and "Gold Classic Frame", are offered on masterpiece reproductions and add about 8 to 12 cm each side. A 100 x 75 cm canvas becomes about 116 to 124 cm wide.

If you are working to a tight space between bedside lamps, check the framed width, not just the canvas.

How high should art hang above a bed?

Leave a gap of 15 to 25 cm between the top of the bedhead and the bottom of the painting or frame. Closer, and the bed and painting read as one group. Much higher, and the painting floats away from the bed.

If you like to sit up and read in bed, check your head will not touch the frame. On a low bed with no bedhead, measure from the top of the pillows and keep the same gap.

Is it safe to hang art above a bed?

Yes, when it is hung properly. A painting over the place you sleep deserves a little extra care.

• Use two fixings, not one. Hang the painting from two hooks spaced apart, or fit two D-rings to the back, so it cannot swing or slip off a single point.
• Fix into studs or proper wall anchors. Screw into a timber stud where you can. On plasterboard, use wall anchors rated well above the weight of the painting. Avoid adhesive strips and single picture pins for anything but a small piece.
• Check before you drill. Bedhead walls often hide power cables for bedside lamps and switches. Use a stud and cable finder, or ask a handyman if you are unsure.
• Keep heavy frames away from the bed. A large ornate frame adds real weight. Over a bed, a stretched canvas or a slim floating frame is lighter and more sensible.
• Check it now and then. Each time you change the sheets, make sure the painting still sits level and firm.

Choosing colours and a calm subject

Most people choose something quiet for the bedroom: soft landscapes, water, gentle florals and muted abstracts. Pick one colour from your bedding or curtains and look for it in the painting. Screen colours vary, and a hand-painted work will differ slightly from the photo.

Browse the Bedroom Wall Art collection for ideas. Two that suit a bedroom: Van Gogh's Almond Blossom, a landscape-shaped painting from 60 x 50 cm to 200 x 135 cm, and the canvas print Dusk at the Shore, from 60 x 40 cm to 200 x 135 cm.

How can I check the size before I buy?

Tape it out. Mark the size on the wall above your bed with masking tape or sheets of paper, including any frame, and live with it for a day. Look at it from the doorway and lying down.

See it in your room. Every painting page has a See it in your room button that places the painting on a photo of your wall, to scale. You can also start from the See it on your wall page.

Ask us. Call 1300 90 21 53 (Mon to Sat, 10am to 4pm AEST), tell us the bed and the wall, and we will suggest a size.

Questions people ask

What size painting goes above a queen bed?

Aim for about 102 to 115 cm wide. That is 100 x 75 cm or 120 x 90 cm in landscape, 110 x 110 cm in square, 100 x 50 cm or 120 x 60 cm in panoramic, or a pair of 50 x 60 cm portrait canvases.

What size painting goes above a king bed?

Aim for about 122 to 137 cm wide. Choose 120 x 90 cm in landscape (150 x 100 cm with a wide bedhead), 120 x 60 cm in panoramic, or a pair of 60 x 60 cm squares.

Can I hang a portrait-shaped painting above a bed?

Yes, but usually as a pair. A single portrait canvas wide enough for the bed is very tall, and one at a comfortable height looks narrow.

How far above the bedhead should a painting hang?

Leave 15 to 25 cm between the top of the bedhead and the bottom of the painting or frame.

Related guides

• How to clean and care for an oil painting
• Famous Australian paintings
• Christmas art gift guide

Next step: open the Direct Art size guide to confirm your size, then browse the Bedroom Wall Art collection.