Choosing Horse Photography for Our Bedroom Wall
First, a quick sentimental nod: My Little Ponies were a delight growing up. I probably had half a dozen, and they were pure magic. That little memory felt appropriate as we turned our attention to a much less whimsical problem: filling the empty wall spaces on either side of the sink nook in our bedroom.
After months of indecision, we finally committed to finding art that would bring the room into balance. Our bedroom already has a playful chandelier and a bright, lively duvet, so we wanted something bold and moody to ground the space—photographs that feel sophisticated, a little contrasty, and not overly soft or pastel.
I had recently made a Pinterest-inspired painting, but decided it wasn’t right for the bedroom. That led John and me to talk seriously about what would look best opposite the bed. We both agreed we wanted images that would feel calm and scenic—appropriate for a bedroom—while still adding a striking visual anchor.
The subject that won us over was obvious: horses. I’ve always loved animals, and recently I’d noticed big horse photographs in glossy magazine rooms and nurseries that made me itch for the same drama in our space. I searched several online print retailers and came across a variety of images—racehorses, serene black mares in a field, dynamic ponies in motion, and tranquil horseback riders on misty beaches. The two images that appealed most combined motion and serenity, offering both energy and a restful feel.
John and I both have strong opinions about art. He wanted the bedroom images to be calming rather than overly energetic, so I worried the motion-rich running horses might feel too intense. To help him visualize the options, I created a quick Photoshop mock-up of the room with the two prints. Seeing them in place made it much easier to judge scale, tone, and how they would interact with the existing light and bedding.
The mock-up helped resolve our concerns. We agreed the room needed a punch of contrast and a more grown-up vibe, so we avoided anything pastel or too ethereal. We were specifically looking for prints with subtle depth—tones that would relate to the gold in our curtains and bedding without matching them exactly. The two horse prints we chose read as a cohesive pair without being identical, which added visual interest.
When John saw the mock-up he liked the more static image immediately, and after a brief pause he agreed the other one worked well too. Photoshop earned its keep: what might have been a long debate became a quick decision. I’ll spare you the embedded video tribute we considered—photoshop gets our thanks in less melodramatic form.
Art is personal, and these horse prints won’t suit everyone. But we’re enjoying the freedom of making decor choices that speak to us rather than trying to please every visitor. That freedom makes our home feel more authentic and less like every other staged room.
Cost was a big consideration. Large prints—ours are 40″ x 30″—often cost $100 or more, but these two prints were priced at $49 each. I even found a coupon that brought the total down to $77.98 for the pair, plus a modest shipping fee, so our outlay was under $85 for both prints. That’s excellent value for over six feet of large-format photography, and likely cheaper than having similar-sized images printed locally.
Frames at that scale can be expensive, so we avoided pricey framing by mounting the prints on 40″ x 30″ canvases purchased on clearance from Michael’s. I had taped off the wall to confirm the ideal size, then used the canvases as backing for the prints. The canvases were deeply discounted—about $23 each after stacking sales and coupons—so the total cost per finished piece, including both the print and the canvas, will be around $64.
My plan is to spray-mount each print onto the canvas and possibly seal the surface with matte Mod Podge to achieve the dimensional look of a printed canvas. I’ll share the exact process once they arrive and are hung, but the approach should be a budget-friendly alternative to expensive custom framing while still producing a gallery-quality result.
We’re excited to take a few more risks in the house with choices that might not have universal appeal but feel right for us. Choosing bold horse photography for the bedroom was one of those risks—and the combination of scale, mood, and contrast should bring the grown-up balance the room needed.
P.S. We watched a gripping documentary called Catfish recently and are still thinking about it. It’s a reminder that appearances online don’t always reflect reality—and that’s worth keeping in mind while shopping for art or anything else.