Fewer but better art: how to choose paintings for a minimalist home
Minimalism isn’t about empty walls. It’s about giving each object a clear role, creating breathing space, and letting quality speak for itself. After helping hundreds of customers find the right canvas prints for Scandinavian homes, we’ve seen the same thing over and over again: fewer pieces, the right scale, and thoughtful material choices create more peace – and more personality.
Start in the room you have.
Start with the room’s color temperature, materials, and lighting—not a single painting. Look at the undertones of the wall color (is it warm or cool?), the floor material (oak, limestone, concrete), and the texture of the textiles (linen, wool, velvet). Art that harmonizes with the existing space enhances the whole without dominating.
- Scale: A rule of thumb is that art above a sofa feels good when it is about 60–75% of the width of the sofa. For a single wall, a large painting can often end up taking up 2/3 of the wall's possible image area.
- Hanging height: Aim for a center point around 145 cm from the floor, but adjust according to whether you mostly sit or stand in the room.
- Negative space: Leave plenty of air around the piece. Breathing space is part of the composition in a minimalist home.
Choose fewer works with higher presence
In minimalist interiors, a large painting with a clear direction and a calm palette often works better than a wall of paintings. Abstract paintings in soft tones are appreciated because they carry the room without competing with furniture or architecture. Choose a handful of works that you really like rather than many “maybes”.
We usually do a “distraction test”: Stand in the doorway and let your gaze rest. If your gaze jumps between too many visual cues, scale back and let one main piece lead, with possibly a smaller piece in an adjacent room.
Example: a work that provides peace without becoming anonymous
A favorite in minimalist environments is Peaceful Purity . Its warm, beige tones create a calm horizon line that harmonizes with light walls, natural materials and subdued lighting. We have seen it work great above a light gray sofa, 18 cm above the backrest, in a size that corresponded to approximately 70% of the width of the sofa. The effect was a room that breathes, without feeling sterile.
If you want to further expand your choices, we recommend the article How to choose the right art for your home - there we go through more selection criteria and how to prioritize between motifs and formats.
Sharp decisions: quality, format and hanging
Materials and finishes play a big role in a restrained home. Canvas prints with a subtle texture and matte finish reduce glare and allow colors to sink into the room. Choose your frame carefully: a thin, natural-colored floater frame or black, super-thin aluminum can add definition without taking over. Avoid strong contrasting moldings if you want to maintain the airy feel.
- Format: Landscape format enhances horizon lines and creates calm. Portrait format can add height but risks “cutting up” a quiet wall.
- Placement: Align the edge of the board with architectural lines (door frame, shelves) for a cohesive look.
- Lighting: A soft, directed light from a wall spotlight at 2700–3000K is sufficient. Avoid too strong downlights that create harsh reflections.
How to thin out – without losing your soul
Minimalism doesn't mean getting rid of everything. Rotate instead. Keep two or three pieces and change them seasonally. It keeps your home alive and gives each painting its moment. If you're unsure: test hang with paper the same size as the painting, live with it for a few days, adjust and feel it out.
Another professional method we often use is called “tonal triad”: choose a main color temperature (for example, warm neutral), allow for an accent (very muted), and add a textural component (brush texture, metallic sheen, or the weave of the canvas). This way, the overall look is rich but still minimalist.
Checklist to save
- Define the desired feeling of the room (calm, focus, recovery).
- Match the undertones of the painting with the wall and textiles.
- Choose 1 large main board, possibly supplemented with 0–1 smaller one in an adjacent space.
- Measurement: aim for 60–75% of the furniture's width and center point approximately 145 cm above the floor.
- Leave generous negative space around the work.
- Test lighting with warm white spots and adjust the hanging height according to sitting/standing zones.
Minimalism is powerful when it feels human. That’s why works like Peaceful Purity do so much with so little – a muted color scheme, a clear horizon, and a materiality that lets the room breathe. Take your time with the scale, pay attention to the details, and let the silence between objects be part of the composition. Then “fewer is better” becomes more than a principle – it becomes a way of living.