Wall Art Above a Bed: Choosing Size, Layout, and Color
To choose wall art above a bed, measure the headboard and the clear wall above it before choosing a print size. Count the full width of the framed arrangement, including the spaces between pictures. Then look for a color in the artwork that connects with your bedding, headboard, or curtains.
A coordinated set of three can give the wall a broad composition without one oversized frame. A pair or a single print may fit better if lamps, windows, or a tall headboard leave less room.
Soft Coastline Trio in a digitally staged bedroom. This is a styling illustration, not a scale drawing or customer photograph. Frames and hanging hardware are not included.
What size should art above a bed be?
As a visual starting point, try an arrangement about 60–75% of the headboard's width. That is a styling guide, not a requirement: a broad upholstered headboard, low ceiling, or nearby wall light can change what fits.
For a headboard measuring 60 inches across, that starting range is 36–45 inches for the whole framed arrangement. Measure your actual furniture rather than relying on the name of the mattress size.
For three equal frames in a row, use:
Total width = (3 × outside frame width) + (2 × gap).
Here is an example with three frames that each measure 13 inches across on the outside:
| Space between frames | Total arrangement width |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | 43 inches |
| 3 inches | 45 inches |
| 4 inches | 47 inches |
On a 60-inch headboard, the 43- and 45-inch examples fall within that starting range; 47 inches is wider, so test it on your wall.
These are hypothetical frame measurements, not finished dimensions for a particular Every Home Art size. A frame sold to fit an 11 × 14-inch print will be wider than the paper; a mat can increase the finished size further. Get the outside dimensions from your frame supplier before ordering.
Our set sizes describe each individual paper print, not the entire group. Three 16 × 20-inch portrait prints already contain 48 inches of paper width before you add frames or gaps. That may be more than you want above a smaller headboard.
Choose a trio, a pair, or one print
For a row of three, keep the frame finish and spacing consistent so the pictures read as one arrangement. This is useful when you want several related views rather than one continuous image. Check the height as well as the width: enlarging portrait prints makes the whole row taller.
A pair leaves you with one gap to position and can fit a wall where a third frame would crowd a sconce. Browse our paired prints if the available wall is narrower than the bed itself.
One print keeps the arrangement simple, especially against patterned wallpaper or a detailed headboard. Check its orientation before comparing sizes. A portrait print and a landscape print with the same dimensions use the wall differently.
For other arrangements, see our gallery wall layouts for two, three, or four prints.
Choose colors from the room, not just the wall
Hold the artwork image beside a photo of your made bed. The duvet and pillows may occupy more of that view than the wall paint does. Choose one connection, such as a gray-blue in the curtains or a beige in the upholstery; the artwork does not need to match every textile.
Ivory bedding, pale wood, and sand tones
The Soft Coastline Trio combines pale surf, a rocky shoreline, and beige reeds. Its sand, off-white, and gray-blue palette makes it a useful starting point for a light bedroom. In the illustration above, the beige reeds relate to the cushions while the water introduces a cooler note.
Sage textiles and a softer forest palette
The Misty Evergreen Forest Trio moves from darker trees into sage layers and white-gray mist. Try it with sage bedding or warm neutral upholstery if you want green in the room without making every surface green.
Darker wood and deeper green
The Deep Green Lake Trio has dark evergreen bands, mountain ridges, and reflective water. Consider it when a light bedroom needs more contrast, or when you want to connect the art with darker wood or muted green fabric. The pale areas keep the composition from being uniformly dark.
All three are sets of three unframed paper prints. Before choosing a set, check its available print sizes and calculate the framed row for your preferred size. The size choices are not identical across every trio.
Test placement before making holes
Cut paper templates to the outside frame dimensions, including the full height. Position them over the headboard with removable tape suitable for your wall finish, testing the tape in a discreet spot first. Check the arrangement from the doorway and while sitting in bed, with your usual pillows in place.
For visual placement, a 6–10-inch gap between the headboard and the bottom of the frames is a starting point to test, not a safety clearance. Move the templates if your head, pillows, or bedding would contact them. If the frames only fit by crowding the ceiling, try a smaller size or another wall.
Use fixings suitable for the wall construction, the complete framed weight, and the frame's hanging hardware. Follow the manufacturers' installation instructions. If you cannot establish a secure installation above the bed, use another location or ask a qualified installer.
Questions about art above a bed
Should the art be centered on the bed or the wall?
Usually, center the complete arrangement on the headboard. If the bed sits off-center because of a window or doorway, centering the art on the entire wall can leave it looking disconnected from the bed.
What if there is no headboard?
Use the bed's width as your visual reference, then test paper templates with the pillows arranged as you normally use them. Check where your head and shoulders reach when sitting up. There is no single mounting height that suits every bed and sleeper.
Can I use a set of three in a small bedroom?
Yes, if the complete framed row fits the clear wall. Smaller prints can keep the row compact, but wide mats and large gaps add up. If the grouping would crowd a window or light fitting, choose a pair or place the set on a different wall.
Do the bedroom sets include frames?
No. Every Home Art sells unframed paper prints; frames and hanging hardware are not included. For a set, the selected size applies to each print. Choose frames separately.