A blank wall is full of possibility — and a little intimidating. Here’s how we think about choosing a piece you’ll still love in ten years.
Start with the feeling, not the colour
The best art doesn’t “match the sofa” — it sets a mood. Before you think about palette, decide how you want the room to feel: calm and restorative, warm and characterful, bold and energising. Choose work that creates that feeling and the colours tend to look after themselves.
Get the scale right
The most common mistake is going too small. As a rule, a single piece above a sofa or bed should span roughly two-thirds of the furniture’s width. When in doubt, size up — a generous piece reads as confident and considered; a small one can look lost.
Give it room to breathe
Hang the centre of your piece at roughly eye level — about 145–150cm from the floor — and resist the urge to crowd it. A little negative space around a work is what makes it feel like art rather than decoration.
Trust your eye
Rules help, but the piece you keep coming back to is the right one. That’s why every birchivy order comes with 90 days to live with it — so you can see it on your own wall, in your own light, with no risk.
