Well, I cannot read your message since Pepperidge Farms has decided to overlay it with a stupid ad.

Cut out a template the size of the painting. Tape it up there and look at it for a few days. Does your painting size include a frame?

Yes, including frame size. And yeah I am going to put something up there to see, but the problem is this was going to be a christmas present/surprise...so I can't leave it up there.

Honestly, I think you can tell a lot about scale with graph paper or a simple software program. If you have any desktop layout program, that would be a cinch, but even with Word, you can make a set of boxes with and without borders to represent the FP opening, the surround, the mantle, and the painting. Use percentages of black (rather than colors) to keep down the visual noise. Or sketch it out to scale on graph paper.

I'm not aware of any formula, but even if there were established guidelines, they could not account for the differing visual weight of the various surrounds (dark stone or light tile), mantles (small simple slab or large ornate marble), or paintings (oil painting of a storm at sea, or watercolor of a flower garden). I think your eye will know if it's right for your setting, even if you do it in two dimensions and in a miniature scale.

Could you at least sneak it in and try it ; you'll know if it fits.

I personally like large paintings that fill up all the space, it packs a lot of punch.

Also, think about the painting in relation to your ceiling height. I think it would work well if you have high ceilings. Is it an oil painting? If if is, lighting will make it look more beautiful and really stand out.

robnj,

Not sure if this will help you any but my fireplace opening is 43 inches. My mantle width is 74 inches, and the picture I have hanging here is 44 inches wide. So there's 15 inches on each side of the picture out to the edge of the mantle. I think a picture that goes the full width can be fine though and just gives a different look. You would probably accessorize the mantle differently depending on the picture. Anyway, I think the template is the best idea as others suggested but here's a pic of mine with the above dimensions if that helps you any for reference.

patricia43,
If you click on the little X in the upper right hand corner of the ad, you can make it go away!! ;-P

Well, I tried that a million times and it usually does with all of them but not with the Pepperidge Farm for me.

here's what it would look like (photoshop is pretty cool)

{{!gwi}}

and here's the rest of the family room

{{!gwi}}

I love it! It does indeed pack a lot of punch and doesn't need junking up with other extraneous accessories on the mantel.

That would be the downside, though. You really count not accessorize your mantel as the focal point would be the painting. It also would affect any plans to add window treatments or valances to your windows. Personally, I'd like to see it a bit smaller all around; but if you *love* the painting then I could see it working as long as the surrounding furnishings on that wall were kept low key.

well, low key is our middle name. most if our adult furniture is on the contemporary side. the family room is the most kids friendly room inthe house (except for their bedrooms and play room). As far as accessorizing the mantle, I consider that a bonus! I never know what to put there anyway. I think I'm going to get the painting. It's more a gift for my other half than anything else, and for what it's going to cost, I would hope that it is the centerpiece of the room!

I think it'll work and if you love the painting then having it be the focus is a good thing.

Robnj, we seem to think alike. I love your painting. It will give great life and energy to your room. I also like the fact that you will not have stuff on your mantel. From what I've seen of your house, it's a sure thing.

So, that is the exact painting? If so, I love it! Is it oil, or acrylic or? Can I ask where you're purchasing it from? (we're into art in our home) I don't know, but it looks to me like there would still be room for valances if you pick the right style.

Robnj - You said the most important words - "this is it."

Get that painting! You love it, and you've been searching for a long time. And yes, it will look wonderful in your room. That's a room with strong bold furniture and it can definitely handle this picture. Don't worry about the window treatments. Once the painting is up, you'll figure out what to do if you need new curtains or blinds. And I agree with you - so nice not to have to worry about what else to put on the mantle.

What kind of painting is it, what medium? Have you seen it in person? It's a beauty. I especially like the touches of blue-green against the red. What a fantastic gift this will be!

Yes that's the painting, the gallery is in Lambertville NJ. It's acrylic on canvas. The painting is definitely growing on me. In the end it will be a present for both of us. Up until now, we have mostly decorated with antique prints and abstract and photojournalistic photographs. We have a few oil paintings and sketches that are in another room, but we definitely needed something heavy for this space. It's competing with a 50" plasma in a wall unit and a large antique rug for attention. Not to mention the red sectional. The opposite wall not in the picture has a framed photo collage of about 16 pictures of our kids and abstract shots of stuff in our house. So needless to say, the piece has to be bold. We also plan on painting at some point when the kids no longer run their toy trucks on the walls.

I should have added to my post above that I think this painting will look wonderful in your space. It will be very striking. My DH, daughters and I were in Colorado in August and spent a day in Aspen. There was a painting at a gallery there that reminds me of your painting. It was of Aspen trees but the painting was more square than rectangular. I loved it, but it was $10,000. Yours is really beautiful!