Sizing a Frances Hodgkins Print for a Living Room Wall
The right size depends less on the painting and more on the wall, the furniture beneath it and how much empty space Hodgkins' loose compositions need around them. Here is how to work it out before buying.
Aim for a print between 60 and 90 cm wide for a standard living room wall, or 100 to 120 cm if it hangs alone above a sofa. As a rule, the printed width should cover roughly two thirds of the furniture below it. Leave 15 to 25 cm of bare wall on each side so the composition breathes.
Start With the Wall, Not the Painting
Measure the wall before you look at any edition. A useful baseline is two thirds of the width of whatever sits beneath the print, so a 180 cm sofa calls for something around 110 to 120 cm wide. On an empty wall with no furniture, scale up slightly, because artwork without an anchor reads smaller than people expect. The common mistake is going too small, which leaves a lone postage stamp on a large expanse of plaster.
Hodgkins' compositions matter here too. Her still lifes and landscapes from the 1930s and 1940s are loosely painted, with forms scattered across the canvas rather than packed to the edges. That openness needs surrounding wall. A crowded, tightly cropped print survives being squeezed in; a Hodgkins does not. If your available gap is narrower than 70 cm after allowing margins, consider a smaller format in a different spot instead.
Match the Size to the Room You Have
For small living rooms and apartments, the optimal print dimensions for Hodgkins artwork in small spaces are usually 50 to 70 cm wide. Her colour, often muted greens, greys and terracottas, carries quietly rather than loudly, so a modest print can hold a wall without dominating the seating. Pair it with one other work at the same height rather than scaling up.
In larger rooms, a single print under 60 cm will look lost above a full sofa. Go to 90 cm or wider, or build a small group of two or three works with 5 to 8 cm between frames. Hodgkins' work hangs well in company because her palette stays within a narrow range across her later career, so paired pieces rarely clash.
A quick sizing check
- Measure the furniture below the hanging spot and budget two thirds of its width for the print
- Keep 15 to 25 cm of clear wall on each side of the frame
- Hang the centre of the print about 145 cm from the floor, near eye level
- If the wall gap is under 70 cm wide, choose a smaller print or move it elsewhere
What to Confirm Before You Commit
Check the proportions of the specific work before ordering. Hodgkins painted on canvases of varying shapes, and many of her best-known compositions are taller than they are wide. A vertical work changes the maths entirely, since height rather than width governs whether it fits between a picture rail and a shelf. Ask for the printed dimensions including any border, not just the image size.
Paper prints are usually sold with generous margins, which can add 10 to 15 cm to the framed size. A 70 cm print may need nearly a metre of wall once framed. Canvas editions sit closer to their stated size. Work out the final footprint on the wall with masking tape before buying. It takes five minutes and it is the cheapest way to avoid an expensive disappointment, particularly if you are watching the budget.
A small Hodgkins on a big wall looks like an afterthought. The tape test costs nothing.
| Wall situation | Suggested print width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Above a standard sofa | 100 to 120 cm | Roughly two thirds of the sofa's width |
| Above a sideboard or console | 80 to 100 cm | Allow 20 to 30 cm above the furniture |
| Empty wall, large room | 90 cm or wider | A single smaller print will read as lost |
| Small room or apartment | 50 to 70 cm | Consider pairing two works rather than scaling up |
| Narrow gap under 70 cm | Smaller format, elsewhere | Hodgkins' open compositions need surrounding wall |
Sizing guide by wall situation
Key takeaways
- Size the print to the wall and furniture first, using two thirds of the furniture's width as a starting point.
- Most living room walls suit a print between 60 and 120 cm wide, depending on what sits beneath it.
- Hodgkins' loose, open compositions need 15 to 25 cm of clear wall on each side to read properly.
- Check the framed dimensions including margins and test the footprint with masking tape before ordering.
Related questions
Should I get one large Hodgkins print or a group of smaller ones?
For a wall over 150 cm wide, either works. A single large print above 90 cm gives a calmer result and suits a room with a lot going on. Two or three smaller prints at 50 to 60 cm, hung with even gaps, suit long walls and cost less overall. Keep the pair at the same height.
How high should a print hang above a sofa?
Leave roughly 20 to 30 cm between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the frame, and aim for the centre of the print around 145 cm from the floor. Hanging too high is the most common error, and it makes even a correctly sized print feel disconnected from the room.
Do framed prints need more wall space than the stated size?
Usually yes. Paper editions often include margins of several centimetres on each side, and the frame adds its own width, so a 70 cm print can need close to a metre of wall. Canvas editions stay closer to their stated dimensions. Always check the final framed size before buying.
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View the collectionGeneral art-historical background drawn from public museum records and standard reference literature. Pricing reflects Auvrique editions and is indicative only.