The most common tapestry mistake is buying one that is too small. On a product page every size looks the same, because the picture is the same. On your wall, the difference between the smallest and the largest is the difference between a poster and a mural. This guide gives you the real dimensions, what each size covers, and a two-minute way to test the fit before you buy.
The four sizes
Kiyo Arts tapestries come in four sizes. Each can be ordered in portrait (taller than wide) or landscape (wider than tall), so there are eight options on the product page.
| Size (inches) | In feet | In centimetres | Think of it as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 × 36 | About 2 × 3 ft | 66 × 91 cm | A large poster |
| 50 × 60 | About 4 × 5 ft | 127 × 152 cm | A throw blanket |
| 68 × 80 | About 5.5 × 6.5 ft | 173 × 203 cm | A queen bedspread |
| 88 × 104 | About 7.5 × 8.5 ft | 224 × 264 cm | A full feature wall |
At the time of writing, prices run from about $30 for the smallest to about $86 for the largest, which makes the big sizes the cheapest way to cover a wall with art.
26 × 36 inches: the poster size
This is wall art, not wall coverage. It suits the space above a desk, beside a wardrobe, or on a narrow wall between two windows. It is also the right size if you want a tapestry as one part of a gallery wall next to framed prints. Don't choose it to go behind a bed: it will look lost.
50 × 60 inches: the dorm standard
This is the size most people picture when they think of a dorm tapestry. Hung in landscape, its 60-inch width covers the wall behind a twin or twin XL bed, which is about 38 inches wide, with room to spare on each side. It also works above a loveseat or a desk-and-shelf setup. If you are unsure which size to buy for a bedroom in a shared house, this is the safe choice.
68 × 80 inches: behind a full or queen bed
A queen bed is 60 inches wide and a full is 54. Hung in landscape, this size is 80 inches across, so it frames either bed the way a headboard would. In portrait it runs nearly from the top of a mattress to an 8-foot ceiling. This is also the size to consider for a living room wall above a three-seat sofa.
88 × 104 inches: the feature wall
At over seven by eight feet, this covers most of a standard bedroom wall. Use it when you want the tapestry to be the wall: behind a king bed, as a backdrop for streaming or video calls, across the back of a game room, or as a photo wall at a party. Measure carefully before you order this one. A standard ceiling is 96 inches high, so in portrait the 104-inch side is taller than the wall. Hang it in landscape, or plan for the extra length to fold behind a bed or sofa.
Portrait or landscape?
Go by the furniture underneath. Beds, sofas and desks are wide, so landscape usually looks right above them. Portrait suits narrow walls, the space beside a door, and tall artwork such as a single figure or a tower. Check the artwork itself too: a city skyline wants to be wide, and a standing statue wants to be tall. Look at the product photos for each orientation before you choose, because the artwork is cropped differently in each.
The two-thirds rule
A tapestry above furniture looks balanced when it is roughly two-thirds to the full width of the piece below it. Narrower than half and it floats. Wider than the furniture by more than a foot each side and the furniture looks small.
- Twin bed (38 in): 50 × 60 in landscape.
- Full bed (54 in): 50 × 60 or 68 × 80 in landscape.
- Queen bed (60 in): 68 × 80 in landscape.
- King bed (76 in): 68 × 80 or 88 × 104 in landscape.
- Desk (48–60 in): 26 × 36 for an accent, 50 × 60 to fill the wall.
Test it with painter's tape
Before you order, mark the size on the wall. Measure the width and height, and stick four pieces of painter's tape at the corners, or run tape around the whole outline. Step back to where you normally stand or sit. If the taped shape looks small, go up a size. This takes two minutes and saves a return you can't make: tapestries are made to order, so they can't be sent back for being the wrong size.
Other things size affects
- Hanging: the bigger the tapestry, the more attachment points it needs along the top. Our guide to hanging a tapestry without nails covers which method suits each size.
- Detail: busy, detailed artwork reads better large. Simple, bold artwork holds up at any size.
- Other uses: the 50 × 60 doubles as a throw, and the two largest work as a bedspread or picnic blanket. All sizes are machine washable in cold water. See using a tapestry as a headboard, canopy or room divider.
Quick picks
- Dorm or small bedroom: 50 × 60.
- Behind a queen bed: 68 × 80.
- Whole wall or streaming backdrop: 88 × 104.
- Above a desk or in a gallery wall: 26 × 36.
See every design in the tapestries collection. For a calm bedroom wall, start with Star Valley or Lost Forest Magic Portal.