How to Make a Perfect Gallery Wall (Ideas, Tips & Inspiration)

Tired of a bland and basic room design? Well, you’re in for a treat!

This article will help you lay out your rooms with whichever wall decor you prefer to create artistic spaces.

Here’s everything you need to know to come up with your own gallery wall ideas.

5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall

Wondering how to plan a gallery wall layout? Don’t worry – here are some tips to help you out.

1. Decide Your Theme

Deciding on a theme that suits your style and preference helps create a unique gallery wall. The more personalized it is, the more special your living room (or any other room) will feel.

You can add depth to the concept by using a color palette that blends well with the artwork.

2. Let the Pieces Complement Each Other

Once you’ve decided on a theme, try to work around your chosen concept.

The art pieces you’ll hang must work well with the idea and complement each other to create a cohesive gallery wall.

3. Keep the Spacing Uniform

Allocating sufficient and consistent spacing between the pieces makes the gallery wall balanced and more pleasing to look at.

You should aim for at least two inches or more, but not higher than five, to lessen unnecessary white space.

This is all the more important when using identical frame sizes, or photo tiles.

4. Plan Your Layout

Don’t jump straight to decorating without planning! Scout for or think of layout ideas that’ll fit your chosen theme.

This will minimize the risks of messing up, especially when you have to drill holes in your wall.

• Photo wall ideas – Creative ways to display your photos

5. Be Accurate

Here’s a pro tip for creating gallery walls: don’t wing it! Always use tape measures to ensure everything’s aligned and accurate.

You can check common picture frame sizes to make sure everying lines up well before you startt hanging.

15 Gallery Wall Ideas for Your Inspiration

 

1. Monochrome Magic: Create a gallery wall with black and white photographs, artwork, and typography prints for a sleek and modern look.
2. Mix and Match: Combine different art styles and mediums, such as watercolor paintings, framed photographs, and graphic prints, for an eclectic gallery wall.
3. Minimalist Marvel: Keep it simple with a few larger pieces of art or photographs arranged in a clean grid pattern for a minimalist gallery wall.
4. Color Coordinated: Choose a color scheme for your gallery wall and mix and match art pieces that incorporate those colors for a cohesive and visually pleasing display.
5. Travel Memories: Create a gallery wall with photographs and souvenirs from your travels to add a personal touch to your home decor. It’s our favorite arrangement for hallway gallery wall ideas.
6. Family Tree: Use a mix of family photographs and genealogy charts to create a meaningful gallery wall that celebrates your family history. Photo gallery walls made up of heartwarming family photos are always a hit.
7. Gallery of Mirrors: Use a collection of different-sized mirrors with exciting frames to create a gallery wall that adds depth and dimension to any room. A mirror gallery wall is innovative and unique enough.
8. Themed Treasures: Choose a theme, such as botanical prints or vintage movie posters, for gallery walls with art pieces that fit that theme.
9. Kids’ Art Display: Showcase your children’s artwork by creating a gallery wall with their drawings and paintings framed in a fun and playful way using photo holders.
10. Framed Fabrics: Frame fabric swatches like vintage scarves or handkerchiefs to create a textured gallery wall.
11. Book Lover’s Wall: Gallery walls with book covers or literary quotes to add a literary touch to your home decor. This gallery wall idea is particularly a hit among bookworms.
12. Gallery of Objects: This gallery wall layout features a mix of objects, such as antique keys, vintage postcards, and botanical specimens, for a unique and eclectic display.
13. Music Memorabilia: A picture wall with vintage concert posters, album covers, and other music memorabilia for a unique and personalized display.
14. Industrial Chic: Use metal frames, industrial prints, and typography to create a gallery wall with an industrial and modern feel. Any modern gallery wall always complements the furniture rather well.
15. Gallery of Inspiration: The best gallery wall is one with inspirational quotes, affirmations, and mantras to add a positive and motivational touch to your home decor.

FAQs About Hanging Pictures on Gallery Walls

Are gallery walls still a thing?

Yes, gallery walls are definitely still a thing as of 2023. In fact, this creatively arranged decoration is deemed timeless and will continue to stay as long as people still appreciate art.

How do you make a gallery wall look expensive?

One of the best ways to make your gallery wall look expensive is by using chinoiserie art.

What is the rule of thumb for a gallery wall?

Keep your photography and art collections within ⅔ to ⅘ of your wall’s size to ensure they all fit perfectly.

How many frames should a gallery wall have?

Assuming you have a 3×4 feet wall (as a default basis), around seven frames should suffice.

Should a gallery wall have the same frames?

Not necessarily. You can mix and match frames but also stick to similar ones depending on your theme. Gallery wall styles are all about showing off your creativity.

How big should wall art be on a wall?

The ideal gallery wall art coverage you should aim for is around ⅔ to ¾ of your wall’s size.

Should a picture be centered on a wall?

To give your decorations a sense of balance or symmetry, try to center pictures horizontally between two points.

What is the correct height to hang art?

Experts recommend gallery wall art collections be at least 57 inches from the floor to their center to keep them at eye level.

Should all pictures be hung at the same height?

No, but this arrangement depends on how you want to style your gallery wall. You might want one picture to be the focal point, for instance.

Can you have too much art on your walls?

Too many art collections can make your gallery wall look cluttered instead of decorated. Just pick from our gallery wall ideas one that covers enough wall space.

How do you know if an art is too small for a wall?

Any art piece less than 18 to 24 inches in height and width is considered too small for a gallery wall.

How do I choose a wall art for my gallery wall?

For the most part, trust your instincts and preferences. You can also seek help from an artsy friend or professional if you want to work around a specific piece.

What is the golden rule for hanging pictures?

All pictures and focal artworks must be hung at eye level.

How many walls in a room should be decorated?

It depends on the room size, but generally, you’d want to focus on one side only to make it look less cluttered.

What color frames should I use for a gallery wall?

The most popular frame colors for gallery walls are black and gold, but this can vary depending on your preferred theme.

How do you make a gallery wall not look cluttered?

Give each art piece sufficient spacing and try to come up with a theme, so they’re related to each other.

What is the most popular wall art size?

The usual picks for gallery wall art size are 11×4 or 12×16.

What height should pictures be hanging in Australia?

Start from the center of the art piece and measure 1,500 millimeters to the floor.

Where should I avoid hanging pictures?

The number one sin you can commit by hanging picture frames and framed art is placing them in direct sunlight. This can cause the images to fade.

What is the 2-3 rule for hanging pictures?

The 2-3 rule refers to pictures hung over a piece of furniture being at least ⅔ of the object they’re placed close to.

When should you leave a wall blank?

If your room is already cluttered or has plenty of decorations, leaving the wall blank is a good idea to balance it.

What is the syndrome of too much art?

Stendhal syndrome, also known as “art attack,” is the occurrence of physical and mental symptoms triggered by viewing specific artworks.

What is the trend in picture framing in 2023?

Modern frames in 2023 boast a variety of bold and vibrant colors for promoting a statement and creating contrasts.

What is a French gallery wall?

Gallery walls originated in France, and a French gallery wall is also referred to as a salon wall.

How big should a gallery wall be?

Whatever the size of your wall is, the gallery wall should only take up ⅔ to ⅘ of its space to keep things balanced.

Where do you put large art on a wall?

The ideal locations for large art are on the middle part of a wall in a dining room, living room, or bedroom. They’ll serve as the focal point of your gallery wall.

What is the 57-inch rule?

The 57-inch rule refers to how far your favorite artwork or picture is from the floor to keep it at eye level.

How do you arrange two pictures on a wall?

Hanging two pictures on a wall can be done horizontally or vertically. Just be sure to keep at least two inches between them.

How do you arrange art on the wall when the couch is not centered?

In the case of off-centering, you can place a small picture frame or artwork above either end of the couch.

Can you mix black and white and colored photos on a gallery wall?

Yes, this combination can still look good if you’re using neutral colors in your theme.

How do you know if a picture is too big for a wall?

If the picture takes up more than 60% to 75% of the wall, it’s too big.