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The Printavelle journal

Kitchen wall art: colour, placement and a pair that works

A practical way to choose kitchen posters, find a suitable spot and combine two motifs without making the room feel busy.

A practical way to choose kitchen posters, find a suitable spot and combine two motifs without making the room feel busy.

Choose the wall before the picture

Start with a wall you can see from the dining table or doorway. Keep framed paper prints away from direct heat, steam and splashes. A dining nook or a clear wall beside a sideboard is often easier to style than the space immediately above a hob or sink. Measure the clear area and leave room for switches, shelves and cupboards to open.

Borrow a colour from the kitchen

Choose one tone from your tiles, cabinet doors or favourite ceramics. You could repeat blue with a still life, or bring warm fruit colours into a mostly neutral kitchen. One shared shade is enough; every object does not need to match. If your kitchen already has patterned tiles, a simpler print can give the eye somewhere to rest.

Make a pair with different roles

Try one larger visual subject and one quieter companion. A fruit still life can sit beside a softer botanical motif, connected by a shared background colour. Compare the shapes as well as the colours: two very detailed pictures may compete, while one bold shape and one airy composition can feel more balanced.

Test the arrangement before hanging

Mark the outside dimensions of the frames on paper and position the templates on the wall. Check the arrangement both standing and seated at the table. Include the gap between frames in your total measurement. Use our size guide to compare paper sizes, then check the outer dimensions of the frames you choose.

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