The bedroom is more than just a place to sleep; it's a sanctuary for rest and relaxation. One of the easiest ways to quickly enhance your space is by adding a large piece of art over the bed. Choosing the right piece can create a focal point, set the mood, and reflect your personal style and experiences.
I’m going to guide you through some steps for selecting the perfect large wall art for your bedroom while focusing on ideal sizes for each bed size.
Let’s get started!
Ideal Sizes for Different Bed Sizes
When it comes to hanging art above your bed, size is important. The artwork should be proportional to the width of the bed and the space above it. You don’t want the art wider than the bed and you also don’t want it to look tiny when placed above the bed. Here are some standard size guidelines that you can use for reference.
Full-Sized Beds
A full-sized bed typically measures around 54 inches wide. For a balanced look, choose art that is 40-45 inches wide. This ensures the piece isn’t too small to be overlooked or too large to overwhelm the space. A single large piece or a set of two to three smaller pieces arranged in a cohesive manner can work beautifully.
Queen-Sized Beds
A queen-sized bed is approximately 60 inches wide. Aim for artwork that is 45-50 inches wide. This width helps to frame the bed and create a central focal point without overshadowing other elements in the room. Large, single pieces often work best for queen beds, providing a bold yet elegant statement.
For King-Sized Beds
King-sized beds are about 76 inches wide, offering a larger canvas for your art selection. Artwork measuring 55-60 inches wide is ideal. Given the expansive width, you have more flexibility to experiment with multiple pieces. Try a triptych (three-part artwork) or a large single piece flanked by smaller ones to fill in the space.
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Here is a visual of the difference in the sizes of the beds. So, you are either working with 1) the size of the bed or 2) the size of the wall that bed is against. (For example - if you have lamps, you would want to have the art centered on the size of the bed - not the size of the wall.)
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| Here is a visual of how the art would look when based on the size of the bed. Using the Rule of Thumb - the art should take up about 60-70% of the space. |
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Art Style Options for your Bedroom
Landscape Art
Landscape art is one of my favorites (as you can probably tell from scrolling thru my blogs and site). Landscapes can transport you to serene places and evoke a sense of calm, peace and restfulness. Landscapes pertaining to hills, mountains, water, beaches bring tranquility to the room. These images can create a feeling of depth and openness, making your bedroom feel larger and more inviting.
Landscapes can also provide peace and tranquility - especially when done with grays or muted colors. Something to blend in and be a part of the room but not necessarily a huge pop of color. Focusing on a minimalist design an example might be a white church, large abstract art of sand or rocks.
Nature Scenes
Nature-themed art, such as flowers, pathways, abstract lichen can and a bit of wonder and interest to your bedroom wall. These pieces often feature lush greens and soft blues, colors known to have calming effects. Some multi colored lichens can also bring a bit of interest and more color to the room. Botanical art pieces can be added as well. Art of a large bright colored flower would definitely draw your eye as a focal spot on the wall. The nature themed art continue with the relaxing theme for the bedroom.
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Tips for Choosing and Arranging Your Art
Consider Your Color Palette
Choose art that complements your bedroom’s color palette. If your room is more of a neutral color tone, you could do a contrast to that with a bright bold piece - or continue with a muted color palette. It’s really up to you and your personal preference of what draws your eye in and … I’m going to say it …. It’s what feels good to you. After all, it’s your room and
Think About Themes
The theme of your art should align with the overall style of your bedroom. For instance, if your bedroom has a coastal theme, a rustic or farmhouse theme, or a beach theme - it depends on the art that you’d go with. Coastal theme may find something with a lighthouse or the ocean and waves. The farmhouse theme may like something with mountains or cabins or old barns. Beach themes easily draw in beach scenes along with all water scenes. Sometimes you don’t have a theme but you do have a favorite piece of art. That is the case with the spiritual warfare art below. There’s not really a church theme but the wonderful contrasts in color really ties this bedroom together.
Framing and Mounting the Art
Artwork can be framed, and that size will need to be taken into account for your art size calculation.
I have a tendency to lean towards the modern styles of museum-mounted acrylic, high gloss/brushed metal and canvas which don’t require a frame. You can hang them straight on the wall without a frame. That creates such a clean, minimalistic and modern look - plus less to dust! :)
As far as hanging height, the best height to have the bottom of the art 12” above the headboard. Depending on the height of the ceiling, you may want to drop that a little to somewhere between 6-12” to make the art look centered.
Lighting
Lighting can make a good art look…. Ah-making! It can enhance the beauty of your art and draw your eye to the art piece. Picture lighting is rarely thought about, but can make a huge impact. Consider installing adjustable picture lights above the artwork to highlight it. Wall sconces on either side of the art are an option too if that’s more your decor styling.
Create a Gallery Wall
If you have a king-sized bed or a particularly large wall, consider creating a gallery wall. This involves arranging multiple pieces of art in a cohesive layout. You can mix and match different sizes and styles, but keep a consistent theme or color palette to maintain harmony. Once again, that is a personal choice. Once I started creating large art (60x40”), my new theme on large empty walls is … go big or go home! The bigger the better. They are such a statement piece!
Choosing the right large wall art for your bedroom involves considering size of your bed, size of your wall, type of art preference, and selecting a piece of art that adds balance, harmony to your room and creates a serene space. Whether your style leans toward landscape, nature-inspired scenes or an abstract art piece - select what you love. The right art can transform your bedroom into a peaceful retreat and make you smile each time you walk in the room.
With these tips, you can effortlessly enhance your bedroom with the perfect piece of art.
If you’re still needing options, I have put together a collection of large art pieces that could be used in the bedroom … or… check out my Free Design Preview option.
Happy Decorating. ~ Lisa.