Size guide
Which size fits your wall?
We print in thirteen sizes, in four different shapes. Start by choosing the shape that suits your wall, then pick the size.
Portrait — the classic shape
Slightly taller than it is wide. The safest choice for most walls.
| Size | Inches | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 20 × 25 cm | 8 × 10" | Shelves, bedside nooks, small gallery walls |
| 30 × 40 cm | 12 × 16" | Above a changing table or a small dresser |
| 40 × 50 cm | 16 × 20" | Our most popular. Above a cot |
| 50 × 70 cm | 20 × 28" | A statement piece above a bed |
Tall portrait — for narrow walls
Longer and slimmer. Perfect where width is tight and height isn't.
| Size | Inches | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 21 × 29.7 cm | 8 × 12" | Between two doors, beside a window |
| 30 × 45 cm | 12 × 18" | Narrow spaces, hallways |
| 40 × 60 cm | 16 × 24" | Tall empty walls |
| 60 × 90 cm | 24 × 36" | One wall, one poster, nothing else needed |
A-series — standard European frames
The sizes every high-street frame shop stocks. If you already have a frame, it's probably one of these.
| Size | Best for |
|---|---|
| A3 — 29.7 × 42 cm | The easy choice. Fits any off-the-shelf frame |
| A2 — 42 × 59.4 cm | Above a dresser or a desk |
| A1 — 59.4 × 84.1 cm | Full-wall statement |
Square
| Size | Inches | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 40 × 40 cm | 16 × 16" | Gallery walls, above a cot, pairs and trios |
Which size for which wall
Above a cot — 40 × 50 cm on its own, or two 20 × 25 cm side by side. Never hang a glass frame directly over a cot.
Above a single bed — 50 × 70 cm centred, or three A3s in a row.
Above a dresser or changing table — A2, or a pair of 30 × 40 cm.
A gallery wall — mix sizes and shapes. Start with one large piece as the anchor, then build around it with smaller ones. Squares work beautifully as fillers.
A narrow wall, or between two doors — 21 × 29.7 cm or 30 × 45 cm. Anything wider will feel crowded.
A whole empty wall — 60 × 90 cm or A1, alone. Don't add anything else.
The rule that never fails
Your art should be about two thirds the width of the furniture below it. A 120 cm dresser wants roughly 80 cm of art — one A1, or two 40 × 50 cm side by side with a gap between them.
And hang it lower than you think. Galleries hang at 145 cm from the floor to the centre of the picture, but in a child's room, dropping it to about 120 cm means they can actually see it.
The two-minute trick
Cut a piece of paper to the size you're considering and tape it to the wall for a day.
It sounds too simple to matter, and it's the single best way to avoid ordering the wrong size. Live with it for an afternoon and you'll know straight away whether it's too small.
Frames
Our posters are sold unframed and printed on 200-gsm premium matte paper.
A3, A2 and A1 are European standards, so any high-street frame will fit — IKEA, Søstrene Grene, HEMA and most online frame shops stock them. The centimetre sizes are the international standards used by most frame retailers.
Need a size that isn't here?
We can print custom dimensions. Write to hello@why27lab.com with the size you need and we'll sort it out.
Still hesitating between two?
Send a photo of your wall to hello@why27lab.com and we'll tell you which one we'd choose. A real person replies within 2 working days.