There’s a reason 50x70 is the size most Swedes settle on when buying a poster: it’s large enough to stand out from across the room, yet small enough to hang on its own on a narrow wall, and the frame costs less than many people think. But precisely because the format feels like such an obvious choice, many buyers make the same three mistakes, from choosing a frame with a mat that makes the image smaller to hanging two posters too high. This buying guide covers what 50x70 actually is, where it works best, what to avoid, and what you need to consider before placing your order.
Why 50x70 is the middle ground: B2 format and almost three times the area of 30x40
In practice, 50x70 centimeters is the international B2 paper format, which measures 500 x 707 millimeters according to the ISO 216 standard. The standard is based on an idea that dates back to the 18th-century German physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg and was formalized in Germany as DIN 476 in 1921: all sheets have a ratio of 1 to the square root of two, so that a sheet cut in half has exactly the same proportions as the original. The B series sits between the A formats, which explains why B2 is larger than A3 (297 x 420 millimeters) but smaller than B1, which measures 707 x 1000 millimeters and corresponds to what we call 70x100.
Quick facts: 50x70 cm corresponds to the ISO B2 format (500 x 707 mm) and has an area of 0.35 square meters, almost three times as much as 30x40 (0.12 square meters). 70x100 (B1) is twice the size of 50x70. A standard black frame measuring 52 x 72 cm cost 199 kronor at IKEA in September 2026, on par with or less than many prices for smaller frames.
The practical advantage of 50x70 following the B2 standard is that it’s produced in large quantities, making frames, mats, and picture ledges available at every price point. This sets 50x70 apart from formats like 40x50 or 30x40, whose proportions differ from the standard and for which there’s a smaller selection of ready-made frames. We cover 30x40 in our separate 30x40 buying guide, and we go through the really large formats in our guide to XXL posters.
Five places where 50x70 works best, with measurements you can calculate
The rule most interior designers follow is that a picture or group of pictures should cover about two thirds of the width of the furniture below it. Using that rule as a starting point, you can work out where a 50x70 fits. Above a two-seat sofa about 160 centimeters wide, two thirds is about 107 centimeters, which almost exactly matches two 50x70 posters placed side by side with a gap of five to seven centimeters. That gives you 100 centimeters of image area plus the gap, or 105 to 107 centimeters. Many home decor stores recommend the same arrangement for double beds: two 50x70 prints side by side above the headboard are a popular alternative to a single large picture.
The second spot is a narrow hallway wall or corridor. There, 50x70 is often the largest size that won’t overwhelm the space, and a single poster in portrait orientation creates a striking focal point without taking up space. The third spot is above a dresser or side table, where you can lean a 50x70 against the wall instead of hanging it, creating a relaxed feel and making it easy to switch out. The fourth is the dining area, where the picture hangs lower because people are usually seated. The fifth is a gallery wall, where a 50x70 works as the central anchor, with smaller pictures in 30x40 and 21x30 grouped around it.
"50x70 isn’t the largest size you can hang, but it’s the largest you can hang on its own without having to think about the rest of the room."
Above a three-seat sofa measuring 200 to 220 centimeters, however, two 50x70 prints aren’t enough. Two thirds of 210 centimeters is 140 centimeters, and two 50x70 prints cover only 105. It’s better to choose a 70x100 or three 50x70 prints with narrow gaps, giving you an image area of about 165 centimeters. That’s slightly larger than the two-thirds rule, but still works if the sofa is freestanding. If you want to explore the wall above your sofa in more detail, see our dedicated guide on how to calculate the width, height, and spacing above the sofa.
The right motif depends on the location. In a hallway, where people pass by, images with clear silhouettes and few colors work well because there’s only time to register the shape. A graphic black-and-white poster or a photograph of a single clearly defined object are examples that can be taken in at a glance. Above the bed, it’s the opposite: you lie there and look at it at your leisure, so soft color fields, landscapes, and detailed illustrations have time to make an impression. In the dining area, motifs related to food and drink are a safe bet, but still lifes and botanical motifs work too, because they’re recognizable and don’t require interpretation in the middle of a meal.
A popular choice is to buy two related but not identical prints, for example, two botanical studies or two abstract color fields in the same palette. Hung as a pair in 50x70, the eye reads them as a single unit, creating a considered look without having to buy a whole series. Keep the frame color and spacing the same, with five to seven centimeters between the pictures. Differences in height are much more noticeable between two large pictures than among many small ones, so use a spirit level or a laser line and measure from the floor rather than the ceiling, since ceilings are rarely perfectly straight.
Three mistakes with 50x70 - and when to choose a different format
The first mistake is hanging the picture too high. Art experts recommend placing the center of the picture at a height of 145 to 150 centimeters in rooms where people stand and move around. A 50x70 in portrait orientation will have its top edge at about 180 to 185 centimeters if its center is at that height, giving you a clear point of reference to check against the door frame. Above a piece of furniture, there should be 15 to 20 centimeters between the furniture's top edge and the bottom of the frame, no more, or the picture will seem to float.
The second mistake is mixing up portrait and landscape orientation without considering the room. A 50x70 in portrait orientation draws the eye upward and suits rooms with high ceilings, narrow walls, and hallways. The same image in landscape orientation, or 70x50, makes the wall feel wider and works above beds, sofas, and dressers. If you're unsure, cut out a piece of paper to the right size and tape it up in both orientations for a day. It costs nothing and quickly reveals which orientation works best.
The third mistake is choosing a frame with a mat without calculating how it affects the visible image area. A frame with outer dimensions of 52 x 72 centimeters, such as IKEA's RÖDALM, fits a 50x70 image without a mat, but with a mat the image size is reduced to 40x50. That means a 50x70 poster cannot be placed in a frame like this with a mat without being cropped. If you want a mat around a 50x70 poster, the frame needs to be larger, for example 70x100 with a mat, which gives a visible image area of 50x70. You can find more about mat dimensions and colors in our separate buying guide to mats here on the blog.
Choose something other than 50x70 if the wall is less than a meter wide between two fixed points, since 30x40 gives it more breathing room, or if the room is large and the picture needs to be visible from more than three meters away, in which case 70x100 makes more of a statement. Many households settle on a combination, where 50x70 is the recurring format and the others provide variety.
Tip: Measure the wall and cut out a piece of cardboard in 50x70. Tape it up with its center point at 145–150 cm and step back to the doorway. If the picture feels too small, choose 70x100. If it feels too large, choose 30x40. Do the test before you order, not afterward.
Frame, picture ledge, and shipping: how to plan for 50x70 in practice
A standard 50x70 frame costs around 200 kronor. IKEA’s black RÖDALM has outer dimensions of 52 by 72 centimeters, a depth of three centimeters, and a front panel made of polystyrene instead of glass. That’s an advantage for transport and when the frame is going to hang above a bed, but the plastic scratches more easily and creates more reflections than glass. For a room with a lot of direct daylight, it’s worth choosing a frame with a more matte panel. Bozetto sells frames in several materials, including wooden frames that go well with natural-colored and earthy prints, and the full selection is gathered under frames.
If you’d rather avoid a frame altogether, there are picture ledges and wooden poster hangers with magnets that hold up the picture without it needing to sit behind a pane. That way, you keep the full size and can change the picture in a minute. The downside is that the paper is exposed to dust and moisture, so this solution works best in dry rooms such as a hallway or bedroom rather than the kitchen or bathroom.
Shipping is often what comes as a surprise. A 50x70 poster is delivered rolled in a tube or flat in a rigid cardboard box, depending on the supplier, and rolled paper needs to lie flat under a weight for a day before it is framed. Always check that the size matches the inside of the frame before hanging it, since manufacturers sometimes give the frame’s outer dimensions and sometimes the picture area. That’s why 50x70 so often ends up in a 52x72 frame: the frame’s outer dimensions are just over two centimeters larger than the picture.
If you want to explore more designs in this format, browse the full selection of 50x70 cm posters. Abstract designs work especially well in this format because the 0.35-square-meter picture area is large enough for the color fields to dominate, and you’ll find a wide selection under abstract posters.
Frequently asked questions about 50x70 posters
Ready to choose? Start by measuring the wall, try the cardboard test, then browse 50x70 posters. Add a frame in the right size and you’ll be done the same evening.