The Living Room Gets the Most Eyes. Make It Count.
The living room is where you actually live. It's where guests sit down, where you collapse after work, where the family gathers. And if there's one wall that people notice more than any other in the house, it's the main wall in that room.
I've shipped a lot of coastal wall art across Australia, and the living room is by far the most common placement. People know they want something there. They just get stuck on what size to go for, which print to choose, and whether to frame it or go canvas. So let me walk you through it properly.
Start With Size. Get This Wrong and Nothing Else Matters.
Most people go too small. It's the single most common mistake. A print that looks generous on screen can look like a postage stamp above a three-seat sofa.
For a standard living room feature wall, you want to be thinking L size (59.4x84.1cm) as a starting point, but honestly, XL (84.1x118.9cm) is where most living rooms really come alive. If you've got a wide open wall and high ceilings, the EPIC size at 100x150cm is worth considering. That's 1.5 metres wide. It makes a statement.
A good rule of thumb: your artwork should take up roughly two thirds of the width of whatever furniture sits beneath it. For a gallery wall with multiple prints, you can mix sizes, but anchor it with at least one larger piece.
If you're unsure, check out the Local Breaks size guide before you order. It takes the guesswork out of it.
Which Print Works for a Living Room?
Honestly, the prints that work best in living rooms are the ones with a strong sense of place. Not generic "beach vibes" art. A specific beach you've actually been to, or a place that means something to you.
Some of my most popular living room prints are the ones shot from above. The aerial perspective gives you a lot of visual interest to look at every day. The Point Addis Art Print I is my top seller for exactly this reason. From up high, the colours of that bay are incredible and the shape of the cliffs tells a story. People tell me they find something new in it every time they look.
The Bells Beach Art Print I is another one that goes straight to the living room wall. Bells is one of those places that carries real emotional weight for anyone who grew up on the Surf Coast or spent their summers down there. Having it on the wall is a proper daily connection to the place.
If you're decorating a coastal property on the Bellarine, the Barwon Heads Art Print I is a strong choice. Guests recognise it immediately, and that recognition is what makes location-specific art so powerful in a shared space.
Frame It or Go Canvas? Here's the Honest Answer.
For living rooms, both work. It really comes down to the light in the room.
If your living room gets a lot of natural light or the main wall catches afternoon sun, I'd lean toward a floating frame canvas. It uses 400gsm Hahnemuhle Daguerre museum quality canvas with no glass, which means zero reflections at any angle. Great for bright rooms. The frame comes in black, white or oak timber, all FSC certified.
If your room is more controlled or you love that gallery-quality finish, the classic frame is my most popular option. It's a solid timber frame with archival glass, printed on 250gsm art paper with giclee inks, and it comes with a 10-year warranty. It looks exactly like something you'd see hanging in a proper gallery.
For a premium finish in a room that matters, the shadow box frame creates a beautiful floating effect where the glass sits 20mm off the print. It adds real depth. And if your wall gets direct afternoon sun, the premium shadow box with Tru Vue Museum Glass gives you 99% UV protection and virtually eliminates glare. That one's worth every cent if you want the print to look perfect for decades.
You can compare all the options in detail in Framed Beach Prints Australia: How to Choose the Right Frame for Your Coastal Wall Art.
Bring the Coast Into the Room You Use Most
The living room is the one place in the house where art does the most work. People sit with it, visitors comment on it, and you walk past it every single day. I've had customers tell me that their print has become the centrepiece of their whole living space, and that they're constantly getting compliments from guests. That's the kind of art worth putting up.
Every print I sell is shot by me personally, printed to order in Victoria, and shipped free anywhere in Australia. No pickups, no middlemen, just a print made with care and sent straight to your door, ready to hang.
If you want to find the right print for your living room, browse the full collection and start with the location that means the most to you. All prints start from $89.
And if you're figuring out exactly what size to order, the practical size guide for each room is worth a read before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size wall art should I get for a living room?
For most living rooms, L size (59.4x84.1cm) is the minimum worth considering, and XL (84.1x118.9cm) is usually the sweet spot. Art that's too small above a sofa disappears into the room. Aim for a print that takes up around two thirds of the width of the furniture sitting beneath it. If you have a large open wall, the EPIC size at 100x150cm makes a real impact.
Should I get a framed print or canvas for a living room?
Both work well in a living room. A floating frame canvas is ideal if your room gets a lot of natural light, because there's no glass to create reflections. A classic framed print gives a more gallery-style finish and suits rooms with controlled lighting. If your wall gets direct sun, a premium shadow box with Tru Vue Museum Glass offers 99% UV protection and virtually no glare.
What kind of beach wall art works best in a living room?
Location-specific beach wall art works best because it carries meaning beyond just decoration. A print of a beach you love, a place you holiday, or somewhere connected to your life gives people something to talk about and gives you something real to look at every day. Generic coastal art tends to fade into the background. Specific places stay with you.
Does coastal wall art work in a living room that isn't near the beach?
Coastal wall art works in any living room, not just beachside homes. In fact, some of my most enthusiastic customers are people living in cities who want a daily reminder of the coast. A print of your favourite beach in the living room keeps that connection alive all year round, no matter where you live in Australia.
