How big is A3 in cm and inches?

A3 is 29.7 × 42 cm (11.7 × 16.5 in), twice the size of A4.

What size art goes above a sofa?

As a rule of thumb, an A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) or a group that covers between half and two-thirds of the sofa’s width.

Do the prints come framed?

No. The prints are sold unframed, so you can choose a standard frame in the matching A size.

Print sizes A4, A3, A2 and A1: a visual guide to choosing the right size

A sizes are the European paper standard: each one is exactly double the previous one and they all share the same proportion (1:√2). A4 is ordinary office paper; A1 is already a large piece that fills a wall.

Dimensions of each size

Size	Centimetres	Inches	Typical use
A4	21 × 29.7 cm	8.3 × 11.7 in	Shelves, desks, gallery walls
A3	29.7 × 42 cm	11.7 × 16.5 in	Bedrooms, hallways, narrow walls
A2	42 × 59.4 cm	16.5 × 23.4 in	Above a chest of drawers, sideboard or headboard
A1	59.4 × 84.1 cm	23.4 × 33.1 in	Above the sofa or as the centrepiece of a living room

The two-thirds rule

A common decorating guideline: the artwork, or group of artworks, should cover between half and two-thirds of the width of the furniture beneath it. For a 190 cm sofa that means about 95-125 cm: a landscape A1 (84 cm) is a little short on its own, but works very well with a wide frame or flanked by two A3s. For a 100 cm chest of drawers, an A2 (59 cm) is just right.

How high to hang it

The usual rule is to put the centre of the artwork at eye level, about 145-150 cm from the floor. Above a sofa or sideboard, leave about 20-25 cm between the furniture and the bottom edge so they read as one group.

When the painting doesn’t match the paper

Many famous paintings don’t share the proportions of an A sheet: The Starry Night is wider and Girl with a Pearl Earring is squarer. Our prints never crop the painting: it is centred on the paper with a clean white border, like a mount. Keep that border in mind if you are framing it.

Gallery walls

For a gallery wall, start with the largest piece in the centre (an A2) and arrange A3s and A4s around it with the same gap between them, 5 to 8 cm. Mixing works from the same period or with similar colours gives the group unity.

Frequently asked questions

How big is A3 in cm and inches?: A3 is 29.7 × 42 cm (11.7 × 16.5 in), twice the size of A4.
What size art goes above a sofa?: As a rule of thumb, an A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) or a group that covers between half and two-thirds of the sofa’s width.
Do the prints come framed?: No. The prints are sold unframed, so you can choose a standard frame in the matching A size.

Updated 21 October 2026.