A 78 to 84 inch sofa is the most common size for a three-seater, and it's also where art most often ends up too small. A canvas that looks big leaning against the wall in the hallway can look like a postcard once it's hanging over seven feet of upholstery. Most guides stop at "two-thirds of the sofa width". This one shows you what that actually looks like.
Every picture below is drawn to true scale above the same 213 cm (84″) sofa, with a 170 cm (5′7″) person for reference. The paintings are real works from the shop, and each size links straight to it.
The short answer
- One landscape piece: 125 to 150 cm (50–60″) wide is the sweet spot. 100 cm (40″) is the smallest that still works alone.
- A pair of tall pieces: two canvases of 70 x 105 cm or 75 x 100 cm, hung 5–10 cm apart.
- High ceiling (2.7 m / 9 ft or more): a single tall canvas of 100 x 150 cm or larger.
- Under 100 cm wide: don't hang it alone over this sofa. Pair it, group it, or move it to a narrower wall.
Rule 1: Aim for 60–75% of the sofa width
Two-thirds is the classic rule, and over a 200–213 cm sofa that works out to about 135–140 cm of art. Anything from roughly 50% to 75% looks deliberate. Below about 45%, a single piece starts to float.
| Art width | Over a 200 cm (78″) sofa | Over a 213 cm (84″) sofa | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 cm (35″) | 45% | 42% | Too small alone |
| 100 cm (40″) | 50% | 47% | The smallest single piece |
| 125 cm (50″) | 63% | 59% | Comfortable |
| 140 cm (56″) | 70% | 66% | Classic two-thirds |
| 150 cm (60″) | 75% | 70% | Generous |
| 165 cm (64″) | 83% | 77% | Statement, best on the 84″ sofa |
| Pair of 70 cm + 8 cm gap (148 cm) | 74% | 69% | Ideal pair |
If your sofa sits closer to 78″, step down one size from the 84″ choice. On a 200 cm sofa, a 165 cm canvas leaves under 20 cm on each side, which can look cramped.
Landscape art over a 78–84 inch sofa
A landscape canvas echoes the long, low line of the sofa, which is why it's the easiest choice.
100 x 75 cm (40 x 30″). Just under half the sofa. It works, but it's the floor, not the target. Choose it if the wall is short or there's a window close by. Shown: Belonging, canvas, 100 x 75 cm.
125 x 100 cm (50 x 40″). About 60% of the sofa, with a top edge around 200 cm, so it suits any standard ceiling. Shown: Supine, canvas, 125 x 100 cm.
140 x 105 cm (56 x 42″). Two-thirds of an 84″ sofa, almost exactly. If you want one number to start from, this is it. Shown: Commune, canvas, 140 x 105 cm, a row of seated figures that mirrors the people on the sofa below it.
150 x 120 cm (60 x 48″). Generous, and still balanced, at 70% of the width. The top edge sits at about 220 cm, which leaves a comfortable 24 cm under an 8-foot (244 cm) ceiling. Shown: Parlor, canvas, 150 x 120 cm.
165 x 120 cm (64 x 48″). The largest landscape size in the shop and a true statement piece. Over an 84″ sofa it leaves about 24 cm on each side, which is ideal. Shown: Momentum, canvas, 165 x 120 cm.
Tall art over a sofa: hang a pair
A single portrait canvas covers too little width over a long sofa unless the ceiling is high (see below). Two tall pieces side by side solve that, and they often look more considered than one wide canvas.
- Two 70 x 105 cm canvases (28 x 42″) with an 8 cm gap span 148 cm, about 70% of an 84″ sofa. Blush and Scaffold make a natural pair: both are light, open grounds with patches of pink, one soft and washed, one drawn in graphite.
- Two 75 x 100 cm canvases (30 x 40″) span 158 cm, about three-quarters of the sofa, but are slightly shorter. Cypher and Pasture are both grey fields worked with white line, one light and one dark.
To make a pair look intentional, use the same size and the same frame for both, keep the gap tight (5–10 cm), and centre the pair as one unit over the sofa, not each piece over a cushion.
If your ceiling is high
High ceilings change the maths. In a room of 2.7 m (9 ft) or more, a landscape canvas that was right under an 8-foot ceiling can suddenly look low and small, with a band of empty wall above it. You have three good options:
- Go tall instead of wide. A single Blush, canvas, 100 x 150 cm covers about half the sofa's width, but its height fills the wall. Its top edge sits at about 250 cm, so it needs a ceiling of at least 2.7 m.
- Go bigger in both directions. Nectar, canvas, 120 x 150 cm and Pasture, canvas, 120 x 165 cm are among the tallest pieces in the shop. Pasture's top edge reaches about 265 cm, so save it for ceilings of about 2.85 m (9′4″) or more.
- Keep the landscape and the low hang. Don't raise the art to "fill" a tall wall. The gap above the sofa stays at 15–25 cm whatever the ceiling height. Choose a larger size instead, such as 150 x 120 or 165 x 120 cm.
Rule 2: Hang it 15–25 cm above the sofa back
Over a sofa, the gap below the art matters more than the usual "centre at eye level" rule. With a typical 85 cm sofa back, keep the bottom edge at 100–110 cm from the floor, low enough to belong to the sofa and high enough that nobody bumps it when they lean back. Leave at least 15–20 cm of wall above the top edge. If you can't, go down a size rather than hanging the piece lower.
What about square art?
A square covers less width than a landscape piece of the same height, so it needs to be bigger to hold the same wall. Over a 200–213 cm sofa, that means one square of 100 to 135 cm, or a pair of 70 cm squares. There's a full guide with true-scale drawings here: Square art above a sofa or bed: what size?
Test it before you choose
Cut kraft paper or cardboard to the exact size, or mark the outline with painter's tape, and leave it up for a day. Look at it from the doorway, then sit on the sofa and look up. Ten minutes with tape beats any calculator. If you're adding a frame, remember it adds a few centimetres on every side, so check the framed size on the listing before you cut your template.
Frequently asked questions
What size art goes over a 78 inch couch?
One piece 120 to 140 cm (48–56″) wide, or a pair of tall canvases about 70 cm wide each. On a 78″ (198 cm) sofa, a 140 cm canvas covers about 70% of the width.
What size art goes over an 84 inch sofa?
One piece 140 to 165 cm (56–64″) wide, or a pair of 70 x 105 cm or 75 x 100 cm canvases. 100 cm (40″) is the smallest single piece that still looks deliberate.
Is a 40 inch (100 cm) painting big enough over a sofa?
It's the minimum for a 78–84″ sofa, covering about half its width. It works best on a short wall or beside a window. For a fuller look, go to 125 cm or more, or hang a pair.
How high should art hang over a sofa with a high ceiling?
At the same height as under a standard ceiling: the bottom edge 15–25 cm above the sofa back. Use a taller or larger piece to fill the extra wall, rather than hanging it higher.
Canvas or framed print over a sofa?
At these sizes, canvas is usually the easier choice. It's lighter than a large glazed frame, has no glass to catch reflections from a window, and comes ready to hang.
Browse all canvas prints.