Poster Size Guide: How to Choose the Right Print Size for Your Wall

You have found a poster you love and picked the frame. Now comes the question that confuses people most: which size? A print that is too small gets lost on a wide wall, while one that is too big overwhelms a narrow space. In this guide we go through each poster size, explain how to choose the right one for your wall and furniture, how high to hang it, and how to tell whether your photo is good enough for a custom poster.

Our poster sizes and where they work best

Our designs come in five sizes, and each one has its natural place in the home:

13x18 cm: desk and bedside size

About the size of a photo frame. Ideal for a desk, bedside table, bookshelf or coffee table. It is a popular choice for personalized gifts, especially family photo posters meant to sit on a desk.

15x21 cm: small shelf and gallery wall filler

Slightly larger than 13x18. It works on its own on a shelf, and on gallery walls it is the perfect small piece to fill the gaps between larger prints.

21x30 cm: the versatile mid-size

Very close to A4 (21x29.7 cm). It can stand on a shelf or hang on the wall. Ideal for hallways, bathrooms, kitchens and narrow corridors, and it looks great in pairs or sets of three.

30x40 cm: the ideal starting point for a wall

Think of it as the smallest size that works as a "real" wall print on its own. It is well balanced for bedroom, study and dining area walls. Two 30x40s side by side look very smart above a medium sofa or console.

50x70 cm: the statement piece

The size that becomes the focal point of a living room or bedroom. Hung alone above a sofa, bed or large console, it gives the room character. On gallery walls it is used as the centrepiece.

Choosing a size for your wall and furniture

Interior designers use a simple rule: the total width of the artwork should be about two-thirds of the width of the furniture below it.

• A 200 cm sofa: aim to fill about 130–140 cm. A single 50x70 looks small here; two 50x70s side by side, or a 50x70 flanked by two 30x40s, is ideal.
• A 160 cm headboard: about 100–110 cm. Two 50x70s side by side, or a symmetrical pair of 30x40s with a gap in the middle, works well.
• A 120 cm console or chest of drawers: about 80 cm. A single 50x70 or two 30x40s is enough.
• An empty wall with no furniture: aim for a composition that covers roughly half to two-thirds of the wall's width. For a large empty wall, a gallery wall is a great solution.

How high should you hang a print?

• The eye-level rule: the centre of the print or group should be about 145–150 cm from the floor. Museums and galleries use the same measurement.
• Above furniture: leave 20–25 cm between the top of the sofa, headboard or console and the bottom of the frame. Hang it too far above and the two stop feeling connected.
• Several prints: leaving 5–8 cm between frames gives a tidy, cohesive look.

Try before you hang: the paper template trick

If you cannot decide on a size, cut paper or cardboard to the size you are considering and stick it to the wall with painter's tape. Look at it at different times of day for a few days. This simple method shows you whether the size suits the room and how several prints will work together. Marking the nail positions on the templates makes hanging easier too.

Size suggestions room by room

• Living room: one or two 50x70s above the sofa, 30x40s on the side walls.
• Bedroom: two 30x40s or 50x70s above the bed, and a 13x18 family photo on the bedside table.
• Kitchen: kitchen-themed designs in 21x30 or 30x40.
• Study: a 30x40 or 50x70 motivational print opposite the desk.
• Hallway: a row of 21x30s at eye level.
• Kids' room: 21x30s or 30x40s hung a little lower, at the child's eye level.

Photo resolution for custom posters

If you are ordering a photo poster, print quality at larger sizes depends on the resolution of your photo. These are the recommended minimum pixel dimensions for a good print:

• 13x18 cm: about 800 x 1100 pixels
• 15x21 cm: about 900 x 1250 pixels
• 21x30 cm: about 1250 x 1800 pixels
• 30x40 cm: about 1800 x 2400 pixels
• 50x70 cm: about 3000 x 4100 pixels

Original photos taken on today's smartphones easily meet these numbers. Problems usually come from photos saved from messaging apps or social media, which are compressed, so upload the original file whenever you can.

Aspect ratio matters too: 13x18, 15x21, 21x30 and 50x70 cm are roughly 5:7, and 30x40 cm is 3:4. Phone photos are usually 3:4, so they fit 30x40 cm with almost no cropping; at other sizes the edges may be cropped slightly in print, so make sure important details (faces, names) are not too close to the edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is a 50x70 poster?

50x70 cm is about three sheets of A3, a size that can be the focal point of a living room or bedroom on its own. Above a 200 cm sofa a single one can look small, so consider two side by side.

What size print should go above a sofa?

The total width of the artwork should be about two-thirds of the sofa. For a standard three-seater, two 50x70s, or a 50x70 with two 30x40s, is ideal.

Is 21x30 cm the same as A4?

Almost. A4 paper is 21x29.7 cm, so a 21x30 cm poster is very close to A4.

Can I order a custom size?

If you need a size that is not listed, get in touch. We will assess your request based on production conditions and come back to you with a price and timing.

Once you have settled on a size, it is time to choose a frame colour: read our guide to choosing a poster frame or explore all our designs.