A2 sounds like a size until you try to picture it on a wall. Here is what our sizes actually mean, in centimetres and in real rooms.
What Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large mean
On a product page you pick a format and a size. Those four size names map to these dimensions.
| Size | Poster | Canvas & acrylic |
|---|---|---|
| Small | A4 — 21 × 29.7 cm (8 × 12 in) | 20 × 30 cm (8 × 12 in) |
| Medium | A3 — 29.7 × 42 cm (12 × 16 in) | 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in) |
| Large | A2 — 42 × 59.4 cm (16 × 24 in) | 40 × 60 cm (16 × 24 in) |
| Extra Large | A1 — 59.4 × 84.1 cm (24 × 33 in) | 60 × 90 cm (24 × 36 in) |
Posters
Posters use the international A-series, so the proportions are identical at every size - each step up is roughly double the area of the one below.
| Size | Dimensions | Roughly the size of | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 (Small) | 21 × 29.7 cm | A sheet of printer paper | A shelf, a desk, a narrow gap beside a door. Small — most people underestimate how small. |
| A3 (Medium) | 29.7 × 42 cm | Two sheets of paper side by side | A kitchen wall above a counter, or one panel of a gallery wall. |
| A2 (Large) | 42 × 59.4 cm | An open broadsheet newspaper | The everyday hero size. Reads clearly above a sofa, bed or console. |
| A1 (Extra Large) | 59.4 × 84.1 cm | A large poster on a café wall | A statement on its own above a sofa or bed. This is the one to pick if you want the art to be the thing you notice first. |
Canvases and acrylic prints
Canvas and acrylic are sized in centimetres rather than A-sizes, and share the same four sizes. On a canvas the measurement is the printed face — the wrapped edge sits behind it.
| Size | Best for |
|---|---|
| 20 × 30 cm (Small) | A shelf or a small nook. Choose Slim depth at this size so the wrap doesn't eat into the design. |
| 30 × 40 cm (Medium) | A kitchen or hallway wall, or one of a pair. |
| 40 × 60 cm (Large) | The comfortable middle. Works above most furniture. |
| 60 × 90 cm (Extra Large) | A full statement piece above a sofa or bed. |
Slim or Thick? Slim has a narrow edge and keeps the artwork flat and forward — it's the safer choice on smaller canvases, where a deep wrap can pull the lettering around the corner. Thick gives a chunkier, more sculptural profile and looks best from 40 × 60 cm upwards.
Acrylic is a 4 mm sheet of acrylic glass with the image behind it, so the colours read deeper and the surface has a wet gloss. It arrives with a hanging kit and floats a little off the wall. No glazing to catch reflections the way a frame does, and nothing to warp in a humid room.
Two rules that make hanging easier
Fill about two thirds. Art hung above furniture looks right when it spans roughly two thirds of the width of the piece below it. Above a 180 cm sofa, that points you to an A1, or a pair of A2s hung side by side.
Hang lower than you think. The centre of the artwork wants to sit at about 145–150 cm from the floor — eye level for most people. Above a sofa, leave 15–20 cm between the top of the backrest and the bottom of the frame.
Still deciding?
Cut a rectangle of newspaper to the size you're considering and tape it to the wall for a day. It costs nothing and settles the argument. Or email hello@studiodaydreamhq.com with a photo of the wall and we'll tell you what we'd pick.