What Size Art Should Go Above a Dining Table?
The wall beside or behind a dining table is one of the best places in the home for art. It's seen at every meal, by everyone at the table, and often from the kitchen and living areas too. Getting the size right is what makes it look intentional rather than lost on the wall. Here's a simple guide.
The quick answer
Choose artwork roughly two-thirds to three-quarters the length of your dining table. If the art will hang above a sideboard or buffet rather than the table itself, measure the sideboard instead. Always measure the artwork including its frame.
- 1.6m table → artwork around 105–120cm wide
- 2m table → artwork around 130–150cm wide
- 2.4m table → artwork around 160–180cm wide, or a pair of works
A piece much smaller than this tends to look like an afterthought. A piece wider than the table can overwhelm the room unless the wall is very large.
One large piece, a pair, or a diptych?
A single large artwork gives the cleanest, boldest result and suits most dining rooms. It creates one clear focal point and keeps the wall calm.
A pair or diptych works well above longer tables, where a single piece at the right width may simply be too big to handle, or where a window or pendant light breaks up the wall. Hang the two panels with a consistent gap of around 5–10cm so they read as one composition. Diptychs such as the Olympia Diptych are designed to be hung this way.
How high to hang art in a dining room
Dining rooms are mostly viewed while seated, so art can hang a little lower than in hallways or living rooms.
- On an open wall: aim for the centre of the artwork at around 140–150cm from the floor.
- Above a sideboard or buffet: leave around 15–25cm between the top of the sideboard and the bottom of the frame, so the two read as a pair.
- Above a table pushed against the wall or a banquette: keep the bottom edge high enough to clear heads and chair backs, around 60cm above the tabletop as a minimum.
Our guide on how high artwork should be hung covers this in more detail.
Landscape or portrait?
Landscape formats echo the long shape of a dining table and are the natural choice for the main wall. Portrait formats suit a narrower wall at the end of the table, or the spaces either side of a window or doorway.
Choosing colour for a dining room
Dining rooms can carry more warmth and drama than bedrooms. Red and terracotta tones feel inviting by candlelight and pair well with timber tables. Green brings a calmer, more natural mood. Black and charcoal works add contrast in a light, minimal room. If your dining area is part of an open-plan space, pick up a colour already used in the living area so the two zones feel connected.
Quick checklist
- Measure the table (or sideboard) and aim for two-thirds to three-quarters of its length.
- Centre the artwork on the table, not the wall, if the two don't line up.
- Hang slightly lower than elsewhere: around 140–150cm to the centre.
- Use a pair or diptych above very long tables or broken walls.
- Test the size first with painter's tape or paper on the wall.
Frequently asked questions
How wide should art be above a dining table?
Around two-thirds to three-quarters of the table's length. For a 2m table, that's roughly 130–150cm wide.
How high should art hang in a dining room?
Aim for the centre of the artwork at around 140–150cm from the floor, or 15–25cm above a sideboard. Because people view it seated, it can sit a little lower than art in other rooms.
Can I use two artworks instead of one above a dining table?
Yes. A pair or diptych works especially well above long tables. Keep the gap between them consistent, around 5–10cm, and treat the pair as one piece when working out the overall width.
Find your piece: browse Dining Room Wall Art or Large Wall Art for statement pieces by Australian artist Tory Burke. For more sizing help, see What Size Artwork Should I Buy?