Picking wall art for your living room sounds simple until you're actually standing in front of a blank wall with no idea where to start. What size? What frame? What style? I get asked these questions all the time, and honestly, they're good ones. Get it right and a print can completely change how a room feels. Get it wrong and you've got something too small, too dark, or just a bit off. So here's my no-nonsense guide to choosing coastal wall art for your living room, based on what I've seen work.
Start With the Wall, Not the Print
Before you fall in love with a print, measure your wall. I know, boring advice, but it saves so much regret. A good rule of thumb is that your artwork should fill about two thirds of the available wall width. So if you've got a 180cm wide sofa, you're looking for something in the 120cm range, or a gallery wall that spans that width.
For a standard Australian living room, an L size (59.4 x 84.1cm) is usually the sweet spot for a single statement piece. If you've got a big open plan space or high ceilings, go XL (84.1 x 118.9cm) or push all the way to the EPIC (100 x 150cm). That's a 1.5 metre wide print. When one of those goes up on a wall, you notice it the second you walk in.
Anything smaller than an M (42 x 59.4cm) in a living room tends to get lost. They work better in hallways, bathrooms, or grouped together. Check out the size guide if you want to see exactly how each size looks in a real room setting.
Picking a Print That Actually Means Something
Here's what separates good wall art from great wall art: connection. The best prints on people's walls are the ones tied to a place they love. I shoot every photo myself, at real locations I know well. These aren't stock images pulled from a database. They're places I've stood at in the early morning light, waited for the tide to drop, or driven two hours to catch.
Take the Point Addis Art Print I. It's my top selling print and for good reason. The view from above Point Addis is one of those shots that stops people in their tracks. I've had customers tell me they walked past Anglesea every summer for years and never realised how good it looked from that angle. That's what makes it work in a living room. It's not just pretty, it's a place people actually know.
Same goes for the Point Roadknight Art Print II. Shot looking along the Anglesea coastline toward Point Roadknight, with Soapy Rocks sitting in the shallows and that gorgeous turquoise water stretching out. It's specific and real. That's why it sits beautifully as a feature wall piece, especially in a coastal or beach house style living room.
Choosing the Right Frame for a Living Room
Framing matters more than most people think. Here's a quick breakdown of what works where.
- Classic framed print: Clean, simple, works in most living rooms. Great if your style is modern or Scandi-influenced.
- Framed canvas: Adds texture and depth. Feels more like a traditional artwork. Works well in warmer, more relaxed living spaces.
- Shadow box framed print: The print floats inside the frame with a gap around it. Looks premium and considered. Popular choice for statement pieces.
- Premium shadow box with Tru Vue glass: This is the top tier. The glass almost disappears, meaning the print pops with no glare. If you're buying something for a forever home, this is worth it.
All my frames are made from FSC certified timber. I use them because I care about where the materials come from, and because they're genuinely well made. They arrive ready to hang, so you don't need to organise a framer or source hardware.
If you're not sure which option is right for you, the product guide walks through each one with photos so you can see the difference clearly.
Take the Coast Home
If you've been on the Great Ocean Road, spent a summer at Barwon Heads, or surfed Bells Beach at some point in your life, there's a print here that belongs on your wall. These aren't generic ocean shots. They're places with names, histories, and memories attached to them. That's what makes coastal wall art actually worth buying.
Browse the full range and find your spot at localbreaks.com.au. Free shipping anywhere in Australia, printed to order here in Victoria, and ready to hang when it arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size wall art should I get for a living room?
For most Australian living rooms, an L size (59.4 x 84.1cm) works well as a single feature piece. If you have a large open plan space or high ceilings, go for XL or EPIC (100 x 150cm, which is 1.5 metres wide). As a general rule, your artwork should fill around two thirds of the width of the wall or furniture it sits above.
What is the best type of frame for living room wall art?
A shadow box framed print or premium shadow box with Tru Vue glass tends to look the best in a living room because the floating effect gives the artwork a considered, premium feel. Classic framed prints work well in modern or minimal spaces. If you're unsure, the product guide shows each option side by side.
Is coastal wall art suitable for rooms that aren't near the beach?
Absolutely. Coastal wall art works in any home, whether you're in a suburb in Melbourne or a terrace in Sydney. The appeal isn't about where you live, it's about the connection to a place you love or the feeling a print gives a room. A good coastal print brings light, space, and a sense of calm to any living area.
Do you ship wall art across Australia?
Yes, I offer free shipping to anywhere in Australia. Every print is made to order and shipped from Victoria. There's no pickup option and I don't ship internationally at this stage.
Find your favourite stretch of coast and put it on your wall. That's what this is all about.
