The living room is where a painting works hardest. It is the first thing guests see, the wall you face every evening, the backdrop of family photos. Choosing African wall art for this room is less about following a trend than about finding a piece that holds the space and still feels like yours years from now.
Here is how we help our clients choose, from the size of the canvas to the height of the nail.
1. Start with the wall, not the painting
Before looking at subjects or colors, measure the wall where the painting will hang, and the furniture beneath it.
- Above a sofa: aim for a painting about two-thirds of the width of the sofa. A canvas that is too small floats awkwardly; one that is wider than the sofa crowds it.
- On an empty wall: the painting becomes the focal point on its own, so you can go larger than you think.
- Above a console or a sideboard: the same two-thirds rule applies, measured on the furniture.
A simple test: cut a sheet of kraft paper or tape the outline to the wall. Live with it for a day. You will know immediately if the size is right.
2. Choose the right size
Each of our paintings is made to order, so you choose the size that suits your wall rather than the one that happens to be in stock.
| Size | Best for |
|---|---|
| 20″ × 28″ (50 × 70 cm) | A bedroom or a hallway |
| 24″ × 31″ (60 × 80 cm) | Above a console |
| 24″ × 35″ (60 × 90 cm) | Above a desk or a sideboard |
| 28″ × 39″ (70 × 100 cm) | Above a sofa |
| 35″ × 51″ (90 × 130 cm) | A statement piece for a living room |
| 39″ × 59″ (100 × 150 cm) | A large wall or an open space |
| 47″ × 71″ (120 × 180 cm) | High ceilings and lofts |
For most living rooms, the sweet spot is between 28″ × 39″ and 39″ × 59″. If you hesitate between two sizes, choose the larger one: a generous painting almost always looks more intentional than a small one.
3. Choose a subject that tells your story
African wall art covers a wide range of subjects. The question is not which one is the most beautiful, but which one you want to live with.
- Portraits of African women bring presence and warmth. Our African Woman Carrying a Basket on Her Head, in gold and white, lights up a neutral room. African Woman Holding an Amphora at Sunset brings deep reds and oranges to a calm, wooden interior.
- Wildlife carries strength and symbolism. The African Buffalo Portrait gives a room a center of gravity; Entwined Elephant Trunks, in grey and charcoal relief, speaks of family and bond.
- Elegant, minimal scenes suit refined, quiet spaces. Woman on Horseback in White Dress works beautifully in a living room with linen, stone and wood.
- Wide compositions suit long walls. African Women Gathering in Gold, six figures on a white ground, reads like a frieze above a long sofa or a dining table.
4. Match the palette to the room
Look at the three dominant colors of your living room: walls, large furniture, floor. Then choose a painting that either echoes one of them or contrasts with all of them.
- Warm interiors (wood, terracotta, leather): golds, ochres and copper tones extend the warmth.
- Light, neutral interiors (white, beige, linen): a painting with deep contrast, such as charcoal on gold or ochre on red, becomes the anchor of the room.
- Dark walls: gold and white details catch the light and seem to glow.
5. Choose the frame
A frame changes the way a painting sits on the wall. Ours are mounted by hand and leave a fine space around the canvas, so the painting seems to float.
- Black frame: graphic and modern, ideal on light walls.
- Wood frame: warm and natural, perfect with wooden furniture.
- Gold frame: echoes gold tones in the painting, for a more formal room.
- White or silver frame: soft and discreet.
- Frameless (mounted): the canvas is stretched and ready to hang, for a clean, contemporary look.
- Rolled canvas: shipped without a stretcher, if you prefer to frame it locally.
6. Hang it at the right height
The most common mistake is hanging art too high.
- On an empty wall: the center of the painting should be around 57 to 60 inches (145 to 150 cm) from the floor, roughly at eye level.
- Above a sofa: leave about 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the frame, so the painting and the sofa read as one composition.
- Large canvases: use two hooks rather than one, so the painting stays level.
7. Think beyond the living room
The same principles work across the home. A medium canvas brings presence to an entryway, where it is the first thing you see. A calm portrait suits a bedroom, above the headboard. A wide composition gives rhythm to a dining room.
Made by hand, for your wall
Every painting in our African wall art collection is hand-painted to order by our artisans, layer by layer, on a 450 gsm linen canvas with professional, non-toxic paints. The relief you see is real paint, built up by hand.
You choose the size and the frame. Before your painting ships, we send you photos and a video of the finished piece for your approval. Shipping is free and tracked to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Norway.