Published by: Tan SK, Owner & Founder
September 2026
The short answer: wall art above furniture should span about two thirds of the furniture's width, hang with its centre 145 to 152 cm from the floor, and sit 15 to 25 cm above a sofa back or headboard. For a typical Singapore three-seater that means one piece around 140 to 160 cm wide, such as an A0 canvas or a 30x40 inch framed canvas. For a queen bed, a 24x36 inch piece or a pair of 16x24s.
Twenty years at the counter has taught me that size is the thing people get wrong most, and nearly always in the same direction: too small, hung too high. A 12R print looks big in your hands and disappears above a sofa. This guide gives you the sizes that work for HDB flats and condos, room by room, in the sizes we actually print. Measure your wall first and keep the tape measure handy.
The three rules that do most of the work
- Two thirds of the furniture. Art above a sofa, bed or console should span 60 to 75 percent of its width. A pair or a set of three counts as one shape, gaps included.
- Centre at eye level. Galleries hang the middle of a piece 145 to 152 cm from the floor. Singapore homes hang art too high because we stand on the sofa to do it. Measure from the floor, not from the ceiling.
- Keep it close to the furniture. The bottom edge sits 15 to 25 cm above a sofa back or headboard. Any higher and the art floats on its own instead of belonging to the sofa.
The sizes we print, in cm and inches
Every size below is one we make in-house at Hong Lim Complex. Framed sizes add the frame: our medium framed canvas adds 2 to 3 cm each side, the large framed canvas adds 5 cm. Prices are the standard option as of September 2026.
| Size | Print in cm | Where it works | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 | Console, desk, one of a set | Canvas wrap $95 Metal $119 |
| 16x20 in | 40.6 x 50.8 | Console, small bedroom wall | Canvas wrap $136 Framed canvas $96 Poster $19.20 |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 | Above a console or desk, pairs above a bed | Canvas wrap $157 Framed canvas $115.90 Metal $189 |
| 24x30 in | 61 x 76.2 | Two-seater sofa, queen bed | Canvas wrap $252 Framed canvas $244.80 |
| 24x36 in | 61 x 91.4 | Two-seater sofa, queen bed | Framed canvas $268.80 (large frame) |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 | Two-seater sofa, dining wall | Canvas wrap $268 Poster $46.50 Metal $429 |
| 30x40 in | 76.2 x 101.6 | Three-seater sofa, king bed | Framed canvas from $360 (large frame) Poster $72 |
| A0 | 84.1 x 118.9 | Three-seater sofa, feature wall | Canvas wrap $470 Poster $93 |
Full lists and every frame colour are on the Canvas Print Wrapped, Large Framed Canvas, HD Metal Print and Poster Print pages.
Living room: what size above the sofa?
This is the wall that matters most and the one where a small print fails hardest. Measure the sofa, not the wall. Then pick from the row that matches.
| Sofa | Width | One piece | A pair or a set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-seater | 150 to 180 cm | 24x30 in, 24x36 in or A1 landscape | Two 16x24 in, or two A2 portrait |
| Three-seater | 200 to 230 cm | A0 or 30x40 in landscape | Two 20x30 in, or three A2 portrait |
| L-shaped | 240 cm and up | A0, or a 30x40 in with a 16x20 in beside it | Three 20x30 in |
Most HDB living rooms take a three-seater on the long wall, so the honest answer for most readers is an A0 canvas or a 30x40 inch framed canvas. If that feels like a lot of picture, remember it will be seen from the dining table three metres away. Canvas is the usual choice above seating because it is light, has no glass, and hangs on two small hooks.
Bedroom: above the bed
Beds are wider than they look and headboards push the art up, so the bottom edge often lands at 120 to 130 cm. Portrait pairs suit bedrooms better than one wide piece, because they frame the bed instead of crowning it.
| Bed | Width | One piece | A pair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single or super single | 90 to 107 cm | 16x20 in or A2 | Two A3 portrait |
| Queen | 152 cm | 24x36 in landscape | Two 16x24 in or two A2 portrait |
| King | 183 cm | A0 or 30x40 in | Two 20x30 in or two 24x30 in |
Hallway, entryway and console table
Narrow walls want portrait pieces. Above a console or a shoe cabinet, aim for half to two thirds of its width, and hang a touch lower than usual, with the centre at 140 to 145 cm, because you see these walls while walking past rather than sitting.
| Above | Width | Try |
|---|---|---|
| Shoe cabinet or console | 80 to 120 cm | One A2 portrait, or one 16x20 in |
| Wide sideboard | 140 to 180 cm | One 24x36 in, or a pair of A2 |
| Corridor wall | Any | A vertical run of three A3 or 12x18 in, 6 cm apart |
Dining area
Dining walls are seen from a seated position, so the centre can drop to 140 cm. A single landscape piece the width of the table, or a row of three squares, both work. Squares are our most asked-for dining format because they suit food and travel photos and read as a set.
| Table | Width | Try |
|---|---|---|
| Four-seater | 120 to 150 cm | One A1 landscape, or three 12x12 in squares |
| Six-seater | 160 to 200 cm | One A0 landscape, or three 16x16 in or 20x20 in squares |
| Round table | 100 to 120 cm | One 24x24 in square |
Study, kids' rooms and small walls
Above a desk, art competes with a monitor, so keep it to A3 or 16x20 inches and hang it so the bottom edge clears the monitor by 15 cm. Kids' rooms take colour and repetition well: three 12x12 inch canvas squares or a set of IKEA-size prints in matching frames cost less than one large piece and can be swapped as they grow. For a study or corridor that needs something wipeable, an HD metal print takes a damp cloth and never fades behind glass because there is no glass.
An empty wall with nothing under it
With no furniture to anchor to, use the wall: the art should cover 50 to 60 percent of the wall width, and the centre stays at 150 cm. A 3 m HDB wall takes an A0 with room to spare, or a gallery of five to six mixed sizes. Below 50 percent the piece looks like a postage stamp. If your wall is wider than 3.5 m, use two pieces rather than one giant one.
Gallery walls: spacing and layout
Keep 5 to 8 cm between frames, line up the centre line of the whole group at 150 cm, and lay it out on the floor first. Mixed sizes look best when one piece is clearly the biggest. If you are using IKEA frames, our IKEA frame size guide lists which print fits which frame and includes three ready layouts to copy.
Free tool
Type in your wall and sofa, get the size and the hanging height
Our Wall Art Sizing Planner draws your wall to scale and picks the closest size we print. Or start from a print size and see it on three typical Singapore walls.
Canvas, framed or metal: which one for the wall?
| Format | Best above | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas print, wrapped | Sofas, beds, big walls | Lightest at large sizes, no glass, matte surface with no glare from windows. Largest we make is A0. |
| Framed canvas | Living and dining rooms | The canvas plus a 5 cm timber frame in six colours. Finished look, still no glass. Up to 30x40 in and A0. |
| HD metal print | Bright rooms, kitchens, offices | Sharpest detail and colour, scratch and water resistant, wipes clean. Up to 20x30 in and A1. |
| Poster print | Rentals, kids' rooms, temporary walls | Cheapest way to go big. A0 from $93, foam-mounted with a frame cap from $170.40. |
Not sure which suits your room, light and photo? Find Your Wall Art asks six questions and previews the answer with your own photo.
Wall art size questions we get asked
Is 24x36 inches big enough above a three-seater sofa?
Usually not on its own. It is 91 cm wide, which is about 40 percent of a 220 cm sofa. Above a three-seater go to A0 or 30x40 inches, or hang two 24x36 pieces side by side.
How high should I hang wall art in an HDB flat?
Centre at 145 to 152 cm from the floor, the same as anywhere else. The 2.6 m ceiling does not change it. If a sofa or headboard is in the way, lift the piece until the bottom edge clears it by 15 to 25 cm.
Can I hang a large canvas on an HDB wall without drilling?
Up to about A2 on the adhesive hooks rated for the weight, on a clean painted wall. Anything larger, or anything on a textured or freshly painted wall, should be drilled. Concrete HDB walls take standard wall plugs. We can supply the hooks and advise when you collect.
What size photo do I need for an A0 canvas?
About 5,000 by 7,000 pixels for a truly sharp result, but canvas is forgiving because it is viewed from a distance. A 12 megapixel phone photo prints well at A0 on canvas. Check yours with our print size calculator.
Landscape or portrait above a sofa?
Landscape, almost always. The piece should echo the shape of the furniture. Portrait works above a sofa only as a pair or a set of three.
How to order wall art with us
-
Measure and choose the size
Run your wall through the sizing planner, or use the tables above. Mark the size on the wall with masking tape and look at it for a day. -
Pick the format and upload
Canvas, framed canvas, metal or poster. Upload the photo on the product page and we check the file before it prints. -
Collect or deliver
Canvas and posters are ready in 2 to 3 working days, framed and metal pieces in about a week. Collect at:
Blk 531 Upper Cross Street, #01-06 Hong Lim Complex, Singapore 050531
or have it delivered island-wide for $6, free above $60.
Send us a photo of the wall with one measurement and we will mock the print onto it at scale. WhatsApp us and a real person answers.