I · Renoir
Bal du moulin de la Galette
A crowd, lights, a Sunday in Montmartre: in a large format, you step into the dance.
30x40, 40x50, 50x70 cm
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Decor guide
Large wall art One large-format poster, the complete guide
Why one large print makes more of an impression than ten small ones, which size to choose for your wall, how high to hang it and how to frame it.
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The statement piece
À la recherche du temps perdu, Marcel Proust
The madeleine passage on a full page, set like the page of an old book, with its running title and page number. In a large format, you can truly read it, line by line, on thick matte eco-friendly paper.
- 30x40 cm12x16 in
- 50x70 cm20x28 in
Printed and shipped from a studio near you: most orders arrive in 5 business days.
Why does one large print make more of an impression than ten small ones?
Because a wall of small frames takes real work to arrange, and falls apart at the slightest imbalance. A single large-format print goes up without calculation: one hanging point, an effect visible as soon as you enter the room, fewer holes in the wall.
It also changes the status of what you hang. The subject is no longer filler among others, it becomes a statement. And the math is often kinder than you think: one beautiful print replaces several purchases.
One print, well chosen and well placed, structures a room better than a dozen small frames that never quite line up.Heure d'été · on large formats
Which size should you choose, and how high should you hang it?
Size makes all the difference between a print that goes unnoticed and a piece that structures the space. Five measurements are enough.
50x70
the size that anchors a room
Our largest size, 20x28 in. For a living room or a dining room with a real wall available, it is the one with the strongest effect: large enough to become the focal point, with no multi-piece arrangement.
40x50
the compromise for most walls
At 16x20 in, present enough to play the statement piece without overwhelming a medium-sized wall: in a hallway, above a desk, between two doors.
2/3
of the width of the furniture
Above a sofa or a sideboard, the print, or the pair of prints, should cover about two thirds of its width to look in proportion. A 50x70 cm suits a standard sofa; beyond that, two prints side by side.
6-8
inches between the furniture and the bottom of the frame
That is 15 to 20 cm: enough for the print to breathe, little enough for it to form a whole with the furniture. Always centered on the furniture, not on the whole wall.
57
inches from the floor to the center of the work
About 145 cm: the usual benchmark, at eye level, for an open wall or an entryway. In a living room where you look at it seated, you can go a little lower. A large framed print weighs more: check that the fixing is solid.
Which subject works best in a large format?
A subject too packed with detail can become overwhelming once enlarged. Compositions with legible shapes, wide landscapes and great classical works work best, because they stay clear from afar as well as up close.
The Dance, by Matisse, is the perfect example: five red bodies, a blue sky, a green hill. Three colors, a round dance, and the whole room starts to move. A text works too, as long as it is short or set like a real page.
Horizontal or vertical above a sofa?
A low, wide piece of furniture calls for width; a narrow wall or a space between two windows calls for height. Our prints are all vertical: for a landscape, the horizontal image is composed within the page, with a title below, like a museum plate.
Waterloo Bridge, by Monet, keeps all its misty width this way. Above a large sofa, two vertical prints side by side cover two thirds of the back: our guide to arranging a gallery wall gives the spacing.
Which large print above a bed?
A soothing subject rather than a dense composition: a large format works in a bedroom as long as it stays gentle, so as not to overload the room meant for rest.
A short poem is particularly well suited. Demain, dès l'aube, twelve lines centered on a light page, gives the wall above the bed the serenity of an open book. The full text and its story are in our article on Demain, dès l'aube.
And in the dining room?
The far wall, the one you see from the table, is the ideal spot for a large format. A subject tied to the table and to good company naturally finds its place there.
Still Life with Wine, by Monet: a bottle, a glass, bread on a white tablecloth. The painted meal above the meal being served.
Which works keep their full impact at 50x70 cm?
Paintings that read from afar, and pages that read up close.
II · Van Gogh
Starry Night over the Rhône
The reflections of the lights on the water, a midnight blue sky pricked with stars: a wide landscape, superb above a sideboard.
30x40, 40x50, 50x70 cm
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III · Baudelaire
L'Albatros
Four quatrains, the whole poem: at 50x70 cm, the text keeps its margins and reads from one end of the room to the other.
30x40, 40x50, 50x70 cm
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How do you frame a large-format poster?
With a thin frame, in black or natural wood: it shows off the work without drawing attention away from it. A mat adds breathing room if the wall is already busy. Glass or acrylic protects the print over time, especially in a bright room. Avoid overly ornate frames, which compete with a subject that is already large.
For a page of text like Proust's, the thin frame is almost a rule: it should recall the edge of a book, not a painting. The full passage and what it tells are in our article on Proust's madeleine.
Heure d'été edition
Food for eyes & soul.
See more creationsFrequently asked questions
What size is best for a large-format poster?
The 50x70 cm (20x28 in) is the best size for a true large-format effect, especially above a sofa or a headboard. The 40x50 cm (16x20 in) remains a good choice for tighter walls, such as a hallway or the space above a desk.
What size poster should go above a sofa?
One print, or two side by side, covering about two thirds of the width of the sofa, with 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) between the top of the back and the bottom of the frame. A 50x70 cm suits a standard sofa.
How high should you hang a large print?
The center of the work at eye level, about 57 in (145 cm) from the floor on an open wall. Above a piece of furniture, go by the 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) gap with the furniture instead.
How do you frame a large-format poster?
A thin frame in black or natural wood shows off a large print without drawing attention away from the work. A mat can also add breathing room if the wall is already visually busy.
Which large print makes a good gift?
A work that reads from afar and reveals more up close: Proust's madeleine page for a great reader, a poem like Demain, dès l'aube, or an old master painting for a living room. A Christmas gift idea that fills a whole wall.
One large frame, well placed, and the whole room changes its voice. Choose the one you will enjoy hearing every day.
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