Art Print Sets for the Dining Room

The dining room is one of the most sociable spaces in a home — a place where people gather, slow down, and notice their surroundings. A well-chosen art print set can elevate the room's quality and give guests something to engage with during the meal. This guide covers the choices that consistently work in dining spaces.

The Best Wall in the Dining Room

There are two strong options for art placement in a dining room. The first is above a buffet, sideboard, or credenza — this works on the same principle as art above a sofa, with the furniture anchoring the arrangement and the art filling the wall above it. The second is the wall facing the dining table, which diners look at throughout the meal. This wall position is often overlooked but is one of the most impactful locations for art in a home.

When hanging on the wall facing the table, account for seated eye level rather than standing eye level. Position the visual centre of the arrangement at approximately 110 to 115 cm from the floor — around 35 cm lower than the standard standing eye level recommendation. This places the art directly in the sightline of people seated at the table.

Choosing Art That Suits a Dining Space

Dining rooms are spaces of warmth and hospitality, and artwork that reflects those qualities integrates naturally. Botanical prints — particularly vintage botanical illustration and contemporary plant photography — have a long association with dining rooms that is more than aesthetic: the reference to the natural world, to growth and nourishment, feels right in a space designed for eating. Warm abstract sets in earthy, organic tones suit contemporary dining rooms. Still life prints add a classical quality. Landscape and seascape sets suit relaxed dining areas, particularly those in open-plan configurations. Browse Olive et Oriel's art print sets across botanical, abstract, and landscape styles.

Sizing for the Dining Room

For art above a buffet or sideboard, the same two-thirds rule applies as for art above a sofa. A sideboard at 150 cm wide suits a total art span of 100 cm — three 30 x 45 cm prints with 5 cm gaps, or three A3 prints (29.7 x 42 cm) with similar spacing. A wider sideboard at 180 to 200 cm suits a larger set — three 40 x 48 cm prints. For a free-standing wall without furniture reference, aim for a total set span of 60 to 75 percent of the wall's width.

Lighting the Dining Room Art

Dining rooms often have more atmospheric lighting than living rooms — pendant lights above the table, dimmer switches, candlelight for evening meals. Art should be lit to be visible in this lower-light environment. A focused downlight or picture light above the set ensures the artwork reads in evening conditions rather than receding into shadow. Glazed frames can catch pendant light in a flattering way in dining rooms — consider the angle of the light source and the glazing finish when choosing frames. See our framing guide for more on glazing options.