Where to Hang Wall Art: 29 Spots to Transform at Home
This is a good list of all the spots where you can hang wall art at home. It’s a list for the new and the not-so-new homeowners and renters who are:
- Just beginning to decorate and need a little help with great spots to start; or,
- Those who want to see new visual ideas for the usual and unusual places.
While no two homes are measured similarly, most homes are visually similar. It's true because we add the same furniture at home—a sofa, a bed, a bookcase, a glass shelf, a dining table, as media console, and so on. Since there's always a wall nearby, it's easier to decorate around these focal points (the furniture).
This list is by no means a recommendation to fill all your walls and spaces with art. What it is, is a suggestive list of where art is commonly and sometimes overlooked places.
Where to Hang Art in Primary Living / Entertainment Areas
We start with the primary living or entertainment areas. It's top of the list since it's usually the first room you see when opening the main door.
A wall art idea for each focal point and/or space is added to help you visualize with a Hive Artes wall art print.
Let’s begin.
#1 Behind/Above the Bed
Featured wall art for the bedroom: Drifting Clouds → and Night Over the Cliffs → (right).
In traditional feng shui, heavy objects and visually-heavy art (dark colored and aggressive imagery) above the bed can put a pressure on your sleep.
Choose a lighter-framed large artwork or a couple of smaller-framed art pieces above the bed. Avoid heavy frames above your headboard for safety reasons.
What you can add:
- A large artwork that fills about 50-60% of the width of the headboard.
- Two to three smaller-framed set of art pieces
#2 Behind/Above the Sofa
Featured wall art for above the sofa: Boating → by famous artist Edouard Manet.
The living room can be many things — a place to relax on a Sunday morning, a place to enjoy a movie with family, and the most common place where your guests can stay for the short time of their visit.
What you can add:
- A large artwork that fills about 75% of the width of your sofa.
- Two or three art pieces
- A gallery wall
#3 Above the Mantel / Fireplace
Featured wall art for the mantel: Emerald Timberline →.
The fireplace mantel is one of the top choices where you can hang wall art, decor, a mirror, or similar decorative art pieces. One large wall art is enough to make a great statement piece.
What you can add:
- A bold piece of abstract
- A famous or classic art piece, or
- Landscape art.
Visit the Hive Artes Famous Wall Art Prints for stunning landscape, botanical, nature, and animal-themed art pieces from popular, classic artists.
#4 Wall Surrounding the TV or Media Console
Featured wall art for around the TV: Sunlight Urban Sketch from Hive Artes wall art shop.
#5 Dining Table
Featured wall art for dining room: Still Life with a Ginger Jar and Eggplants by Paul Cezanne →.
Whether you have a round, a square, rectangular, or irregularly-shaped dining table, an artwork is always a good choice to make a focal point out of the space.
The dining area is a common place you visit on a daily visit multiple times a day. Why not make it an attractive area to invite calm, relaxation, or even a place for a fruitful or engaged conversation with your friends or family.
There are two main spots in the dining area where you can add artwork: the wall behind the dining table or the wall behind the buffet table.
What you can add:
- Still life wall art
- Botanical or flower-themed artwork
- Landscape or seascape art
#6 Dining Credenza / Buffet / Sideboard
Featured wall art for the dining credenza/buffet: Rustic Still Life →.
The wall above the credenza, buffet, or sideboard in the dining room is a great focal point project.
Imagine a small gathering of your friends in this room. The sideboard is filled with food and wine. Some people are seated, others are standing and mingling with hors d'oeuvres in hand.
The wall art idea depicted above is a still life wall art. However, you don't have to limit yourself to still life paintings or prints in the dining area.
What you can add:
- Still life art of fruits and wine
- A vast landscape art of the countryside
- Art depicting an idyllic scene in nature
- Art depicting classical string musicians
#7 Kitchen
Featured wall art for the kitchen: Ceramic Trio →.
The kitchen is sometimes an after-thought, unless you spend almost half your day in it. There isn’t a kitchen too small for a food-themed art.
What you can add:
- Food-themed art, pottery, or ceramic still life artwork
- Botanical or flower-themed art
- Nature wall art
#8 Above the Bar Cart
Featured wall art for the bar cart: Road to November →.
Bar carts are often a small space. They can be mobile with wheels, but they usually have their own little space in a room.
The art depicted above is a scene in fall, a long road that ends in the horizon and line with bald trees. It's quiet and reminds you to take a breath.
Wall art ideas for transition or architectural walls/pillars
Transitional or architectural walls are those in between rooms, including pillars, alcoves, recessed walls, hallways, stairs, and structural columns. Every corner of the house can bring a story or align to a certain theme you want.
#9 Staircase
Featured artwork on staircase: Haystacks: Autumn by Jean-François Millet → (left) and Sahurs Meadows in Morning Sun by Alfred Sisley → (right).
The stairs can be a tricky space to decorate with wall art. We’ve built a guide to help you add a gallery wall of art on your staircase →.
#10 Hallways or Corridors
Featured wall art for hallway/corridor: Approaching Storm by William Keith →.
The rule of thumb for corridors and hallways is:
- small-framed art for short hallways with narrow spaces
- larger art pieces adequately spaced for taller and wider hallways
#11 Foyer
Featured wall art idea for the modern foy: Whispers of the Valley →.
A foyer is the entryway from the main door of your home to the living room. It usually has a credenza where you keep keys and decorative elements. There might even be a shoe cabinet or a coat hanger on the side.
What to add:
- A large art piece hanging on or leaning against the wall
- A gallery wall of soft art pieces
#12 Alcoves and Recessed Walls
Featured wall art for a recessed wall: Blooming Brightly →.
Alcoves and recessed walls are usually for books, plants, dimensional art, wall art, or a mix of these items.
It’s a good place to add small-framed and light-themed art.
#13 Structural Pillars and Columns
Featured wall art idea for pillars or columns: Mist Over the Reeds →.
Structural pillars and columns can carry larger pieces of artwork. Smaller artworks with same-sized frames will also work when set vertically.
Where to Hang Art in Secondary Rooms
#14 Bathroom
Featured Hive Artes Wall Art Idea for the Shower Area: White Blooms by the Window →.
Depending on your personality or liking, a light-framed poster art of botanical or landscape themes make the bathroom a pleasant place to do your business. But it can also be a place to be minimalist, funny, or creative.
#15 Guest Powder Room
Featured Hive Artes Wall Art Idea for the Guest Bathroom: Hummingbird and Apple Blossoms by Martin Johnson Heade →.
A guest’s powder room should be simple, clean, and with just the right amount of useful elements.
It’s a nice place to add a small-framed wall art that’s classy, aesthetic, and minimalist.
#16 Walk-In Closet
Featured Hive Artes Wall Art for Walk-In Closet: Peaceful Heights →
A walk-in closet will sometimes have very little room for wall art because the space is maximized for storage and display. More often than not, the blank wall will be affixed with a large mirror.
#17 Laundry Room
The laundry room can often be overlooked since it can be a fairly small. The space is usually maximized for storage space and other utilitarian ways. A small art that helps to remind you to breath or a pop of art will liven up the space.
#18 Garage or Workshop Area
Featured Wall Art Idea for the Garage: Green Elegance →.
Just like the laundry room, the key to a good-looking utility room is having storage space for everything so that your wall art shines.
Key suggestion to decorating the space is what inspires you to work there, what ignites your logic or creativity, or what gives you calm.
Hanging Artwork in Work, Resting, and Hobby Rooms
#19 Home Office
Featured wall art idea for home office: Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by (Vincent Van Gogh) →
A home office can be one of the more personal spaces in your home. And decorating it will solely depend on your personality.
What you can add:
- Aggressive or bold wall art that invites motivation
- Minimalist art for a light and uncluttered environment
- Geometric or abstract art for a more traditional office space.
There is always room for wall art in smaller (15 sqm and below) or medium-sized (20 sqm and above) home offices.
#20 Coffee or Tea Nook
Featured Wall Art for Coffee Corner: Still Life with Roses and Fruit by Henri Fantin-Latour → and Windflowers by Ruger Donoho →.
Add a relaxing element to your coffee corner with a nice landscape art that brings the outside in.
#21 Reading Corner
Featured wall art for reading corner: Scarlet Poise →.
A reading corner is sometimes in the same space as the general couch area, nearer a window.
A well-thought out wall art with soft or muted colors will help with your focus and relaxation as you enjoy a book or sitting idly in the afternoon.
#22 Entertainment/Movie/Music Room
Featured Wall Art Idea for the Music Room: Flicker Fade →.
Entertainment, movie, or a music room are sometimes in the same room. It’s important to choose art based on what feels right for you.
An entertainment space doesn’t need to have artwork that’s music or movie themed.
#23 Game Room
Featured Wall Art Idea for the Game Room/Pool Room: Restless Horizon →.
Gaming rooms or leisure rooms can be computer gaming or physical games like billiards, darts, or even a mahjong table.
A computer gaming room can be filled with posters of your favorite games or gaming characters. A billiards/darts room can accommodate more classic, dimmer lighting wall art.
#24 Yoga Studio / Meditation Room
Featured wall art idea for a yoga or meditation room: Verdant Whispers →.
Decorating your personal yoga studio at home or a meditation room is a great way to make the room yours. It can drive calm, discipline, or a quiet energy to do your routine.
What you can add:
- Posters of yoga poses
- Posters of the body in movement
- Relaxing landscape, nature, or abstract art
Wall Art in Unusual or Overlooked Places
And then, there are overlooked places. Places where you might not think is a good place to add art, until you do.
#25 Art in Glass Cabinets
Featured wall art for the glass display cabinet: Untitled (Cracked Watermelon) by Charles Ethan Port →.
#26 Art Around the Bookshelf
Featured wall art idea around the bookshelf: Rise Unbroken →.
#27 Art Around the Door
Featured wall art idea for around the door: Fluffy Perch → (above) and Rainbow Feathers → (below).
#28 Art to Hide the Circuit Breaker
Featured wall art to cover circuit breaker box: Pots of Morning →.
#29 Large Artwork on the Floor, Leaning Against the Wall
Featured wall art pieces: Pensive Portrait → (left) and Set Sail → (right).
Creating Inspired Rooms at Home with Wall Art
It doesn't matter if you've just moved into a new apartment or want a refresh to an old, dated space. Having art dramatically improves the general feeling of staying in a room.
And since you can never have too much art, you can buy art with our monthly discounts at Hiveartes.com to help refresh your space more affordably.
All art in our collection are one-of-a-kind — once it is bought, it's taken off our inventory. Go ahead and make your first purchase today.
Browse Our Wall Art Collections
Find an artwork you like, choose the size, and then select your print surface (poster, canvas, acrylic, brushed aluminum, or wood).
