by Matthea
Status: 09.26.2026
What sort of pictures are suitable for the kitchen?
Key points at a glance
- Pictures for the kitchen look best when the centre of the picture is at eye level (approx. 1.55–1.60 m) and its width takes up about two-thirds of the front of the cupboard below.
- You’ll learn how kitchen design, colour schemes and motifs work together – and when hand-painted pictures are a more personal choice than a framed print.
- Particularly helpful for anyone looking to redecorate their kitchen or fill a bare wall between a wall unit and a window in a stylish way.
- Measure the available wall space accurately beforehand and place the picture against the wall, outlined with masking tape, to test the fit before deciding on a size.
Pictures in the kitchen transform a purely functional room into a place where you enjoy spending time. Unlike in the living room, the kitchen is subject to moisture, grease vapours and limited wall space between cupboards and the tiled splashback, which is why the subject matter, size and material should be chosen with greater care than elsewhere in the home. This article shows you which wall art is suitable for the kitchen, how kitchen design and the choice of artwork complement each other, and why a hand-painted original often makes a greater impact than a mass-produced print.
Wall art for the kitchen: placement and size
Wall art for the kitchen needs, first and foremost, a quiet spot. Plain sections of wall without tiled patterns are best suited, such as between two window frames, next to the dining table or on the empty space opposite the worktop. No picture should be hung directly above the hob, as heat and grease vapours will damage the paint and frame over time.
When it comes to height, there’s a simple rule of thumb: the centre of the picture should ideally be at eye level, usually between 1.55 and 1.60 metres above the floor. In the kitchen, this height may vary slightly, depending on whether you’re usually standing or sitting at the dining table. If you’re hanging a picture above a sideboard, a breakfast bar or the dining table, the width of the picture should be roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the furniture. A picture that’s too small will look lost, whilst one that’s too large will overwhelm the space.
For narrow strips of wall between wall cupboards and the ceiling, portrait-format wall art is more suitable for the kitchen than landscape-format pieces. For a larger, continuous wall surface, you can also combine several smaller pieces of wall art into a group, provided you use a common theme or a consistent format as a unifying element.
Kitchen design and wall décor: How to match pictures to the style
Kitchen design and artwork selection go hand in hand. A country-style kitchen with wooden fronts suits warmer colour palettes and floral or rustic motifs, whilst a minimalist kitchen with smooth, matt fronts benefits more from understated compositions and clean lines. When it comes to wall décor, it’s worth picking up on the colour scheme of the picture with an accent from the kitchen – such as the colour of the handles, a tile or a kitchen utensil – rather than choosing the motif completely independently of the room.
The texture of the materials also plays a part in wall design: a kitchen with many glossy surfaces appears calmer if the artwork has a more matt, textured surface, such as an oil painting with visible brushstrokes. In a very minimalist kitchen, it is precisely this tactile contrast that can serve as an eye-catcher – something a smooth print would not provide.
Kitchen ideas with pictures: from still lifes to illustrations
When looking for suitable motifs for your kitchen, it’s worth considering classic themes: still lifes featuring fruit, vegetables or crockery fit in well with the room’s theme without appearing obtrusive. Those who prefer a more abstract look can opt for colour fields or graphic compositions that complement the colour of the tiles or cabinet fronts. Botanical illustrations, such as those of herbs or citrus fruits, work particularly well in kitchens featuring light, natural materials.
If you’re furnishing your kitchen and want to create a common thread with the rest of your home, choose motifs that stylistically complement pictures in adjoining rooms, such as the dining area. This way, the kitchen doesn’t feel like an isolated functional space, but rather a natural part of the home. In our selection of still life artworks, you’ll find original pieces covering precisely this spectrum, from minimalist to vibrantly coloured.
Ideas for artwork in the kitchen can also be chosen based on the amount of natural light and the kitchen’s orientation. In a north-facing kitchen with rather cool light, warm shades of yellow, orange or terracotta in the artwork have a balancing effect, whilst a sunny, south-facing kitchen can also accommodate cooler shades of blue or green without appearing cold. If you have open shelves instead of closed wall units, you can deliberately place a picture between crockery and storage jars, thus creating a calm visual surface to contrast with the many small objects. Particularly in open-plan kitchens, where the cooking and dining areas merge into one another, a consistent pictorial theme helps to visually tie both zones together, rather than allowing them to appear as two separate rooms.
Artwork for modern kitchens: styles and colours
For modern kitchens with clean lines and often a neutral colour palette, artwork that creates a deliberate contrast rather than blending into the background is ideal. A bold splash of colour, a graphic illustration or an abstract motif with a clear design language brings life to an otherwise understated interior. In modern kitchens in black, white or grey, pictures featuring a single dominant colour accent have a particularly strong impact because they stand out clearly against the background.
If you’ve designed a modern kitchen in warm wood and earthy tones, you can confidently choose pictures in muted, earthy colour palettes that complement the mix of materials rather than disrupting it. Framing is also important in modern kitchens: a narrow, colourless frame or a frameless canvas usually blends in better than an elaborate, ornate picture frame.
When it comes to modern kitchen ideas, it’s also worth considering an arrangement of several smaller pieces rather than a single large picture. A narrow row of two or three pieces, evenly spaced, often looks tidier in a linear kitchen than a single, oversized motif, as it complements the clean lines of the cabinet fronts rather than clashing with them. It is important that all the artworks share the same frame style, or at least the same frame colour, so that the row appears as a deliberate composition rather than a random collection.
Hand-painted pictures for the kitchen: Why originals make an impact
Hand-painted pictures for the kitchen differ from printed designs in their visible painting technique, the subtle irregularities in the application of paint, and the fact that each piece is unique. Whilst a print can be produced in any number of copies, a hand-painted picture is created as a one-off and visibly bears the artist’s signature style.
For kitchens that are already characterised by artisanal materials such as solid wood, natural stone or ceramics, a hand-painted original often suits better than a machine-printed art print, as both share the same commitment to craftsmanship. At the Student Art Market, you’ll find original works by art students and graduates from state-recognised art colleges in German-speaking countries, each accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. If you’re unsure whether an oil painting or a work on paper would suit your kitchen better, you can discuss this personally during a free video call consultation. With oil paintings, too, you can take your time to compare the texture of the works in advance.
Another advantage of hand-painted originals is that they change with the light in your kitchen. Whilst a print looks equally flat regardless of the light, the texture of oil paint or acrylic casts different shadows and highlights depending on the time of day, keeping a picture in your kitchen looking vibrant for years to come.
If you’re looking to redecorate a bare kitchen wall, it’s worth looking beyond classic posters. At the Student Art Market, you’ll discover curated original art directly from art students, often in the three-figure price range, and can get no-obligation advice on your selection.
Frequently asked questions about art in the kitchen
Motifs with a subdued colour palette and a robust finish are best suited – such as still lifes, botanical illustrations or abstract colour fields – placed on walls free from cooking fumes, such as between windows or above a sideboard.
The centre of the picture should be at eye level, usually between 1.55 and 1.60 metres above the floor, depending on whether the area in front of the picture is mainly used by people standing or sitting.
Above a piece of furniture such as a sideboard or dining table, the picture should take up around two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the furniture. On a free-standing, continuous wall, the size depends on the total available space.
Yes, particularly in kitchens featuring natural materials such as wood, natural stone or ceramics. The visible painting technique and the unique character of a hand-painted picture often complement this mix of materials more harmoniously than a machine print.
That depends on the available wall space. A single, well-placed picture often makes a stronger impression than several small ones, unless you’re deliberately creating a group with a consistent format or colour scheme as a unifying theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Studierenden Kunstmarkt is the leading platform for student art in the German-speaking world. It enables art enthusiasts and art lovers to buy artworks directly from art students, thereby providing them with financial support whilst they are studying.
Studierenden Kunstmarkt was founded in 2020 by Erich Reich and his brother. Erich is still the managing director of Studierenden Kunstmarkt and, together with his team, has succeeded in creating a platform that brings together art lovers, those interested in art and art students. To this day, Studierenden Kunstmarkt is entirely self-funded and has not received any external funding from investors.
At any given time, there are several hundred art students and several thousand works of art on the Student Art Market. A good place to start if you’re looking for an initial overview of the artists is the ‘Artists of the Month’ section.
Just like normal galleries, Studierenden Kunstmarkt receives a commission on each artwork sold. This funds the running of the platform, its maintenance and the salaries of Studierenden Kunstmarkt’s staff. In addition, we support the students, are on hand to advise on any queries, and run free advertising for them on Instagram, Facebook, Google and in our email newsletter, which has several thousand art lovers as subscribers.
There are many ways you can start investing in young artists on the student art market. One option is to sign up for our free email course, ‘Become an Art Expert in 7 Days’. In it, we’ll share a few basics with you, as well as some of our insider tips on which artists have particular potential. Find out more
Take a look at our most popular artists at the Student Art Market
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