Wall Art for Small Spaces — How to Make Any Room Feel Bigger
Wall Art for Small Spaces: Making Every Room Feel Bigger
Small rooms present both a challenge and an opportunity for wall art. The challenge: choose badly and you'll make the room feel smaller, more cluttered, and more enclosed. The opportunity: choose well and wall art can genuinely make a small room feel more expansive, more considered, and more considered than the square footage would suggest. At Olive et Oriel, we've been helping Australians make the most of their spaces with the right art since 2015.
This guide covers the most effective art approaches for small rooms — which styles work best, what sizes are most effective, and how to avoid the common mistakes that make small rooms feel smaller.
The Bigger Print Principle in Small Spaces
Counterintuitively, larger prints often work better in small rooms than smaller ones. A single large print draws the eye to one point and creates a sense of depth and focal clarity, whereas many small prints cluster the visual field and make the room feel busier and smaller. This doesn't mean hanging a mural in a tiny bedroom — but it does mean that an A2 print will generally be more effective than three A4 prints in the same space. Consider our extra large art range for feature wall choices, or our A1 and A2 prints as statement pieces for smaller rooms.
Art Styles That Make Small Rooms Feel Bigger
Landscape photography and art creates visual depth — the eye travels into the distance within the image, which makes the room feel deeper. Light-toned art on white or light walls minimises the contrast that can make small rooms feel more enclosed. Vertical art (portrait format) makes rooms feel taller. Horizontal art (landscape format) makes rooms feel wider. Abstract art in cool, light tones also tends to create spaciousness. Browse our canvas range in light, cool tones or our framed landscape photography for space-expanding options.
Art Placement Tips for Small Rooms
Hanging art higher than usual draws the eye upward and makes ceilings feel higher — effective in rooms with low ceilings. Art above furniture should maintain the standard 10–15cm gap between the furniture top and the bottom of the frame. In small bedrooms, art above the bed headboard creates height and visual interest without taking up floor space. In small living rooms, a single large print over the sofa or TV unit is more effective than multiple smaller prints scattered across the walls. For specific placement guidance, our hanging guide covers small room scenarios in detail.
Every piece is produced at our two manufacturing facilities of NSW — crafting Australian wall art since 2015. We deliver to over 40 countries worldwide, with custom sizing available on all prints. Over a decade of experience, every order ships within 24 hours with our satisfaction guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size art works best in a small room?
Counterintuitively, larger prints often work better in small rooms. A single A2 or A1 print creates a focal point and depth without cluttering the space. Many small prints can make a small room feel busier and smaller than it is.
What art styles make a small room feel bigger?
Landscape photography creates visual depth. Light-toned art on white walls minimises contrast. Vertical art makes ceilings feel higher. Cool, light-toned abstract art suggests spaciousness.
Should I avoid gallery walls in small rooms?
Not necessarily — but small room gallery walls require more restraint than larger rooms. Keep the gallery wall to one wall only, choose a cohesive palette, and leave generous white space between pieces.
How high should I hang art in a small room?
In small rooms with low ceilings, hang art slightly higher than the standard eye-level guideline (145cm to centre). Drawing the eye upward makes the ceiling feel higher.
Can I use bold art in a small room?
Yes — a single bold, large art piece in a small room can be a very effective design choice. The key is restraint: one bold piece, simple surroundings, and plenty of white space on adjacent walls.
