How High Should You Hang a Picture? We Guide You
Decorating with posters and wall art is one of the easiest ways to give life to your home. Lovely motifs in different colors and styles create atmosphere, but to achieve the right effect you also need to hang them at the right height. Many people place their posters too high or too low, which makes the room feel unbalanced. With this guide you’ll learn how high to hang your pictures, whether it’s a single framed print or an entire gallery wall.
The Right Height for Posters
A common rule of thumb is that the center of the picture should sit about 140–145 cm from the floor. This is often called “eye level” and is the standard used in many galleries and museums. Depending on your ceiling height and the size of your posters, you can adjust this slightly, but it’s a good starting point for most rooms. If you are planning a gallery wall, posters can cover a larger part of the wall – even from floor to ceiling – for a striking and stylish result.
Use the Golden Ratio
For a professional result, many interior stylists use the Golden Ratio. Here’s how it works:
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Start from the wall’s midpoint, usually around 140–145 cm from the floor.
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Measure the height of the poster or frame.
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Divide that number by three.
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Subtract the result from the midpoint height.
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The number you get is the distance from the floor to the bottom of the poster.
This technique helps create balance when you hang several posters together, no matter their size.
Tips for Hanging Multiple Posters
When you are combining several posters, you need to decide on a line to follow to avoid a messy impression. You can:
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Hang according to the centerline, so different sizes balance naturally.
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Hang according to the baseline, which works especially well for taller posters.
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Hang according to the top line, which is less common but can create a very structured effect if measured carefully.
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Hang vertically – in this case, always start with the largest frame to ground the composition.
No matter which method you choose, keep the distance between posters consistent for a clean look.
Above the Sofa or Furniture
If you are hanging a poster above the sofa, avoid placing it too close to the backrest. A simple guideline is to keep the distance between the sofa and the poster about the same as between the poster and the ceiling. If you want to create a larger gallery wall above the sofa, make sure the highest poster has at least 20 cm of space to the ceiling molding. This way your posters will feel integrated with the room rather than floating too high.
Create Balance in Your Home
The right height makes all the difference when decorating with posters and wall art. By following these simple rules, your framed prints will look as if they were styled by a professional. At Posterton you’ll find a wide range of posters in different sizes – from 30x40 to 50x70 and more – that can easily be combined into gallery walls or used as statement pieces above the sofa. Explore our collections and find the perfect posters to decorate your home.
