Dining room wall art
The wall your dinnerguests face.
At dinner, your guests sit and look at the same wall for an hour or more. It is often the wall that gets the least attention. Here is how to make it worth looking at.
The quick answer
Six pieces for a dining room wall.
Wide pieces suit the long line of a table or a sideboard. Each framed piece arrives ready to hang.
Over a sideboard, leave 8 to 10 inches between the furniture and the frame.
Warm, serene tones invite people to stay for one more story.
A single striking piece holds a room in a way a crowded grouping rarely can.
Out Of Office
Black frame
Bikini Hangs
Black frame
Summer Shadow
Black frame
Mendocino Shoreline
Black frame
Es Vedra
Black frame
La Fontelina II
Black frame
“So far, I have bought 7 pieces and counting, they hit it every single time. Many thanks”
Bill O. · Verified buyer
“I was honestly very surprised with the quality and vibrancy of my art. Amazing work! Thanks”
Brook L. · Verified buyer
“Beautiful quality items with unique style that bring life to my design concept. Love everything!”
Nastasia N. · Verified buyer
Which wall
Four dining walls, and what suits each.
Above a sideboard or console
A sideboard is the easiest place to hang art. Leave 8 to 10 inches between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame. Let the art span about two-thirds of its width.
Shop wide art
On the wall your guests face
Your guests see this wall while seated, so hang the piece a little lower than you would in a hallway. One striking piece is enough.
Shop Italy
Beside a round table
A round table near a wall pairs well with one large piece. Center the piece on the table, not on the wall.
Shop large wall art
A breakfast nook or a bench along the wall
When the seats run along the wall, hang one wide piece above them, high enough to clear a seated guest's head.
Shop earth tonesI. Hang it a touch lower
Hang it for people who are sitting.
In a dining room, most people look at the wall from a chair.
In a hallway, the middle of a piece sits near standing eye level. At a table, your guests are seated, so a piece that hangs a little lower sits more comfortably in view.
Over a sideboard, the furniture sets the height. On a bare wall beside the table, hang the piece a little lower than usual.
Size
Size the art to the sideboard.
Two-thirds of the furniture's width is the rule we use above a sofa, a console or a sideboard.
Measure the sideboard, then multiply by two-thirds. A 72-inch sideboard looks balanced under about 48 inches of art.
For a group of pieces, measure from the outer edge of the first to the outer edge of the last.
| Sideboard width | Art width, about two-thirds |
|---|---|
| 48 inches | 32 inches |
| 60 inches | 40 inches |
| 72 inches | 48 inches |
| 84 inches | 56 inches |
Our Statement size is 42 by 30 inches. It suits a sideboard of about 63 inches. Our Gallery size is 50 by 38 inches. It suits a sideboard of about 75 inches.
II. Keep the palette warm
Warm tones for a room where people linger.
This is a room for lingering. Warm, serene tones invite people to stay for one more story.
Joshua Tree Sunset
Moroccan Paradise
Into The Sun
Finca
Moroccan Rooftop
III. Choose one striking piece
One piece behind the table.
A single timeless piece behind the table holds a room in a way a crowded grouping rarely can.
Choose the piece first, then measure. Above a sideboard, aim for about two-thirds of its width. On a bare wall, choose a large piece and keep the space around it clear.
Light
Light the wall for dinner.
Choose a warm-white bulb
Warm-white bulbs, often labeled 2700K, suit the warm tones in most prints.
Aim a light at the center
Mount a light above the piece, a little out from the wall, and aim it at the center so every tone shows.
Keep window glare off the front
Hang the piece on the wall beside a window, not across from it, so bright light does not bounce back at you.
Italy and the coast
Sun, sea and slow lunches.
Wide sea views bring light and calm to a room where people linger.
The Ariston
Lovers In Capri
Come Away
Sayulita
Italian Holiday
The Laguna
Conversation starters
Pieces that start a conversation.
Neon, desert and old signs give guests something to talk about.
Good Vibes Only
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Liquor Shop
Welcome To The Jungle
Desert Heat
Over Grown
Vintage Americana
Bar signs and open roads.
Old signs, old cars and old streets, with the grit of another era.
OG Cowboy Bar
Saturday Somewhere
Gozzo
Malibu Pier
Roll Out
Ideas
Eight dining room wall art ideas.
One striking piece
A single piece behind the table holds a room in a way a crowded grouping rarely can.
A warm palette
Warm, serene tones invite people to stay at the table for one more story.
A three-piece set
Our three-piece sets are chosen to hang together, so the story, the palette and the scale already match.
A gallery wall
Mix sizes, and leave three inches between frames.
A neon or bar photograph
A photograph of a neon sign or a corner bar gives guests something to talk about.
A coastal view
A wide sea view adds light and calm to a room where people stay at the table.
Plants and florals
Green and floral photographs bring a garden to the table.
A tall pair on a narrow wall
Two tall pieces beside a window fill a nook without crowding it.
Tall coastal pieces
Italian light, standing tall.
Boats, water and warm stone in a vertical frame.
Como From Above
Day Dream
Golden
Amalfi Club
A Brighter Day
Greens and florals
Plants and still life.
Leaves, blooms and still life, framed.
Well Flowered
Home Grown
Outstretched
Growing Tall
Junk In The Trunk
The Endless Frame
Change the art with the season.
Buy the frame once, then change the art whenever you like. An Endless Frame stores up to three mounted prints and up to 50 prints laid flat inside it. Your dining room can change with the seasons.
The words, in plain English
The terms worth knowing.
Sideboard
A low cabinet for dishes and serving, often placed against a dining room wall.
Buffet
Another name for a sideboard.
Credenza
A low cabinet, often with doors. In a dining room, it works like a sideboard.
Banquette
Bench seating built along a wall, common in a dining nook.
Focal point
The part of a room your eye goes to first.
Sightline
The line your eye follows from where you sit to what you are looking at.
Conversation piece
A piece of art or furniture that gives guests something to talk about.
Mat
The border between the picture and the frame. A matted print has one.
Verified buyers
What buyers say.
Beautiful picture & beautifully framed!
Very happy I bought this! Great addition to my home
I absolutely love this piece of art! Couldn't be happier with this purchase.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pictures, frame and careful delivery.
Love my new print and fantastic communication and customer service throughout
We have several prints from Helm + Oar and this one is another great addition. Great quality.
Love this piece. I am very surprised by the level of quality as well, great job guys.
You've got me as a fan for life! Honestly love my art! Thanks!
Exactly as described, high quality prints, matting, and frames.
Shop by style
Shop dining room wall art by style.
Read more
Dining room wall art: a short guide.
A dining room is a room where people stay put. They sit, they talk, and their eyes wander to the wall. That makes the art on that wall one of the most looked-at pieces in your home.
Start with the furniture. If there is a sideboard or a buffet, measure it and choose art about two-thirds as wide. Leave 8 to 10 inches between the furniture and the frame. If the wall is bare, hang the piece a little lower than you would in a hallway, because your guests are sitting down.
Then choose one piece worth looking at. Warm, serene tones invite people to stay. Sea views add light. A neon sign or an old road gives a dinner table a story. Whatever you choose, pick a piece you will still enjoy after the hundredth meal.
Every Helm + Oar piece is made to order, and framed pieces arrive ready to hang. Choose a piece, measure the wall, and hang it where your guests will see it.
Good to know
Questions about dining room wall art
How high should you hang art in a dining room?
Over a sideboard or buffet, leave 8 to 10 inches between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame. On a bare wall, hang the piece a little lower than you would in a hallway, because guests are seated.
How big should art be above a sideboard?
About two-thirds of the sideboard's width. Above a 72-inch sideboard, that is about 48 inches of art.
Can you hang art above a dining table?
Yes, if the table sits against a wall. For a table in the middle of the room, hang art on the wall the table faces, often above a sideboard. If there is no sideboard, choose a wide piece or a group of three.
What is the best art for a dining room?
There is no single answer. Warm tones suit a room where people linger, and one striking piece behind the table often does more than a crowded grouping. Wide pieces, coastal views and bar signs all work.
Should dining room art match the table?
It does not need to match. Choose a piece with one or two colors that echo the room, such as the wood of the table or the color of the chairs.
What color frame suits a dining room?
Natural Hickory and Heritage Walnut bring warmth next to a wood table. Black frames look crisp and modern. We make five finishes: White, Black, Natural Hickory, Heritage Walnut and Gold.
Can I hang a gallery wall in a dining room?
Yes. Lay the pieces on the floor first, then leave three inches between frames. Our spacing guide explains it.
What light is best for dining room art?
Use a warm-white bulb, often labeled 2700K, and aim a light at the center of the piece from above.
How do I stop glare on dining room art?
Hang the piece on a wall beside a window, not across from it. On an Endless Frame, you can also remove the acrylic glass.
What is a sideboard?
A sideboard is a low cabinet for dishes and serving, often placed against a dining room wall. A buffet is another name for it.
Should I hang one piece or a group?
Either works, but one striking piece behind the table holds a room in a way a crowded grouping rarely can. A three-piece set has more rhythm. Measure a group from the outer edge of the first frame to the outer edge of the last.
Should dining room art be warm or cool?
Warm. A dining room is a room for lingering, and warm, serene tones invite people to stay for one more story.
What if my dining room is also my living room?
Choose a calm wide piece that suits both spaces, and hang it over the furniture that anchors the wall.
Does my art arrive ready to hang?
Framed art does. Each framed piece arrives ready to hang, with the hardware already installed.
Can I change the art later?
Yes, in an Endless Frame. It stores up to three mounted prints and up to 50 prints laid flat inside the frame.
Is the art real?
Yes. Every piece is by a real artist, and our art is 100% AI-free.
Where do you make your frames?
Our frames are hand-crafted from solid White Oak, and every order is produced here in the USA.
What gap should I leave between two frames hung side by side?
Three inches is the gap we recommend between any two frames.
How can I test a layout before I hang it?
Cut paper to the size of each piece and tape it to the wall. Step back, move the paper until it looks right, then mark where the nails go.
Your turn
Measure once, then set the table.
Choose your piece, check the width, and give your guests a wall worth looking at.
How to hang art: height and light →Gallery wall spacing: the three-inch rule →How color changes a room →