Sizing a Xan Krohn Print to Fit Your Wall

A print that looks right in a product photo can arrive feeling small or overwhelming. The fix is arithmetic, not taste. Measure first, then choose a size with a margin for error.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

Measure the wall, then buy a print whose width is roughly two thirds to three quarters of the wall's width. On a 180 cm wall, that means a print between 120 and 135 cm wide. Leave at least 15 cm of clear wall above furniture, and account for the frame, which adds 3 to 6 cm per side.

Start With the Wall, Not the Print

Sizing anxiety usually comes from choosing the artwork first. Reverse the order. Measure the wall in centimetres and write the number down. Then apply one rule that works almost everywhere: the print should span about two thirds to three quarters of that width. A 200 cm wall takes a print between roughly 130 and 150 cm wide. Anything smaller starts to look like an afterthought.

Height matters less than width, but it still needs a check. If the print hangs above a sofa or sideboard, keep at least 15 cm of clear wall between the furniture top and the bottom of the frame. If it hangs alone, aim for its centre to sit around 145 to 152 cm from the floor. That is the height people actually look at, and it forgives a modest sizing error. For a deeper comparison of formats in a bright room, the guide to Xan Krohn prints in a living room with white walls covers how scale reads against plain paint.

What the Frame Adds to the Numbers

The printed image is not the final size. A framed poster adds several centimetres on each side, and a canvas in a floating frame adds its own border. A 90 by 60 cm image in a frame can easily occupy 100 by 70 cm on the wall. Buyers who skip this step are the ones who end up with a print that crowds a doorway or a light switch.

So subtract the frame allowance from your target before you order. If your wall can take 140 cm of total width and the frame adds 10 cm, order an image closer to 130 cm. The same logic applies vertically. Framed poster editions such as Les Martigues and Sails on the Oise come in fixed sizes, so check the listed dimensions rather than assuming the artwork fills the frame. Canvas works differently, and the difference between a canvas print and a framed poster explains why one may suit a tight wall better than the other.

Wall measurement tips

Measure the wall width and height in centimetres before browsing any sizes.
Target a print width of two thirds to three quarters of the wall width.
Leave 15 cm or more of clear space between furniture and the bottom of the frame.
Add the frame's border to the image size, typically 3 to 6 cm per side.
Mark the intended footprint on the wall with painter's tape before ordering.

Choosing Between the Standard Sizes

Most editions come in a small set of sizes, and the decision is usually between three tiers. Small prints, around 40 to 60 cm wide, suit hallways, bedrooms and paired arrangements. Medium prints, around 70 to 90 cm, are the safest default for a single wall in an average living room. Large prints above 100 cm need a wall that is genuinely bare, because a big landscape next to shelving or a window will fight for space.

When in doubt between two sizes, the smaller one is usually the safer purchase. A print that is slightly modest on a wall still reads as deliberate. A print that overwhelms the wall cannot be rescued by rearranging furniture. If you are working with a compact room, the guide to sizing prints for a small living room walks through the same arithmetic with tighter numbers. For larger walls, a canvas edition such as Landscape carries more visual weight at the same dimensions than a framed poster, which is worth factoring in.

A print that is slightly too small still looks intentional. One that is too large just looks wrong.

Wall width	Suggested print width	Typical use
120 cm	75 to 90 cm	Hallway or bedroom wall
180 cm	120 to 135 cm	Above a standard sofa
240 cm or more	160 cm and up	Large bare living room wall

Print size against wall width

Key takeaways

Match the print width to two thirds or three quarters of the wall width.
Keep at least 15 cm between furniture and the bottom of the frame.
Add the frame border, usually 3 to 6 cm per side, to the printed dimensions.
When choosing between two sizes, take the smaller one.

Related questions

How high should a print hang on the wall?

Aim for the centre of the print to sit about 145 to 152 cm from the floor, which is close to average eye level. Above a sofa or sideboard, leave at least 15 cm between the furniture and the bottom of the frame. These are conventions rather than rules, but they prevent the two most common mistakes, hanging too high and floating too far from the furniture below.

Should I measure the print or the frame when sizing?

Measure the frame, because that is what occupies the wall. A framed poster adds roughly 3 to 6 cm per side beyond the printed image, and a framed canvas adds its own border. If a product page lists only the image size, add the frame allowance before deciding whether the piece fits your measured space.

Can I hang two smaller prints instead of one large one?

Yes, and it often works well with landscape subjects. Treat the pair as a single unit, hang them with 5 to 8 cm between the frames, and size the combined width against the wall using the same two thirds rule. Keep both prints at the same height and in the same frame style, or the arrangement will read as accidental rather than planned.

From the Auvrique collection

Made to order · Every size