OUR ART ABOVE A QUEEN BED RECOMMENDATIONS
In this guide, we'll go over basic rules for art above a queen bed and share 25 artworks available in our gallery that are a good fit.
We group these suggestions by style, color, and size to show you various choices for artwork above your queen bed.
You can purchase them directly from our website or contact us with any questions.
Why have an art piece above a bed to begin with? Because art above your queen bed has a perfect focal point in the room.
It will look great in that spot!
1. Typically, a bedroom has a nice, clean light background above a queen bed headboard, with even, aesthetically pleasing rectangular proportions. This creates an elegant frame-within-a-frame visual border around your artwork, which draws the eye's attention to it.
2. The headboard also creates a visual pedestal for the artwork. Similarly to the way art galleries exhibit works of art on a pedestal, your artwork draws one's eyes to it.
3. The bed often is centered in the bedroom, with symmetrical objects on both sides (e.g. bedside tables, lamps). That symmetry on both sides usually surrounds the queen bed. These visual "columns" add additional framing and negative white space so that the artwork stands out even more.
What size art goes above a queen bed?
A queen bed is 60 inches (5 feet) wide. Following the standard rule, artwork above it should be between 4/7 and 3/4 of the bed’s width — so 34 to 45 inches wide. The table below gives the ideal width and hanging height for each common bedroom setup.
| Bed setup | Ideal artwork width | Height above |
|---|---|---|
| Queen bed, standard headboard | 34–45″ wide | 6–12″ above the headboard |
| Queen bed, tall or upholstered headboard | 34–45″ wide | 8–12″ above the headboard |
| Queen bed, no headboard | 34–45″ wide | 24–30″ above the mattress |
| Two pieces or a gallery pair | ~40″ combined width | centered over the bed |
We currently have 40+ original paintings and fine-art prints in the 34–45″ range that fit above a queen bed. For a standard queen bed, that means art hung 6 to 12 inches above the headboard. If the artwork hangs too high, it looks disconnected from the bed; too low, and it gets in the way and is likely to be knocked loose over time.
31" H × 39" W · Original acrylic on canvas
Tavalina, Israel · $1,800
24" H × 37" W · Giclée canvas print
Iris Kristmunds, Iceland · $700
28" H × 36" W · Original oil on canvas
George Abramidze, Georgia · $1,600
30" H × 40" W · Giclée canvas print
Lobsang Durney, Chile · $950
32" H × 40" W · Original oil on canvas
George Abramidze, Georgia · $1,800
21" H × 31" W · Giclée canvas print
Tsholo Motong, South Africa · $625
How high should you hang art above a headboard?
Leave 6 to 12 inches between the top of the headboard and the bottom of the frame. Use the lower end for a standard headboard and 8 to 12 inches for a tall or upholstered one. With no headboard, measure from the mattress instead and hang the artwork so its center sits about 24 to 30 inches above the mattress top — roughly 58 to 60 inches from the floor, standard gallery eye level.
Is it safe to hang art above a bed?
When it comes to framing, natural wood frames usually work well in most bedrooms. The light wood frame compliments the bed's headboard, its natural color is soothing and comforting. However, the frame shouldn't be too heavy and must be well attached to the wall.
Another option is a gallery wrap canvas print for the bedroom. Canvas prints are lighter than other artworks (made from lightweight pine vs. heavy oak/maple/cherry) and void of sharp edges.
We recommend avoiding artwork with glass framing (e.g., artwork on paper) or metal prints. You won't want sharp edges over your head! The only exception would be artwork framed with non-shatter plexiglass.
Which artworks fit above a queen bed?
In the next section, we'll present 25 of our recommendations. These paintings and fine art prints will help you visualize different artwork styles and what will work best in your home.
You can buy art directly from our website or contact us to ask for help. We'll assist you with any inquiries and help you with the purchasing process. The selection of artwork below is available for purchase right away and ships from our gallery in San Francisco, California.
Tavalina
ABSTRACT LANDSCAPES
Israeli artist Tavalina completed her architecture degree at the Israel Institute of Technology in 1992. After a personal crisis in her 30th year, she began to paint.
"I felt an overwhelming need for color. I went to my room and found a discarded box of crayons, and began to draw… as if I was in a trance, the paintings were flowing out of me… and until this very day, I haven't stopped."
Her art above your queen bed creates a new window in your home. As if through a window in a wall, a fresh green landscape, an ancient Italian plaza, or a country home reveals itself above your bed.
George Abamidze
Happy Colors
A contemporary Georgian surrealist artist, George Abramidze, creates fairytale and surrealist worlds.
George’s work exudes the warmth, hospitality, romanticism, and temperament of his native country.
His colors are bright, vibrant, happy and warm. He often uses a red, orange, and yellow color palette in both his figurative and abstract work.
George's work adds warmth to any room both in terms of its subjects and colors. It would a smile on your face with hi romantic couple, surrealist houses, cute fishes and butterfly fairies.
Hajime Namiki
Japanese Elegance
Hajime Namiki is part of the post-war Sōsaku-hanga ("creative prints") art movement. While his subjects are traditionally Japanese, he elevates his work to the Western definition of fine art. Hajime draws, carves, and prints each piece himself—his sole creation. That control over the entire process allows him to express himself, unlike any other Japanese artist.
Namiki's work will add beautiful elegance to your bedroom. His works are very intricate and subtle yet have beautiful colors and an almost monochrome palette. Woodblock prints rarely come in big sizes (it's very difficult to carve a big woodblock), so you can combine several smaller prints of the same size.
Artwork pictured: "Wild Cherry at Kougenji" by Hajime Namiki
Tsholo Motong
A Spice of Life
South African Tsholo "Splash" Motong collects fabric from different tribes and cultures in Africa. He then cuts the fabric out in a unique mosaic fashion and glues it to the canvas. Each portrait is created from hundreds of oddly shaped pieces of patterned fabric.
"My work is inspired by local scenes from Soweto, South Africa, which has a rich history of migrant labour. I use a lot of colour because I believe colour is like a spice of life."
Tsholo's horizontal paintings are 48 inches (4 feet) wide and would fit very well above a 5-foot-wide queen bed. They would leave 6 inches for side margins and be positioned 6-10 inches above the headboard.
Artwork pictured: "Jozi My Pozi" by Tsholo Motong
ALENA KRUTOGOLOVA
CUTENESS OVERLOAD
If you have children in your family or like cute animals, one option to decorate your bedroom is with happy and fuzzy artwork like this.
Wake up to these cuties and start the day with a smile! 😻 🐶 🐸 🦉 🐮 🐴
Ukrainian 🇺🇦 artist Alena Krutogolova from Kyiv, Ukraine, synthesizes Ukrainian folk traditions and Naïve art elements. Pet hedgehogs, dreamy floral cats, wandering sea cows, harvest hens, coffee elephants, spotted owls, and romantic frogs inhabit her world.
Your bedroom can become that island of happy silliness with Alena's collection. Alena's vibrant work looks great in groups and can be combined to create elaborate collages.
Artwork pictured: "Fruit Horses" by Alyona Krutogolova
It is best avoided. Artwork framed under glass, and metal prints, both have sharp edges you do not want hanging directly over your head while you sleep. Safer choices above a bed are a stretched canvas painting or a gallery-wrapped canvas print, which are lightweight and have no sharp edges. If you do use glass, choose shatter-resistant acrylic (plexiglass) instead.
A queen bed is 60 inches wide, and artwork above it should be 4/7 to 3/4 of that width — so 34 to 45 inches wide. This leaves a balanced margin on each side so the piece feels anchored to the bed rather than crowding or floating above it.
Leave 6 to 12 inches between the top of the headboard and the bottom of the frame. Use the lower end for a standard headboard and the higher end for a tall or upholstered one. Hung too high, the art looks disconnected from the bed; too low, it gets knocked and is likely to fall over time.
Without a headboard, measure from the mattress instead. Hang the artwork so its center sits about 24 to 30 inches above the top of the mattress, roughly 58 to 60 inches from the floor, which is standard gallery eye level. Keep the same 34 to 45 inch width so the piece still frames the bed.
Either works above a queen bed. A single piece 34 to 45 inches wide is the simplest, boldest choice. A pair or small gallery grouping also works well — just treat the whole arrangement as one shape and keep its combined width in that same 34 to 45 inch range, centered over the bed.
It does not need to match, and matching too closely can look flat. Aim instead for artwork that shares one or two tones with the room and provides some contrast. A natural wood frame tends to complement most headboards and bedding while keeping the look calm and cohesive.
A king bed is 76 inches wide, so scale the same rule up: artwork roughly 44 to 57 inches wide, or a pair of pieces whose combined width lands in that range. The hanging height stays the same, 6 to 12 inches above the headboard.
Natural wood frames work best in most bedrooms. The light wood tone complements a headboard and feels soothing, and a lighter frame is safer overhead than a heavy one. Whatever the frame, make sure it is securely attached to the wall with proper hardware.
Take a look at our currently available original paintings and prints
