Art above fireplace mantels: the panoramic shape
A mantel is a long, narrow shelf with a wide wall above it. A standard print often leaves empty wall on both sides. A panoramic print repeats the line of the shelf and fills the wall in one piece. The fireplace is often the focal point of a room. This page favors classic paintings that hold that attention: seascapes, mountain ranges and wide country scenes.
What size art goes above a fireplace
Above fireplace wall art is sized by the mantel, not the wall. A common guideline is art about two thirds the width of the mantel shelf. With no mantel, use the width of the fireplace surround. Keep the art narrower than the mantel, so the shelf frames it.
| Mantel width | Two thirds | Panoramic size | Gallery wrap | Framed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 in | 24 in | 8 × 24 in | $90 | $120 |
| 54 in | 36 in | 12 × 36 in | $120 | $150 |
| 72 in | 48 in | 16 × 48 in | $160 | $220 |
| 90 in | 60 in | 20 × 60 in | $200 | $250 |
Most mantels fall between these rows. When in doubt, pick the smaller size, because art wider than the mantel looks top-heavy.
How high to hang art above a mantel
Leave about 6 to 10 inches between the mantel shelf and the bottom of the art. Allow more room if you keep candles, vases or a clock on the shelf. With no shelf, measure from the top of the fireplace surround. Check the wall while a fire burns. If it gets hot to the touch, hang the art higher or on another wall, because heat and soot age canvas. Framed prints arrive with hanging wire, and a long piece is steadier on two hooks. These are guidelines, so adjust them to your room.
Classic landscapes and seascapes
Seascapes are a traditional choice above a fireplace. Try Ivan Aivazovsky's Calm Seas or Alfred Thompson Bricher's New England Coast (about 1890). Bricher's Castle Rock, Marblehead (1878) adds rocks and sails. For mountains, see Koloman Moser's Mountain Landscape at Sunset (View of the Rax) (1913). Jan Stanisławski's Landscape from the Tatra Mountains dates from about 1903. Country scenes suit a farmhouse or cabin room. See John Atkinson Grimshaw's Meadow Landscape with Geese (1892) and Alexander Helwig Wyant's Autumn in the Adirondacks.
Frames for a fireplace wall
Walnut and oak frames echo a wood mantel. Black suits a painted, brick or stone surround. Gallery-wrapped canvas has no frame and keeps a clean edge against busy stone. Canvas has no glass, so it shows no glare from lamps or windows.
Room ideas
In a cabin or farmhouse room, a country scene with cattle or haystacks suits wood beams and stone. In a formal living room, a seascape or a mountain range gives the wall a calm center. In a modern room with a flush fireplace and no shelf, a black-framed snow scene keeps the wall quiet. If the fireplace sits between two windows, leave clear wall on both sides of the art.
More long art
See every size and subject in Panoramic & Horizontal Wall Art. Panoramic Landscape Wall Art has every long landscape we sell. For the sea in standard sizes, see Seascape Paintings. For the space over a sofa, see Wall Art Above Couch.
