If you LOVE the picture and it "speaks" to you, I'd change the wall color or add a frame to it
but,
IMHO that is not the piece of art that will complement the room. The size is not ok either. If you use that picture then you have to complement it with more pieces which will complicate matters and could be more expensive.
I do not know how to say it but it kind of dress down your room and does not make it more beautiful.
I suggest a wider picture or 3 pictures with same size and theme placed about 3 inches lower.
You do have a very beautiful sofa and chair and I love your puppy.

Msrose, how tall are your ceiling's and what is the length of your sofa? If the 36x36 seems too small, then try a symmetrical gallery wall of architectural prints or botanicals or any subject you like. Good scale would be for the picture to be one-half the length of the sofa. I also stand corrected on the height over a sofa :) 8-12 inches over the back of a sofa is appropriate.

kmcg, those are some great example photos, I love the ones with multiple photos or groupings.

I much prefer the 6 sepia pictures to the one contemporary piece. IMO it's too contemporary, too everyone has it from Ballards and too small for the wall.

That fabric is beautiful and would defintely look good with the sepia prints.

Also, if you tire of the blue color and want to change things down the road, you wouldn't have to change your art. Which I believe you should buy because you love it, not because it goes with the fabric.

If you love that contemporary art, then ignore everything I just said :-)

I did some investigating and found out your sofa is 88"W. You would need approximately a 44"W picture or series of pictures for over your sofa. Hope that makes sense. For example, this set of prints from Ballard's is 19.5" each. If you hung these with 5" between them, they would be perfect width and height wise!
{{!gwi}}

Ballard's rules for hanging art over furniture says it should be 75% the width of the furniture! Ugh!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ballard tips and tricks

Even better. 30"W prints:
{{!gwi}}

msrose have you tried maybe checking out Kirklands? They have some rather large canvas art that I think would look good over your couch.

Here is a link that might be useful: kirklands

This is why I gave up on looking for art before. I just get so confused!!!! The more I look at this one, the more I like it, but I don't want something that is the wrong style for my room.

kmcg85 - My ceilings are 10'. That may be why the picture doesn't look that big on here, but in person it looks plenty big.

I'm thinking something rectangle would be better, but if I decide the one above is the one I want, does anyone have any suggestions on what I could put on either side?

caroscbran - I forgot Kirlands had a website. Unfortunately, our local Kirklands closed down and it was always a great place to look for pictures.

Msrose... this one is gorgeous. Not sure if it is your taste but would really add some zing in a subtle way to your wall!

Check it out.

Its quite a generous size too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Framed Print

aktillery - It's huge and only $79.97! I'm not sure it calls out to me, but sometimes it takes me awhile to decide if I like something or not, so I'm definitely going to keep it in mind. The color certainly works.

You're limiting yourself to art that matches your decor. That's not such a great idea. Your room, as is, could use a splash of color. I see you're into growing flowers ... why not flowers on the wall?

Since Aktillery linked Kirkland's I took a look at the rest of their selection. What do you think about this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Poppy Field 40x30

Well never get something if it does not call out to you.

Have you looked on Etsy.com yet? They have so much stuff. Lots of original art and prints and everything else you could imagine. It is basically a site for artists to sell stuff. If nothing else, you should check it out.

Good luck!!!

natal - For this color phobic person, that's alot of color. I'm not saying it wouldn't look good, but I'm just not sure I'm ready for that much color. I thought I was doing good now that I'm looking at pictures that actually have some color in them :) I do appreciate all the suggestions though, because y'all do have me thinking about color now where as I wasn't before. I do love flowers and I've seen some sepia-toned flower prints that I love.

Art is very personal, but I think this one would work beautifully in that space and has the colors in it to coordinate well with the fabric you love.

Here is a link that might be useful: Art at Kirklands

Nanny - That one definitely works, and is a great price also, but I'm not sure if it's the one. I guess I'm waiting for bells to go off if my head or something when I see "the" one. It does give me something to think about though.

and that's how it SHOULD be! You will know when you see 'the one'! With 10' ceilings I do think you need both height and width. Try taping a bigger dimension on the wall to see how it feels.

I agree that you should wait until something really hits you. And as a couple of people have mentioned, please don't get hung up on having your art match your fabric. Size-wise, though, I think you need something that's around 3' high and 4-5' wide. And I feel your pain, since it took us a few years to find the single "right" piece of art for over our sofa.

What about this one?

Or this one?

Or this one? They have some of the colors you like, but additional pops of color, too.

I apologize for the double post. Don't know exactly what happened.

Here I am again. These pictures are more of the size you need, also.

walnutcreek - I agree, those are the perfect size. I'm just not an orange/red person.

I'm really feeling drawn to the last one I posted above, but it's the wrong shape and too modern for my room, so....do I still go with the one that grabs me even if it's not exactly right for my room?

If you have another spot for the mirror, what about putting the pic you like over the fireplace--it would look good with those finials you have and seems like it would be a good fit size wise. I know that doesn't solve the over the couch issue--but if you really like the pic--you have a spot for it! but the mirror looks great over the fireplace, so unless you have another spot for it, no need to change it.

I would not put that pic over the couch as I think it will bug you that the proportions are off. Maybe, you can find something else to go with it and balance the space, but I think that might be as much work as finding someting that is the right size to begin with.

I think the one nanny linked would look good.

msrose,
You can find something that grabs you and in addition is exactly right for you room. Then you will be totally happy and smile everytime you see it. It is outhere somewhere.

I don't know how to PS, so this is the best I could do, but what if I put a framed picture on either side to give it the width?

{{!gwi}}

What about something like this? a couple have a similar style that the ones you like without being to blend or matchy/matchy. Its good to see options - to find out what you definitely do not like. The first one is also available in a bigger size. They are "original" canvas.

If you haven't already, try scrolling through Z Gallerie and, of course, art.com (I can waste a lot of time paging through that site).

My wall color is similar to yours and I just bought a neutral canvas for my VERY neutral, monochromatic color scheme ,,, it arrived today and I love it. C&B offers a similar one by the same artist (same series), but I bought mine from gallery direct (it's more rustic and lots cheaper). I also love her pineapple series. Another site to scroll through, if you haven't already.

Keep looking until you find something that you really like ,,, it may take away, but you'll find it!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Gallery Direct Canvas

Also, I forgot to say ,,, I really like the ballard canvas that you posted. But as for a grouping, not sure (that's beyond my decorating skill).

I will say that when you first posted a photo of your new couch, I was picturing artwork in a dark frame (not sure why though)?!

I vote for nanny2a's find. It has the same colors as your second pic. Although at that price, it's not necessarily a get it and wait a few years for the "perfect" pic. And there is also the only being able to be shipped to Kirklands issue, but maybe it could be found elsewhere?
Oh, and we have a pug too...right now he likes to chew on the kiddos toys!

jlt37869 - I'd love to see a picture of your room once you hang the picture. Maybe it will give me some ideas.

nostalgicfarm - hmmm, I didn't realize Kirklands only ships to the store. I guess I could find out where the nearest one is if I decided on something from there.

marthaelena - The 1st one your posted actually reminds me of the one I like from Ballards.

Once you get a better idea of the size you need, you will have an easier time finding the right piece.

There was an ad in the paper today advertising an art store one town over, so I'm going to try and go this weekend.

I think that 36" square photo is definitely too small for the wall above the couch and it wouldn't look great in a grouping (since it has no frame and the others likely would, to me, that wouldn't look right).... If you are drawn to it, maybe use it somewhere else in the house.

I second the person who said you really just need something that is 36"h x 4-5' ... 3 x 5' would probably be perfect.

Good luck.... I have lots of bare walls because it is so hard to fall in love with the right piece :(

Here come a bunch of mockups! (Wasn't sure about size for some of the pictures...)

Nice job of showing us the pictures, Charlikin! I like the second and third up from the bottom paintings, especially the third up - the trees with the aqua background.

Msrose, you have a gently decorated room with soft colors, and that beautiful camelback sofa has such pretty lines. The size of the tree picture is excellent for the sofa, and its graceful lines and easy colors suit your traditional space. Have to say that I cringe when I look at the ones with heavy black frames. Those frames grab and hold the eye, and not in a good way. The second pic from the bottom is also nice. The pop of red is not overdone - and I totally understand your not being a red/orange person - and the thin black frame simply defines the painting without yelling "look at me!" If you do select a picture with some aqua or teal or turquoise, those will be easy colors to repeat in objects, pillows and throws in the room.

You are being a great sport about all of this!
What about this serene painting from JCP?

Here is a link that might be useful: Chris Madden oil painting

I'm not much help with picking out art, but I love the tree
one, and the size of it as well...I also love your couches,
and your pooch is so adorable. He looks like a living
throw pillow. :)
My beagle was like that, always on the couch and would'nt
budge. They only was to get him to give up posession of the
couch was to throw a slice of pizza on the floor! :)

The Chris Madden painting is beautiful but is a little smaller than the Ballard one you love, so I don't think it would work either. I do think it would look beautiful over your bed with the Bosporous fabric!
Just for fun, try a mockup of a 60"W piece X 40"H. It will you help visualize the size better. Don't forget, it doesn't have to be one big piece. It could be two or a group. Just something that fills that size space.

What about hanging the picture off center and hanging something else next to it? I don't like the idea of the pic in the center with sconces/lamps on each side. Too "normal" for me. I like things a little different. I really like the picture and the fabric you posted.

I ditto kmcg85's suggestion of looking at a grouping of 2 or more to fill a large space rather than trying to find one large piece of the correct size that you love. You really will need something that covers the width of the cushion area of your sofa with some height such as the suggestion of 40 x 60. I would start by measuring the width of the cushions of your sofa.

Over my 80" sofa I have a group of 4 identically matted and framed prints from a series of prints with similar subject matter, each 22" high x 28" wide. They are in 2 rows filling a space of 46" high x 66" wide over the center of the 80" sofa. Using 4 prints provides a lot of interest rather than 1 huge picture.

charlikin - Thank you soooo much!!!!

I love the size and shape of red poppy picture and the last print, but the soft colors of the Ballard print is still calling me. I wish I could pull the edges and stretch it a little :)
I also like the six smaller pictures I was originally considering.

rafor - What type of thing would you put next to it if the picture was off center?

Has anyone done a grouping of pictures where some of them are framed and some of them aren't?

Not sure if this will help but in my old house I just hung a bunch of random sized art. I went to Kohl's and they were having a sale .... I think it was like half off all the art. I picked a bunch that I liked and that went togeter and went home and slapped them up on the wall. Just a thought for you.

Here are two different angles...

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I think in the end I wound up pulling them more tightly together as suggested on this forum ;)

Good luck!
Amy

Thought of your room, when I was scrolling through overstock today ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Overstock 3 Panel Canvas

aktillery - That was one of my original thoughts was to do a grouping, but I was overwhelmed by the thought of having to find several pictures that I like when I couldn't even find one. I still love the way it looks. If it don't do that above my sofa, I may try it above my sewing machine which is across the room.

{{!gwi}}

Thanks, jlt37869 - That would definitely work if I decide I want to stick with the monochromatic look. Did you hang your picture yet?

Great idea!

This print on art.com has the colors you like. You can either frame through them or just get the print and frame it yourself.

Here is a link that might be useful: print

I'm no decorator to be sure, but from the hundreds of photos I've looked at here and frankly in homes I've been in, the #1 thing that hits me is that so many people tend to hang art too small for the wall space they are trying to cover and then #2, they hang pictures too high. JMHO, of course.

You are right on, patty.

What about commissioning something that is reminiscent of the Ballard print you love, but that meets the dimensions you need? Perhaps something like these: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65662259/original-abstract-paintings-by-marie You could do three or four panels to give you the horizontal space that you need, and have the artist customize the colors to your liking.

Good luck with your search!

Here is a link that might be useful: Paint All Night Studios