Where will it hang?
Five rooms, five ways to hang a map of somewhere that matters, and the stairs as a bonus. Pick the room first, the place second.
Over the sofa, or beside it
A map poster likes room to breathe. Hang it over a sofa with a hand’s width of wall on either side, or lean it on a shelf if you are not ready to drill.
- Centre it on the sofa, not the wall
- 15–25 cm above the back
- Offset style
- Amsterdam
The first thing you see
A hallway poster is the place you leave from and come back to. Quiet styles read well in a narrow space.
- Eye level, about 145 cm to the centre
- Pair with a mirror or a hook rail
- Fjord style
- Reykjavik
Above the bed, or opposite it
Calm water and soft colours suit rooms you wake up in. Go for the place you slow down in.
- Hang 20–30 cm above the headboard
- Keep it out of direct morning sun
- Fjord style
- Copenhagen
Where everyone ends up
Kitchens are for the loud, colourful ones. A place you ate well in does a lot of work here.
- Away from the hob and splashes
- A frame with glass is easiest to wipe
- Tokyo style
- Tokyo
In front of you, all day
Something to rest your eyes on between calls. Offset keeps the lines bold and the mood awake.
- At eye level when seated
- Matte paper avoids screen glare
- Offset style
- Copenhagen
A wall people pass slowly
Stairs give a long wall and a pause on every step. One tall poster, hung where you stop to turn, does more than a gallery of small ones.
- Centre it on the wall, not on the steps
- Keep it clear of the handrail
- Atlas style
- Hamburg
Three rules that cover most walls
Eye level
The centre of the poster sits about 145 cm from the floor.
Above furniture
Leave 15–25 cm between the frame and a sofa, bed or sideboard.
Out of the sun
Direct sun fades any print. A bright wall is fine, a sunny one is not.