How to Hang Wall Art Above Bed Like a Pro

Last Updated on December 3, 2024

Get step by step tips and tricks to perfectly hang wall art above bed to create a beautifully decorated bedroom.

Fun fact: I am really good at hanging wall art! I’m not sure where this skill came from because I never particularly liked math growing up. But man, you give me the most complex art or photo arrangement and I’ll nail it every time (pun intended!). Hanging art, especially multiple pieces, can seem a little overwhelming. I tried to break this down super carefully with a lot of visual graphics to help!

Read below to get super helpful tips on how to hang a simple single piece or art or even more complex 3 pieces of wall art over a bed. 

Art Above King Bed

Striped Quilt | Striped Lumbar Cover | Navy Throw Blanket

When decorating our coastal guest bedroom, I knew I wanted to hang some sort of art above the bed. We have a king size bed in our guestroom because I want our guests to be super comfortable and have plenty of space. Since I needed longer art to balance out this king bed, I decided to hang 3 large picture frames above the bed. I thought this could create a little more visual interest than a single piece of art. Plus, we have some amazing photos from vacations that I wanted to incorporate!

Our king size guest bed headboard is 87.25” wide. When hanging art above beds, your art should be about 75% the width of your headboard. This helps create visual balance in the space. Art that is too small or too large won’t look right. Using my headboard as an example, I was looking for art that would be about 65” wide (give or take a few inches!). It’s not a perfect science, but you want to get in the ballpark. I will break down the math further down this post with visuals on exactly how I measured out the art.

I decided on some white picture frames from Ikea that were 19 3/4” wide, 27 1/2” tall and were less than $20/each. Putting 4” of space between my frames would get me art that was 67.25” long, or 77% of my headboard width. This was perfect!

Discover more bedroom posts:
→How to Create the Perfect Preppy Coastal Guest Bedroom
→The Most Dreamy Coastal Bedroom Design

Rules for Hanging Art Over Bed

First off, I hate the word “rules” when it comes to decorating, so think of this more as guidelines. 

1. Art should be around 75% the width of your bed frame. 

If it’s a little less or a little more, that’s totally fine! But shoot for around 75%, so that the art isn’t quite as wide as the headboard but isn’t dwarfed by it either. See the visual below on how to size 3 pieces of art above a bed.

2. Art should be hung around 8” above the bed frame. 

Again, there is always some leeway by a couple inches in either direction but 8” is a good distance to put between the top of your bed frame and the bottom of where your art will hit. 

3. Put 4-5” between multiple art pieces above bed. 

When hanging more than one piece of art above a bed, always give them enough breathing room without making them feel too distant. The art above our king guest bed is exactly 4” apart. 

How to Hang 3 Pictures Over Bed

Hanging 2 or 3 pictures over a bed is a little more challenging than hanging just one. It’s not hard! It just requires a little more measuring.

What You’ll Need:

Painter’s Tape

Blue painters tape is my #1 go to for measuring pretty much anything. This goes for laying out rugs, measuring for furniture – you name it! And I never hang art without my blue tape. 

Tape Measure

This is pretty obvious, but you will need a tape measure to measure your headboard and the art itself. 

Level

To make sure your art is perfectly straight, use a level and you can make any needed adjustments.

Hanging Tools

This all depends on how you’re hanging your art. For this art, I used nails. So I needed a hammer and nails. If you’re hanging with screws, you will also need a drill. Most art will come with hanging tools, so be sure to follow whatever instructions came with your art or picture frame. 

Pencil or Pen

I like to mark exactly where my nail is going, so I always use a pen or pencil to mark the spot. 

Steps to Hang 3 Pictures Over Bed

1. Measure Your Bed Frame

The first step is to measure the width of your bedframe against the wall. This will determine what size art you’ll want to choose. As I mentioned, you’ll want to look for art that is about 75% of the length of your headboard.

Example: if headboard length is 87.25” long, look for art that is around 65” long

2. Mark the Center of the Headboard

Use your tape measure to determine the center of the headboard and mark it with blue tape. Your middle art piece should be dead center with the headboard. I mark the center of the headboard and then measure exactly 8” above since art should be hung 8” above the top of the headboard. Tear a small piece of blue tape to mark the spot that is in the center of the headboard and 8” above. 

I will often use multiple pieces of blue tape just to triple check I’m in the right spot. I also recommend using a level to make sure your blue tape is straight. Crooked blue tape can throw off your measurements!

3. Measure the Height of Your Art 

Measure the height (top to bottom) of your art and write it down. Then, take that number and measure that amount up from your center/8” blue tape. 

Example: My art was 27 ½” tall, so I measured 27.5” up from my center/8” blue tape and added a second blue tape marker. 

4. Measure the Back Frame of Art

Whether you’re hanging a canvas or a picture frame, you need to determine where your nail or screw will connect to. My art was easy because it was relatively lightweight and only needed a medium-size nail to support it. The frame would hang directly on the nail. But the frame “lip” measured 1/2” so I needed to account for that when determining where to place the nail. 

5. Subtract the Back of Art Hanger from the Top Blue Tape Marker

Since you’ve already marked the total height of the frame up from the 8” marker, you just need to subtract the measurement of the “lip” of the frame. 

Example: My top blue tape marker was exactly 27.5” up from the center/8” mark. Simply subtract the back of art hanger (for me this was .5”). 27.5 -. 5 = 27”

Set a new blue tape mark and use a pencil or pen to draw a dot at the exact spot. This is where your nail or screw will go.

6. Hammer Your Nail (or Drill your Screw)

If you’re using a simple nail like me, just hammer it in the spot you marked. If you’re using a screw, determine whether or not you need an anchor or a stud. This will be needed for heavier art. When using screws, if your mark is on a stud, you don’t need an anchor. If your art is heavy and the mark is not on a stud, make sure you use an anchor. I have an entire kit of screws and anchors in different sizes, so I always have the right one on hand.  

Most art will come with hanging hardware, but we have moved a lot, and those things can get misplaced! I always recommend having your own kit. 

7. Hang & Level Your Center Art 

Place your center art on the nail or screw and use a level to make sure it’s perfectly straight. This art will also serve as the guide for your other two pieces.

8. Measure the Width of Your Art

You’ll want 4-5” between each piece of art. So, to determine where to place your nails or screws for the other two art pieces, you’re going to have to do some math (eeek!). Don’t worry, this isn’t college Algebra! This is simple math with lots of little details. I am not an advanced mathematician, so if I can figure it out, so can you!

First, measure the width of your art. For me, this was 19 ¾”. Next, divide that number in half.

Ex: 19.75/2 = 9.875”, which I rounded up to 9.9” (these kinds of numbers are super annoying but don’t stress!!)

Finally, you’ll want to add the inches between the art with the number above. I put 4” between the art. So, I added 4 + 9.9 = 13.9”

9. Mark the Center of the End Art Pieces

With your center art piece already hung, take the number from above and measure from your center art piece. Mark it with blue tape. This is going to be your guide for where we eventually put our next nails!

Example: for my art, I measured 13.9” from the edge of the center frame on both sides. Don’t worry about the vertical location as long as it’s correct horizontally (side to side).

10. Measure Floor to Center Nail

Take the center art off the nail. Measure floor to nail and write it down. I find this is the easiest way to mark where the other 2 nails should go.

Since you’ve already marked the horizontal distance, now you can mark the vertical distance! Use blue tape to mark and a pencil or pen to mark the exact spot for your nail. Be precise with this step!

11. Hang & Level Your Other 2 Art Pieces

Hang your other 2 art pieces and get them level. I also measure in between to make sure there is 4” in between. You may have to make minor adjustments (slide them on the nail) to get them just right.

If you mismeasure or screw something up, don’t stress! This happens to me sometimes and although it’s frustrating, it’s easily fixable. You can always patch holes if you make a mistake. This can be a learning process, especially if you’re new to hanging art or pictures! Each time, you’ll get better and better. 

Wall Art Above Bed Safety

Wall art above beds is beautiful but you also want it to be safe. First, I make sure the art is securely hung from the get-go. I also place hands on either side of the art and push on the wall back and forth to make sure it’s staying in place. If there’s any movement, put in reinforcements (potentially a bigger nail or screw or adding anchors). I also pull our beds a couple inches forward to give some distance between the art and our heads!

I personally do not recommend hanging super heavy art above your bed. The art above our beds would not cause any significant damage if it were to fall off. That being said, it would be quite jarring which is why it’s hung so carefully! Use your best judgement when choosing the art that hangs above your bed.

Single Art Above Bed

If you decide to just do a single piece of art above your bed, that is much easier to execute and can also look really beautiful. Simply follow steps 1-7 above and you’ll have perfectly symmetrical art!

We actually used to have 3 picture frames above our bed until we moved into our new house. I decided to do a single piece of art and move those pics to the basement. It’s a beautiful piece from Studio McGee that used to be in our family room, and I love it over our bed!

Our old bedroom with 3 picture frames above:

Art above beds is a perfect decorating choice and can really elevate your bedroom design. I hope this post gave you some good tips and inspiration for your bedroom. Happy decorating!

This post is about how to hang wall art above bed.

Art Over Bed FAQ

Should you put art above bed?

Yes, art above a bed is a great decorating choice! 

How high is art above bed?

Art should be hung around 8” above your headboard.

What kind of art do you put over your bed?

Canvas art, framed pictures, and organic wall hangings make great choices for art over a bed. 

What are the rules for art over bed?

Art should be hung about 8” above your headboard. If you hang multiple pieces of art, space them 4-5” apart. 

Is it safe to hang a picture over your bed?

As long as the art is securely hung, it should be very safe. Always do a stress test to make sure art is securely in place to ensure safety. 

What size art over bed?

Art should be about 75% of the width of your headboard.