How tall can a vertical sculpture be in your interior?

Totems or vertical sculptures could easily become the next interior trend. At least if it were up to me. I simply love them. These architectural ceramic sculptures instantly give body to a space.

These stacked ceramic forms or sculptural objects can strengthen an interior enormously. They draw attention, add height to a room and bring an artistic vibe.
My totems are inspired by the stones I always stack on the beach, an activity somewhere between balance, shapes, concentration and, above all, the empty spaces. And of course a little competition element: how high can it go before it falls?

In my ceramic totems I stack geometric and organic shapes, searching for balance and unity.

Totems have actually been part of human life for centuries. As ritual or memorial objects. Or in landscapes where you find them as small stone stacks. Especially in mountainous areas, where they are used to mark paths.
These stone stacks are remnants of communication between people in nature. They represent strength, balance, stability and the journey of life.

In short, a totem is not just a sculpture or an interior object, but a versatile symbol.
But how do you choose the right height for a totem?

If you choose a totem that is too small, it disappears into the space. Too large, and it can feel heavy or dominant.
The totems of Studio Wild Orange are made to measure. When I once placed a 200 cm ceramic totem in my living room for a photoshoot, I discovered that it was simply too large for the space.
The object itself was beautiful, but in the room it felt too tall. The vertical line drew too much attention upward and the space became restless. The proportions with the furniture and the ceiling were no longer in balance.
Since then, I always look at the relationship between the object, the space and the furniture.
Below are a few simple guidelines.

Totem in the living room
The living room often contains many pieces of furniture: sofas, tables, cabinets. Because of this, an extremely tall totem does not always work well here.
Ideal height:
90 – 140 cm for a standard ceiling
140 – 170 cm for a more spacious living room
A totem of 200 cm can quickly feel too dominant in an average living room.

Totem in a hallway or entrance
Height actually works very well here.
A hallway usually has fewer pieces of furniture, more vertical space and functions as a first impression of the home.
Ideal height:
150 – 200 cm
A tall totem can almost function as a welcoming sculpture.
If your hallway has ceilings higher than about 3 meters, the totem could even be taller.

Totem in a corner of a large space
In a large living room or open space, a totem can add beautiful verticality.
Ideal height:
170 – 200 cm
Especially when placed next to a wall, in a niche or near a large window.

Spaces with high ceilings
If your ceilings are 3 meters or higher, the proportions change completely.
A totem of 180 – 220 cm can work beautifully because the space absorbs the height.
In a standard living room with ceilings of 240–260 cm, this height often feels out of proportion.

So always keep one thing in mind: proportion.
The perfect height of a totem depends on three things:
• ceiling height
• scale of the furniture
• how much visual calm the space has
A totem should feel like a sculpture that supports the space, not like a tower that demands all the attention.

A tip from the maker
Are you unsure about the height of a sculptural object?
Place a piece of painter’s tape on the wall marking the height of the totem.
This immediately shows whether the scale feels right in the space. And you can always ask me. And I help you to choose your totem.

Interior tip
We make our vertical sculpture in commission. Think about 2 totems made of smaller pieces next to each other with a variation in height. 
We can make them in different colours, shapes etc. 

See our Totems