The most common email I get about star maps the week after delivery says some version of: 'It's smaller than I expected.' Star maps photograph well, which makes them look bigger in the listing than they read on a real wall. Here's how to pick the right size for the room.
How star maps differ from other wall art
A star map is essentially a flat image with high detail. The stars are small dots, the constellation lines are thin, the location text and date are usually in fine print. All of this only reads well at a viewing distance.
Compare to a family name sign, which has a few words in large type that read from across a room. Star maps require closer viewing, which means the size needs to match how far away people will be standing.
The viewing distance principle
For a star map, the right size depends mostly on how far away you'll typically be looking at it. The closer you stand, the smaller the map can be. The farther away, the bigger it needs to be.
Rough rule: the map should be at least one inch wide for every two feet of viewing distance.
So if you'll mostly view it from across a 15-foot living room, the map needs to be at least 7-8 inches wide minimum. Realistically, 16 to 20 inches works much better at that distance.
If you'll mostly view it from a few feet away in a bedroom, an 8 to 12 inch map is fine.
The bedroom
This is one of the best rooms for a star map because the viewing happens up close. You're in the bedroom at bedtime, the lights are low, the map is a foot or two from your face on the wall. Detail reads well.
Size: 12 to 16 inches works for most bedroom walls. Over a bed, 18 to 24 inches.
Position: directly over the headboard at the center, or to one side balanced with another piece of art. Star maps work especially well as the only piece of art above a bed.
The living room
Star maps in living rooms are trickier because viewing distance is longer. A small star map gets visually lost.
Size: 20 to 30 inches minimum for an above-sofa wall.
Where it works: a large star map (24 inches or more) above a sofa, or two smaller star maps (one for engagement night, one for wedding night) hung as a pair.
Where it doesn't work: a single small star map on a large blank living room wall. The map will float and look undersized.
The hallway
Hallways are good for medium star maps because the viewing distance is short (you're walking past it from 3 to 5 feet) and there's good wall length.
Size: 12 to 16 inches.
For a series approach, a star map of where the couple met, where they got engaged, and where they got married, hung at intervals down a hallway, makes the whole hallway feel intentional.
The entryway
Star maps in entryways work but they're an unusual choice. Most entryways have family name signs or address pieces. A star map in an entryway reads as a personal touch in a space that's usually more functional.
Size: 12 to 18 inches, depending on the entryway wall width.
What works: a star map of the home's coordinates with the move-in date as the 'event.' This pairs nicely with an address plaque or family name sign.
The home office
Home offices are an underrated spot for star maps. The viewing distance is short (you're at the desk), and the map fits the contemplative quality that office walls tend to need.
Size: 10 to 14 inches.
What to map: a meaningful date that relates to the work. The day a business launched, the day of a graduation, the date of a major personal milestone.
The dining room
Star maps in dining rooms work if they're sized for the room. Dining rooms are mid-distance viewing (typically 8 to 12 feet from sitting position).
Size: 16 to 24 inches.
What works: a star map of the wedding night, with the dining room as the spot for it. Dinner guests often ask about it.
The bathroom
Skip the bathroom for star maps. The humidity is bad for paper-backed pieces, the wall space is usually limited, and the viewing situation doesn't favor the detail.
What to do if you're between sizes
If you're picking between two sizes and not sure, almost always go up. Smaller star maps look smaller in person than they look in the listing photo. The few customers who order a smaller star map and then upgrade to a larger one outnumber the customers who go the other direction by about 5 to 1.
One more thing about glass star maps
Our star maps are printed on glass with metal framing, which gives them a depth that paper-backed star maps don't have. The trade-off is they're heavier. For sizes over 20 inches, make sure the wall has either a stud or a quality anchor. Glass star maps are not heavy enough to be dangerous but they shouldn't hang from a single thumbtack.
If you want to browse the sizes available, the star and moon maps collection is here. Sizes range from 8 inches up to 24 inches, in vertical or square format. Everything ships in 1-2 business days from Fairfield, New Jersey.