Which print should you choose for a kitchen, and where should you hang it?

In a kitchen, the available space depends on the cupboards, splashback and appliances. A dining area wall can accommodate a different arrangement from the small space beside a shelf.

Start by finding a dry spot, then measure it. Choose the size and subject together, taking viewing distance and the existing colours into account.

Where is there room for a print?

Measure the width and height that are actually available. Kitchen dimensions vary: no standard worktop or wall cupboard height automatically tells you how much room there is for a frame.

A portrait 30x40 print is 40 cm high before framing; a 50x70 print is 70 cm high. Add the frame moulding and allow enough space to open cupboards and use appliances.

Three positions are worth comparing:

• An empty section of wall: a 50x70 or 70x100 print can work beside the table. Check the position with a template before choosing from the kitchen prints.
• Near a door: compare 21x30 and 30x40 according to the remaining width. Check the door’s swing and the position of switches.
• The dining area: look at the print from your chair. Our guide to print sizes above furniture helps you calculate the overall dimensions.

Olive trees and citrus fruit: two ideas for a kitchen

An olive tree brings foliage and a distinctive silhouette; a bowl of lemons introduces a brighter colour. Compare the subject as well as the background and the container shown.

A muted green can echo painted cupboard fronts. A yellow can pick up a ceramic piece. With white or dark furniture, focus on the contrast you want: a vivid picture and a gentle palette are both possible choices.

Other subjects to make the wall your own

Mediterranean imagery is only one option. A café scene, folk illustration or contemporary still life may be a better match for your taste and furniture.

Choose with the viewing distance in mind. You can enjoy a small, detailed subject beside a table; a simpler composition remains legible from the doorway.

Abstract prints let you repeat a colour without a food theme. Black and white pictures create another connection with handles, a light fitting or a dark appliance.

Which print works in a vintage kitchen?

An old grocery shop, a bistro or a retro palette offer three different directions. The vintage kitchen print collection lets you compare fruit illustrations, hand-drawn lettering and colourful compositions.

With a patterned splashback, try a picture made of broad shapes. For a pair, connect two prints through a colour or typeface, then compare them with the cupboard fronts and wood.

What about a coffee corner?

A cup, coffee pot or counter scene gives this space an identity. Coffee prints offer subjects to view close up or from the dining area.

Hold a 21x30 or 30x40 template near the machine. Keep the print away from steam and splashes, and check that it does not obstruct refilling the machine or opening cupboards.

Light, steam and grease: choose a dry position

Our prints are made to order in Fayence on 270 gsm semi-matt photographic paper using pigment inks. The semi-matt finish reduces reflections without eliminating them under every condition. Look at the wall at different times of day.

Paper remains sensitive to water and prolonged humidity. Avoid splashes, steam, greasy deposits and proximity to heat sources. A distance of one metre does not guarantee a suitable position: observe how the room is actually used.

A frame covers the front of the print but does not make the whole assembly watertight. If the wall regularly receives steam or splashes, choose another position, such as the dining area.

One large print or a pair?

Two portrait 30x40 prints separated by 5 cm occupy a width of 65 cm and a height of 40 cm before adding the mouldings. One 50x70 print occupies 50 cm in width and 70 cm in height before framing. Compare these two proportions.

A pair can bring together two similar views or two subjects connected by a colour. The gallery wall guide suggests arrangements you can adapt to your wall’s dimensions.

Should you choose a print with a message?

A quotation or a touch of humour can work if you will enjoy the words over time. Check that you can read them from the place where you will view the print: the table, kitchen entrance or coffee corner.

The examples below show several approaches to lettering. Compare the size of the letters, contrast and distribution of colour with your decor, looking beyond the message alone.

Three checks before hanging

Height: try it while standing and seated. Leave enough room to use the worktop and move objects without bringing the paper close to exposed areas.

Legibility: compare a line art print or a minimalist composition with a detailed picture from your usual viewpoint.

The other walls: the dining area can accommodate fruit prints, botanical subjects or another palette from the decorating selection. Compare it with the original position.

Coordinating an open kitchen with the living room

A repeated frame finish or colour can connect the two spaces. You can also distinguish them through the subject matter. The living room prints and our guide to what to hang on a living room wall provide points of comparison.