Picking wall art for a living room sounds simple until you're standing in front of a blank wall with a measuring tape and absolutely no idea where to start. I've had people message me in a genuine panic because they bought something too small and it looked like a postage stamp. Or too large and it swallowed the whole room. So I figured I'd put together something actually useful, because good coastal wall art for Australian living rooms deserves better than guesswork.
Start With the Wall, Not the Print
Before you even look at prints, measure your wall. Write it down. Then work out how much of that wall you actually want the art to cover. A good rule of thumb is that your artwork should fill roughly 60 to 75 percent of the available wall space. Not the whole room, not a tiny sliver in the middle.
For a standard Australian living room with a couch below the wall, you want your print to sit about 15 to 20cm above the top of the furniture. This anchors everything together and stops the art from floating off into the ceiling.
If you're hanging above a fireplace or console, a wider landscape format works beautifully. That's where something like my Point Addis Art Print I earns its place. I shot this one from above the cliffs on a morning when the light was cutting across the water at a low angle. The colours in that shot just happen to read brilliantly at larger sizes. It's my top seller for a reason, and I reckon a lot of that is because it works so well as a statement piece above a lounge.
Choosing the Right Size for Your Space
Here's a quick breakdown of how my sizes work in real living rooms:
- M (42x59.4cm): Great for a small feature wall, a reading nook, or grouped with another print.
- L (59.4x84.1cm): The sweet spot for most living rooms. Big enough to hold its own without being overwhelming.
- XL (84.1x118.9cm): For those who want the art to be the room. Perfect for open-plan spaces.
- EPIC (100x150cm): This is 1.5 metres wide. A proper statement. Incredible in high-ceiling rooms or large open living areas.
If you're not sure, I've got a full size guide here with more detail on how each size looks in a real space.
Framed or Unframed, What's Right for You
A lot of people overthink this. If you want to hang it and forget about it, go framed. All my frames are FSC certified timber, so you're not getting cheap flat-pack stuff that bows after six months. They're ready to hang straight out of the box.
If you've got your own frame or you're a keen DIY decorator, unframed prints give you more flexibility. I print to order and ship everything from Victoria, so what you're getting isn't sitting in a warehouse somewhere. It's made for you.
For living rooms specifically, I'd lean toward a framed canvas or a shadow box framed print. The depth adds something. My Point Roadknight Art Print II in a shadow box frame looks genuinely excellent on a white or light grey wall. I took that shot looking down the coast toward the point, and the way the sand curves through the frame gives it real movement. People keep stopping to look at it, which is kind of the whole point.
You can compare all the framing options in detail on the product guide page.
Matching Coastal Art to Your Interior Style
You don't need a beach house to hang coastal wall art in your living room. Australian homes have been leaning into relaxed, coastal-inspired interiors for years, and for good reason. It works.
If your living room is mostly neutral tones, earthy timbers and linen textures, go for prints with warm water tones. Lots of my Surf Coast shots fit here. If you've got a more modern, minimal space with cooler tones, something with deep blue ocean and clean lines works well.
The main thing is to pick a place you actually connect with. Generic beach art from a big box retailer doesn't have any story behind it. Every print I sell is a place I've actually been, a moment I was actually standing there for. That's what makes coastal wall art for Australian living rooms feel like something rather than just decoration.
Take the Coast Home
If you've been scrolling for ages trying to find the right print, start with my top sellers. The Point Addis Art Print I is the most popular print in the shop for a reason. Explore the full range and find the coastal print that actually means something to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size wall art should I get for a living room?
For most Australian living rooms, an L size (59.4x84.1cm) or XL size (84.1x118.9cm) works best. Your artwork should cover roughly 60 to 75 percent of the available wall space, and should sit about 15 to 20cm above any furniture beneath it. If you have a large open-plan space or high ceilings, the EPIC size at 100x150cm makes a genuine impact.
Is framed or unframed wall art better for a living room?
Framed wall art is the easier choice for a living room because it's ready to hang without any extra steps. Framed canvas and shadow box options add depth and dimension that flat prints don't have, which works well in living spaces where the art is meant to be a focal point. Unframed prints are a good option if you want to use your own frame or match an existing decor style.
What kind of coastal wall art works in a modern Australian living room?
Aerial coastal photography with clean lines and strong colour contrast works well in modern Australian interiors. Prints that feature open ocean, sandy beaches, or dramatic cliff lines tend to complement both warm and cool interior palettes. Choosing a print of a place you've actually been to adds a personal connection that generic stock imagery simply doesn't have.
Does Local Breaks ship wall art across Australia?
Yes, free shipping is included on all orders across Australia. Every print is made to order and printed and shipped from Victoria, so you're getting a fresh print made specifically for you, not something pulled from a warehouse shelf. There is no pickup available, and international shipping is not offered at this stage.
