Sven Fennema
DE

All series

Buying guide

Which size for which wall?

All sizes side by side to scale, plus rules of thumb for sofa, hallway and office, viewing distance and hanging height.

The sizes to scale

For comparison, a person of 1.75 m and a sofa 2 m wide. The four smaller sizes are the open edition, available to order right away; from 120 × 80 cm numbered limited edition on request.

All sizes to scale next to a person of 1.75 m and a sofa of 2 m 45 × 30 cm 60 × 40 cm 75 × 50 cm 90 × 60 cm 120 × 80 cm Edition of 10 150 × 100 cm Edition of 5 180 × 120 cm Edition of 3 1,75 m Sofa 2 m

Open edition: 45 × 30 cm from €90.00, 60 × 40 cm from €140.00, 75 × 50 cm from €250.00, 90 × 60 cm from €360.00. Limited edition from 120 × 80 cm on request. Portrait formats turned accordingly, squares with 40, 50, 65 and 80 cm sides. Prices include VAT, shipping extra, depending on the finish. More on quality and finishes

Rules of thumb

Experience, not rules: how large a work feels is very personal and depends on you, the light and the room. In the end your own sense decides, not the rule.

  • Above the sofa The picture about two thirds as wide as the sofa, lower edge 15 to 25 cm above the backrest. Two-metre sofa, 120 to 150 cm picture.
  • Free wall The work fills 60 to 75 percent of the free wall width. Smaller, it often looks lost; larger, it can overwhelm the room.
  • Viewing distance One and a half to two times the picture's diagonal. 60 × 40 is enough for a hallway, a 120 × 80 needs about three metres.
  • Eye level Centre of the picture at 145 to 150 cm. Above furniture the picture may hang higher, so the two belong together.
  • Several works As a row, equal sizes 5 to 8 cm apart; as a group, one large work with two small ones. Motifs from one series always go together.
  • Light Opposite a window, glass reflects; canvas and aluminium are better there. Avoid direct sunlight.

Salon hang: many small works instead of one large one

If you want to fill a large wall without choosing a large limited-edition work, hang densely: the salon hang, or gallery wall, brings six, eight or more smaller works together into a group that works as a whole. With the open-edition sizes it covers more than two metres, and it grows with you: every further work finds its place.

How it works: even gaps of 5 to 8 cm, portrait and landscape formats mixed, one larger work as the anchor. Three ways: a straight outer line with variety inside, grown freely with a jumping edge, or along an imaginary centre line at eye level. Motifs with a similar colour mood or from one series hold the group together. Before drilling, tape paper outlines to the wall and live with them for a day.

An imaginary line at eye level: the upper works stand on it, the lower ones hang below. The simplest hanging that still has order.

Example above a 2 m sofa: eight works in 45 × 30, 60 × 40 and 75 × 50 cm, as a group about 2.3 m wide and 1.2 m high. In the most affordable finish from €1,080.00 together, free shipping within Germany.
  1. SLATE HOUSE I MY HIDING PLACE, 60 × 40 cm
  2. WELCOME HABITAT, 30 × 45 cm
  3. THE FINAL CURTAIN 2 SANCTUARIES OF BLISS, 75 × 50 cm
  4. HIDEOUT HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  5. PALÁCIO DO VINHO ELEMENTAL, 45 × 30 cm
  6. BATH FOR KINGS HABITAT, 60 × 40 cm
  7. CAPTURED BY NATURE HABITAT, 40 × 60 cm
  8. VILLA SBERTOLLI AIRSCAPES, 60 × 40 cm

A straight line outside, variety inside: two portrait formats in the middle, smaller landscapes in pairs around them. The group reads like one large picture.

Example above a 2 m sofa: ten works in 45 × 30, 60 × 40 and 75 × 50 cm, as a group about 1.8 m wide and 1.6 m high. In the most affordable finish from €1,420.00 together, free shipping within Germany.
  1. RIFUGIO HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  2. DOURO FORGOTTEN VIEWS, 60 × 40 cm
  3. SOLITUDE RISE AND FALL, 50 × 75 cm
  4. TEATRO TERREMOTO 1 SANCTUARIES OF BLISS, 60 × 40 cm
  5. GLIMPSE OF GOLD II HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  6. VERBOTENE STADT AIRSCAPES, 60 × 40 cm
  7. MEDUSA HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  8. HALLWAY OF SECRETS BOUNDLESS, 50 × 75 cm
  9. GLOW INTO THE LIGHT, 45 × 30 cm
  10. BROKEN HOME II HABITAT, 60 × 40 cm

Grown freely: one large landscape as the anchor, the others loosely around it, the outer edge may jump. Suits a sideboard and can be extended at any time.

Example above a 1.8 m sideboard: nine works in 45 × 30, 60 × 40 and 75 × 50 cm, as a group about 2.2 m wide and 1.3 m high. In the most affordable finish from €1,120.00 together, free shipping within Germany.
  1. LITTLE TAILOR HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  2. SEAT OF TIME HABITAT, 40 × 60 cm
  3. THE FINAL CURTAIN SANCTUARIES OF BLISS, 75 × 50 cm
  4. VILLA BRANCA HABITAT, 30 × 45 cm
  5. NOWHERE AIRSCAPES, 60 × 40 cm
  6. RÂPA ROȘIE II DREAMSCAPES, 45 × 30 cm
  7. LIONS LAW RISE AND FALL, 40 × 60 cm
  8. HEATERNAL HABITAT, 45 × 30 cm
  9. DREAMCATCHER I HABITAT, 30 × 45 cm

Frequently asked questions

How large should a picture above the sofa be?
As a rule of thumb, two thirds of the sofa's width. Above a two-metre sofa, a work 120 to 150 cm wide looks right, above a two-seater 90 cm. The lower edge hangs 15 to 25 cm above the backrest.
What is the right viewing distance?
One and a half to two times the picture's diagonal. A work in 60 × 40 cm already works in a hallway, a 120 × 80 needs about three metres of space in front of it.
At what height should a picture hang?
The centre of the picture at eye level, 145 to 150 cm above the floor. Above furniture it may be higher, so the picture belongs to the furniture rather than floating above it.
Are the works also available in portrait and square format?
Yes. The sizes refer to the long side, so a portrait in 60 × 40 is 40 cm wide and 60 cm high. Square works are correspondingly smaller, 40, 50, 65 and 80 cm on each side.
What if I need an in-between size?
In-between and special sizes, for a niche for instance, are made by the lab on request. Name the desired measurements on the work's page and you will receive a quote.
Can a large wall be filled without a large work?
Yes, with a salon hang, also called a gallery wall: six to ten open-edition works hung closely along an imaginary centre line, portrait and landscape formats mixed, cover more than two metres of wall. The group grows with every further work, and the works can later be hung on their own.

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