How to choose the ideal wall art for your living room?
The living room is often the central room of the home. It is where we welcome guests, where we relax and our décor is expressed most freely.
In this space, a living room wall art is not just for to fill an empty wall. When well chosen, it can structure the room, bring out the colors, create a focal point and instantly give more personality to your interior.
But between the style, the dimensions, the colors, the material and placement, how to choose the decorative wall art for living room that will truly fit to your space?
Here is our complete guide to find a piece that matches for your décor, but above all to your personality.
Start by measuring the available wall space, then choose a style that matches your interior. In a neutral living room, a colorful piece can become the focal point. In an already very busy room, more minimalist wall art will often be preferable. Finally, always adapt the size of the wall art to the width of the sofa or the piece of furniture below.
1. Why wall art can completely transform a living room
An empty wall can quickly give an impression of an unfinished interior.
Wall art helps to create a true connection between the different elements of the room: sofa, rugs, curtains, furniture, lighting and accessories.
Create a focal point
A strong piece naturally draws the eye and can become the visual focal point of the entire room.
Add personality
Your choice says something your tastes, your passions and on the atmosphere you want to create.
Add color
In a living room beige, white or gray, colorful wall art can be enough to bring the whole room to life.
Structure a large wall
A large format can give a true decorative function to a surface that previously seemed empty.
It can become the starting point for the entire mood of the living room.
2. What style of wall art should you choose for your living room?
There is no one single style suited to the living room.
The best choice depends on your furniture, on your colors and above all of what you love to look at.
Contemporary wall art
Modern shapes, graphic compositions and current colors for an elegant living room.
Abstract wall art
Colors, gestures, shapes and textures allow you to create expressive decor.
Landscape wall art
Sea, mountain, forest or horizon introduce a feeling of escape in the living room.
Street Art
Graffiti, colors, portraits and urban culture for decor more energetic.
Pop Art
Icons, popular culture and bold colors to give character to the living room.
Black & white
An excellent option for interiors minimalist, elegant or very contemporary.
3. How to choose the color of your living room wall art?
It is not necessary than your wall art exactly match the color of the sofa.
Successful decor can work according to two principles: harmony or contrast.
Create harmony
Identify one or two colors featured in the wall art and echo them in a few accessories: cushions, vase or rug.
Create contrast
A neutral living room can perfectly welcome a red artwork, blue, orange or multicolored.
| Living room color | Interesting wall art | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Beige | Blue, terracotta, green, black, multicolored | Warmth and contrast |
| White | Almost all colors | Highlight the artwork |
| Gray | Red, yellow, blue, orange | Brighten up the room |
| Green | Beige, black, white, gold | Create a natural ambiance |
| Terracotta | Blue, beige, black, white | Elegance and depth |
| Black & white | Pop Art or multicolored artwork | Create a focal point |
if your wall art contains many colors, simply pick up a secondary shade in an accessory. This is often enough to create a visual connection with the living room.
4. What size wall art should you choose for your living room?
Size is one of the criteria the most important
A piece that is too small on a large wall may seem lost, whereas a suitable format immediately structures the decor.
Measure the wall
Take the dimensions of the area actually available, and not the entire wall if furniture or light fixtures already occupy it.
Measure the furniture
If the wall art should be placed above a sofa or a sideboard, use its width as a visual reference.
Visualize the format
Use tape masking to reproduce the dimensions directly on the wall.
Dare to go large-format
On a large wall, XXL wall art can be much more elegant than a small isolated piece.
5. Which wall art should you choose above a sofa?
The space placed above the sofa is one of the locations most commonly used in a living room.
To achieve a cohesive ensemble, the wall art should remain visually connected to the sofa.
a piece of wall art or a wall composition covering approximately two-thirds of the width of the sofa often offers a balanced result. This is not an absolute rule, but an excellent starting point.
For a large sofa, a horizontal wall art, panoramic or a large composition works particularly well.
In a living room with high ceilings, a large vertical wall art piece can, on the contrary, highlight the height of the room.
6. How to decorate a large living room wall?
A large white wall offers a huge range of possibilities.
Rather than multiplying small objects, you can choose a strong artwork and give it enough space to breathe.
An XXL wall art piece
The ideal solution to create a gallery effect and immediately draw the eye.
A triptych
Three panels allow you to fill a wide area while creating rhythm.
A wall gallery
Several wall art pieces coordinated allow you to create a personal composition.
A panoramic piece
Especially suited for sofas and large low furniture.
Also discover our guide dedicated to showcasing large formats: how to showcase large colorful wall art .
7. At what height should you hang wall art in the living room?
One of the mistakes the most common is hanging wall art too high.
In most cases, the center of the artwork should be positioned around eye level.
A height close de 145 à 155 cm du sol up to the center of the wall art is a common reference point, but it should be adapted to the furniture and to the layout of the room.
avoid leaving too much space between the backrest and the wall art. The artwork should seem to belong to the same decorative ensemble.
To explore this topic further, read our article: how to choose and hang wall art .
8. Which finish should you choose for your living room wall art?
The same visual can produce a very different print depending on its medium.
Frameless poster
A finish lightweight, minimalist and especially modern.
Stretched canvas
An appearance more artistic and warm reminiscent of a true canvas.
Black floating frame
Elegant and graphic, it enhances the contrasts of the artwork.
White floating frame
Bright and understated, it fits perfectly for living rooms with light colors.
Plexiglass
Its glossy appearance gives a contemporary finish and enhances the intensity of the colors.
9. Which wall art should you choose for your living room style?
| Living room style | Recommended wall art |
|---|---|
| Contemporary living room | Abstract, geometric, minimalist |
| Industrial living room | Street art, New York, black and white |
| Bohemian living room | Landscape, nature, organic abstract |
| Designer living room | Contemporary art, Plexiglass, large format |
| Colorful living room | More understated artwork or complementary colors |
| Minimalist living room | A single bold large artwork |
10. What budget should you plan for living room wall art?
The price of wall art depends mainly of the format, of the medium, of the finish and the nature of the artwork.
A poster generally allows to start with a more accessible budget, whereas a large Plexiglass or an artwork with a floating frame offers a finish more premium.
The most important thing is therefore to compare not only the price, but also the desired look and the space that the wall art should occupy in the decor.
choose above all wall art that you will enjoy to look at for a long time. An attractive price has no value if the artwork does not reflect you.
11. How to create a wall gallery in your living room?
Do you love several wall art pieces? A wall gallery brings together different worlds.
Keep a common thread
Colors, theme, frames or artistic style can connect the different artworks.
Vary the formats
Mix vertical, horizontal and square adds more rhythm.
Test on the floor
Prepare the composition before drilling the slightest hole.
Keep even spacing
Consistency between the frames makes the whole look more elegant.
12. Mistakes to avoid when choosing wall art for your living room
Choosing too small
This is the mistake the most common on a large wall.
Hanging too high
The wall art must remain visually connected to the furniture.
Matching everything
A contrast can be more elegant than a perfect match.
Ignore the light
Reflections and direct light can alter the perception of the artwork.
Overloading the wall
A large piece needs space around it.
Following only the trend
Your living room must above all reflect you.
Discover our living room wall art collections
Every living room has its own personality.
Explore our different styles to find the wall art that matches your colors, your furniture and your tastes.
Your living room is ready. All that's missing is the wall art that will make all the difference.
An empty wall may seem trivial.
But with the right piece, the right proportions and the right colors, it can become the most remarkable element of the room.
Abstract, contemporary, landscape, Street Art or Pop Art: find the wall art that will transform your living room without changing your entire interior.
Discover Living Room Wall Art View new arrivalsFAQ: choosing the right living room wall art
What size wall art should you choose for a living room?
The size depends of the available wall and the furniture. Above a sofa, a width close to two-thirds that of the sofa often represents a useful visual guide.
What wall art should you place above a sofa?
A large horizontal wall art piece, a panoramic piece, a triptych or a wall composition work particularly well above a sofa.
What color wall art for a beige living room?
Beige is very versatile. Blue, terracotta, green, black, gold or multicolored can create beautiful contrasts.
Which wall art for a modern living room?
Abstract, contemporary, geometric or Street Art fit particularly well in a modern living room.
At what height should you hang wall art in the living room?
The center of the wall art is generally positioned around eye level, often between 145 and 155 cm from the floor. However, adjust this height to the sofa and the surrounding furniture.
Which wall art should you choose for a large white wall?
XXL wall art, a panoramic piece or a triptych make it possible to fill the wall without multiplying small decorative elements.
Which medium should you choose for a contemporary living room?
Stretched canvas offers an artistic finish, the floating frame adds an elegant finish and Plexiglass gives a glossy look and especially modern.
Should you match the wall art to the sofa?
No. You can create either a harmony with a few shared colors, or a deliberate contrast. It is not necessary that the wall art exactly match the color of the sofa.
The ideal wall art for your living room is the one that reflects you
Interior design rules are useful to choose the right proportions, the right colors and the right placement.
But they should never replace your own sensibility.
Wall art that you truly love will catch your eye for a long time to come after the trends will have changed.
The best wall art for your living room is therefore not simply the one that goes with your sofa: it is the one that transforms your room into an interior that reflects you.
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