A 16x20 Rackham Print Suits Most Small Apartments
Sixteen by twenty inches is a mid sized format, not a large one. Here is how it measures against a studio wall, and where it tends to go wrong.
No. A 16x20 inch Arthur Rackham print is a modest size, roughly 40x50 cm, and fits comfortably in most small apartments. It suits walls as narrow as 3 feet wide and reads well from 3 to 6 feet away. It only feels too big on walls under 30 inches wide or above furniture smaller than a side table.
What 16x20 Inches Actually Looks Like
Sixteen by twenty inches is about the footprint of an open laptop plus a sheet of paper on each side. Framed, it grows to roughly 18x22 inches with a slim mouldering edge, or up to 24x28 with a generous mat. That is still smaller than most kitchen wall cabinets. In a studio, it occupies about one fifth of a typical sofa wall.
The honest risk is not size but scale mismatch. Rackham's ink and wash drawings carry fine line work and muted, often greyed colour. At 16x20 inches that detail survives well from a few feet away, which makes this size work in a hallway or beside a reading chair. Hung on a very long blank wall with nothing beside it, the same print can look stranded rather than too large.
Where a 16x20 Rackham Fits in a Studio
Measure the wall before you measure the print. A single 16x20 piece wants a wall at least 30 inches wide, ideally 36, so the frame sits with breathing room on both sides. Above a sofa, a desk or a bed, the bottom edge should sit 6 to 10 inches above the furniture line. In a studio where zones blur, one print of this size can anchor a sleeping nook without crowding the living area.
Rackham's work suits this treatment. His compositions from the early twentieth century, the Wagner and Shakespeare illustrative plates among them, were designed as book pages, so they read at close range. A single print works on its own. Two or three arranged in a loose column or row suit a narrow wall beside a doorway. Avoid one oversized mat on a small print, which can make the whole assembly eat more wall than the frame suggests.
Placement rules for small rooms
- Keep at least 3 inches of bare wall on every side of the frame.
- Hang the centre of the print at about 57 inches from the floor.
- Place it 6 to 10 inches above the sofa, desk or bed it sits over.
- Skip the oversized mat, which adds bulk without adding image.
When the Size Is Genuinely Wrong
There are two cases where 16x20 is the wrong call. The first is a wall narrower than 30 inches, common in galley kitchens and tight entry halls. The second is a very large sofa wall in an otherwise sparse room, where a single 16x20 print can look like an afterthought. In the first case go smaller. In the second, pair the print with a second frame or a shelf rather than upsizing.
One practical note on the frame. Rackham's palette is mostly sepia, moss green and muted blue, and a dark wood or black frame reinforces that weight. In a genuinely small room with pale walls, a lighter or narrow frame keeps the piece from reading as a dark block. The print itself is rarely the problem. The framing choices around it usually are.
Sixteen by twenty is not a large print. It only becomes one when the wall around it is bare.
| Wall situation | Fit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Above a full size sofa | Good | Centre the print or pair it with a second frame |
| Narrow entry hall, under 30 inches wide | Poor | Choose a 12x16 or smaller instead |
| Beside a window or doorway | Good | Leave at least 3 inches of clearance |
| Long blank wall with no furniture | Mixed | Add a second frame or a shelf to anchor it |
16x20 print against common small apartment walls
Key takeaways
- A 16x20 inch print measures roughly 40x50 cm and fits walls 30 inches wide or wider.
- It reads best from 3 to 6 feet, which suits hallways, desks and reading corners.
- The common mistake is an oversized mat, not the print size itself.
- On long bare walls, pair the print with a second frame rather than upsizing.
Related questions
Can a 16x20 Rackham print fit in a studio apartment?
Yes. A studio typically has several wall sections between 3 and 6 feet wide, and 16x20 inches fills a modest portion of any of them. It works above a bed, a desk or a small sofa. The only poor fit is a wall section narrower than about 30 inches, where the frame will feel cramped.
Should I go bigger than 16x20 in a small room?
Only above large furniture. If the print sits over a full size sofa or bed and the wall is 5 feet wide or more, a 24x36 can work. In a genuinely small room, a larger print hung low over furniture often looks better than several small ones scattered, because it creates one clear focal point instead of visual noise.
How far away will a 16x20 Rackham print read well?
Comfortably from about 3 to 6 feet. Rackham's illustrations are built from fine pen line and layered wash, so closer viewing rewards it. That makes this size well matched to hallways, beside a chair, or above a desk, and less suited to the far wall of a long room where it would be seen only from across the space.
From the Auvrique collection
Made to order · Every size
Every size, every country, delivery included
Editions are made to order and shipped worldwide. Choose a format and a size, and the price you see is the price you pay.
View the collectionGeneral art-historical background drawn from public museum records and standard reference literature. Pricing reflects Auvrique editions and is indicative only.