OUR ART ABOVE A QUEEN BED RECOMMENDATIONS
In this guide, we'll go over basic rules for art above a queen bed and share ~20 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.
Queen Bed
Queen bed remains the most popular bed size in the United States. Almost a half of all beds sold are queen beds, with King and Full following them in popularity.
But it hasn't been always like this. Until 1940s, Americans preferred Twins and Doubles. In the 1950s and 60s, mattress retailers started promoting larger beds during the post-WWII consumerism boom. In 1958, Simmons mattress company coined the terms "King" and "Queen" to emphasize the luxury and comfort of larger beds. This designation caught on and since then has been widely adopted all over the world.
Art Size Above a Queen Bed
A typical queen bed in America is 80 inches long and 60 inches wide (5 ft). Following the standard artwork size rule, the artwork above a queen bed should be between 4/7 and 3/4 of the bed's width. Thus, the artwork should be 34 to 45 inches wide.
The distance between the top of the headboard and the artwork should be 6 to 12 inches. If the artwork hangs too high, it will look disconnected from the bed. If the artwork hangs too low, it will get in a way too often and is likely to fall eventually.
In the example above, "My Angel is a Hipster," a painting by the Chilean artist Cristina Vera Aguilar, is 40 inches wide. You can see how well this size works for a 60-inch queen bed.
Framing and Safety Considerations
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.
Artwork pictured: Sasakhle by George Abramidze
Our Artwork Recommendations
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 reveal themselves above your fireplace.
Artwork pictured: "On the Hill" by Tavalina
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 red, orange, yellow color palette in both of 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.
Artwork pictured: "Wish Fish" by George Abramidze
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
