50 × 70 or 70 × 100 cm print: which size should you choose?

You are deciding between a 50 × 70 cm print and the 70 × 100 cm size. On a product page the two may look similar; on the wall, the difference is immediately visible.

Here is how to compare them with your room’s dimensions, the intended frame and the place from which you will view the image.

Simulation of a large print in a colourful living room; size is assessed in relation to the furniture.

Understand what actually changes between the sizes

In portrait orientation, 50 × 70 cm measures 50 cm wide and 70 cm high. The 70 × 100 cm size gains 20 cm in width and 30 cm in height. Its printed area is twice as large: 7,000 cm² compared with 3,500 cm². This explains why it has a noticeably greater presence on a wall.

Portrait size comparison, excluding frames

Measurement	50 × 70 cm	70 × 100 cm
Width	50 cm	70 cm
Height	70 cm	100 cm
Printed area	3 500 cm²	7 000 cm²

The proportions are not exactly the same: 50 divided by 70 does not equal 70 divided by 100. Do not assume an enlargement preserves every edge identically. Look at the crop offered for the chosen size, especially when a figure or text sits near the outline. These sizes are not automatic synonyms for A2 or A1 either.

Measure a usable area, not the entire room

Note the available width between obstacles: door, shelf, wall light, curtain or corner. Then measure the height between the furniture and the upper boundary that matters visually. A large wall is not necessarily fully usable if a lamp and plant already occupy part of its volume.

For a print intended for the living room, start with the furniture it relates to. The guide to sizes above a sofa helps interpret that relationship. In a bedroom, also consider reading lamps, the headboard and the view from the entrance before choosing the largest available size.

Make two templates at the right dimensions

Cut one 50 × 70 cm rectangle and another measuring 70 × 100 cm. Put them in the same position successively, using a method compatible with the wall covering. Keep the centre or bottom edge in the same place, according to your plan, to compare only one variable at a time.

Observe from your seat and from the main walkway. Photograph each trial with the same framing. Do not move the camera closer to the smaller size: that would distort your perception. If you plan a frame, also prepare its outer outline. A template of the print alone underestimates the space occupied by the whole object.

Choose according to how the image reads

A highly detailed work can benefit from a size that allows its scene to be distinguished from the usual position. Compare classical reproductions and still lifes by considering where you want to focus attention. Larger is not automatically better: an image viewed close up can work perfectly at 50 × 70 cm.

Abstract compositions and minimalist drawings can remain readable from further away through large shapes. But a large dark area also visually occupies more wall. A strongly contrasting print from the black-and-white collection may feel more present than a light landscape of the same size.

Prints to complement this look

Portrait or landscape: look at the actual width

In the portrait format range, 70 × 100 cm remains tall and relatively narrow. Among landscape images, the equivalent reads 100 × 70 cm: its width suits a different place. Orientation belongs to the chosen composition; it is not an option created by turning a vertical image.

An example helps compare: in a hypothetical clear area 120 cm wide, a landscape image 100 cm wide leaves 20 cm in total before allowing for framing. A portrait image 70 cm wide leaves 50 cm. Choosing the direction can therefore matter more than the format’s name alone.

Allow for the frame and other images

Frames are optional at Affichely. Check outer size, finish and fixings even if a room photograph already shows the print framed. A mount enlarges the arrangement further. Our guide to choosing a mount explains this decision separately from printed size.

If you plan several pictures, calculate the group’s width including every frame and gap. Two small sizes may occupy more width than one large print. Conversely, replacing two images with one can leave more space for a lamp or neighbouring furniture.

For a print you may move later, also think about the other walls where it might live. A large size may suit one particular position perfectly; the smaller one sometimes offers more possibilities in your home, without that flexibility having to decide for you.

When should you choose each size?

50 × 70 cm is worth testing for an image viewed close up, a limited wall or an arrangement of several works. Botanical motifs can stay readable without occupying a whole wall section. Still check the drawing’s density and its actual position.

70 × 100 cm suits a project where one image should play the main role. A nature landscape or colourful composition can then be seen from several places in the living room. The wall, framing and viewing distance must leave it that place without interfering with use.

Keep the trial that lets you see image and furniture as a whole. If you must move useful objects to fit the large size, the smaller one may be more appropriate. If the smaller looks isolated despite a good position, compare the larger before adding other frames around it.

When comparing 50 × 70 and 70 × 100 cm, include a frame in the budget for each size. The price table by size uses current prices for an example print and compatible frames; delivery is additional.