Paintings in an open plan: how to choose motif, size and placement
Open floor plans are great – light, space and life. But the large, continuous surface can also make it harder to choose wall art. Where do you start, how do you create balance and how do you avoid the whole thing feeling cluttered? After years of helping clients hang canvas prints in everything from newly built apartments to turn-of-the-century mansions, we have some tried and tested principles that work every time.
Think in zones, not walls
In an open-plan space, there are no natural boundaries. So let the paintings help define functions: a larger, calm composition above the sofa can set the tone for the living room, while a couple of smaller works above the dining table create a more intimate feel for meals. We often work with repetition: the same color tones or materials in two different zones create a visual echo that ties the room together without everything having to match exactly.
Scale and proportion that carry the room
Large surfaces require generous scale. A common mistake is to have paintings that are too small and disappear. As a rule of thumb, you can let the width of the painting be about 60–75% of the furniture it hangs over. Hang at eye level – center about 145 cm from the floor – so the work is experienced naturally even when the room is deep. Also consider the reading distance: the larger the wall and the longer the sight lines, the more the subject can take turns.
One example is Echoes of Silver , an abstract canvas in shades of grey and gold that works great in Scandinavian interiors. It moves freely between the stainless steel details of the kitchen and the warm woods of the living room – perfect when you want to create context without controlling the entire interior by a single color. 
Color that ties together kitchen, dining area and living room
Choose two or three recurring colors that run through the zones. In the kitchen, the metallic shimmer of the splashback might be picked up in a painting with soft gold details, while a beige tone recurs in the textiles by the sofa. Feel free to delve into our guide How to choose the right color scheme for your paintings – it provides concrete ways to create a palette that feels both well thought out and flexible.
When we help clients on site, we often test color at three levels: base (walls/floors), mid-level (furniture/textiles), and accent (art/objects). Abstract paintings in shades of gray, beige, and black, preferably with a subtle accent, act as a bridge between the levels without dominating.
Sightlines and rhythm – think like an exhibition
Stand in the entryway and let your eyes wander: which walls do you see first, which corners do you skip? Place a clear focal point at the end of the longest line of sight, then create rhythm with smaller pieces along the way. In open-plan spaces, the wall is often long; a horizontal format above the sofa can balance the length, while a vertical painting near the window visually extends the ceiling height.
We like to work with pairs or triptychs over the dining area – not to match, but to give a soft pulse to the room. Vary between motifs with texture and motifs with a more calm surface to avoid the overall look becoming unsettling.
Materials, acoustics and light
Open-plan spaces can feel echoey. Canvases are surprisingly effective at dampening sound, especially when combined with rugs and curtains. Avoid highly reflective glass in areas with lots of daylight; a canvas with a matte finish provides a softer readability. When it comes to lighting, aim several small light sources (wall spotlights or track lights) at the artwork rather than a single bright lamp. Warm white (2700–3000K) enhances depth and texture without cooling down the palette.
Common mistakes we see – and quick solutions
- For small works on large walls: go up a size or group two to three smaller paintings 6–8 cm apart.
- For high-hung pictures: lower so that the center is around 145 cm from the floor.
- Color that rubs between zones: let an accent recur in at least two materials – for example, brass in the fixture and gold detail in the art.
- Concerns about the big picture: choose a calmer main motif and leave more expressive wall art in secondary lines of sight.
How to build a sustainable whole
Our advice is to see wall art as a companion to the life in the room. Start with a painting that feels right in scale and tone – like Echoes of Silver – and then add works that deepen the mood in each zone. This way, the whole becomes coherent but alive, with room for change over time.
Want a shortcut to color matching and placement in your particular floor plan? Photograph the walls in daylight, mark the measurements and send them to us. We'll come back with a sketch, size suggestions and a color palette that builds bridges between the kitchen, dining area and living room – without making the interior design a project that revolves around a single painting.