An Insider’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall
Bring your home to life using artworks and photographs to create a gallery wall with these expert tips
Kate MacDonald
5 April 2017
Houzz contributor and head curator at Rise Art which showcases, rents and sells great contemporary art from both established artists and emerging talents, hand-picked by experts.
Houzz contributor and head curator at Rise Art which showcases, rents and sells great... More
Creating a gallery wall in your home can be a unique and affordable way to transform a room with the paintings, photographs, illustrations and personal pieces that matter to you. Whether you want to create a statement in your living room or simply make a staircase or blank wall come alive, a gallery of images is a fun way to express yourself and showcase your favourite artworks.
For the uninitiated, creating a gallery wall can be a daunting process, yet with a few tools and some creativity, you can have a simple selection up in no time. Here are some practical tips and style ideas that will make your gallery wall stand out.
For the uninitiated, creating a gallery wall can be a daunting process, yet with a few tools and some creativity, you can have a simple selection up in no time. Here are some practical tips and style ideas that will make your gallery wall stand out.
Determine your style
Love lithographs? Fancy foxes? A gallery wall is your opportunity to style your home to reflect your passions and interests. Gallery walls can be tied together by a theme, frame colour, style or colour palette.
Tip In a busy room with lots of patterns and textures, the key is to stick to a single hue, with the option of adding small splashes of colour into the mix.
Read expert advice on how to buy original art
Love lithographs? Fancy foxes? A gallery wall is your opportunity to style your home to reflect your passions and interests. Gallery walls can be tied together by a theme, frame colour, style or colour palette.
Tip In a busy room with lots of patterns and textures, the key is to stick to a single hue, with the option of adding small splashes of colour into the mix.
Read expert advice on how to buy original art
Keep it personal
It’s your home, so use art and personal effects to make your gallery wall stand out. We love it when clients team art they’ve purchased with family photos, sculptures, artefacts and children’s drawings.
Tip Looking for fun ways to expand your gallery wall or add one more work to balance your theme? Consider using old calendars, movie posters or cheap illustrations to fill out your theme or hue.
It’s your home, so use art and personal effects to make your gallery wall stand out. We love it when clients team art they’ve purchased with family photos, sculptures, artefacts and children’s drawings.
Tip Looking for fun ways to expand your gallery wall or add one more work to balance your theme? Consider using old calendars, movie posters or cheap illustrations to fill out your theme or hue.
Start with the largest first
Balance and symmetry are key for creating a gallery wall that works. Start with the largest piece you intend to hang on your wall and use this as the focal point. Work from the centre out. We recommend spacing artworks at least 3cm apart from one another to make each stand out on its own. Try to keep the overall pattern balanced against other furniture or centred in a room.
Tip Before you break out the hammer, lay out the works and cut newspaper to the size of each. Using masking tape, position the paper on the wall as you would the art, then try a few different arrangements until you’re happy with the effect.
Balance and symmetry are key for creating a gallery wall that works. Start with the largest piece you intend to hang on your wall and use this as the focal point. Work from the centre out. We recommend spacing artworks at least 3cm apart from one another to make each stand out on its own. Try to keep the overall pattern balanced against other furniture or centred in a room.
Tip Before you break out the hammer, lay out the works and cut newspaper to the size of each. Using masking tape, position the paper on the wall as you would the art, then try a few different arrangements until you’re happy with the effect.
Choose the right frames…
If you’re working with a collection of artwork across themes, using frames of a similar design or style is one way to tie the collection to your home’s style.
Tip Reclaimed frames and made-to-order mouldings without glazing can be an inexpensive way to make your artwork stand out.
Read more on how to pick the right frame for your art
If you’re working with a collection of artwork across themes, using frames of a similar design or style is one way to tie the collection to your home’s style.
Tip Reclaimed frames and made-to-order mouldings without glazing can be an inexpensive way to make your artwork stand out.
Read more on how to pick the right frame for your art
…or make it all about the frames
Gallery walls can be created using consistent frames. Or try using boxes in the same style to make a 3D display. Simply add treasures you’ve collected, as well as photos or old postcards, and move them whenever you fancy a change.
Here, the boxes have all been painted black inside to make a cohesive display that really shows off the art.
Gallery walls can be created using consistent frames. Or try using boxes in the same style to make a 3D display. Simply add treasures you’ve collected, as well as photos or old postcards, and move them whenever you fancy a change.
Here, the boxes have all been painted black inside to make a cohesive display that really shows off the art.
Prop for flexibility
Using a shelf is another easy way to create a gallery wall that can be updated frequently without the need to rehang. If you don’t have a ready-made ledge or shelf, as in this bedroom, you can buy thin shelves purpose-built for displaying art quite inexpensively, and then paint them to suit your scheme.
Tip Most shelf gallery walls are no more than two shelves in height. This creates an open look and feel and allows enough space between shelves to accommodate larger works.
Using a shelf is another easy way to create a gallery wall that can be updated frequently without the need to rehang. If you don’t have a ready-made ledge or shelf, as in this bedroom, you can buy thin shelves purpose-built for displaying art quite inexpensively, and then paint them to suit your scheme.
Tip Most shelf gallery walls are no more than two shelves in height. This creates an open look and feel and allows enough space between shelves to accommodate larger works.
Hang with precision
There’s nothing more frustrating than hanging your art only to realise it’s not at the right height. Most galleries hang works with the centre of the piece 150cm from the floor, so it sits at the average eye level. Use a spirit level and pencil to mark the holes before you drill. Double check each measurement to ensure you have the right height and balance.
Tip If you’re hanging pictures yourself, consider using D-rings rather than a wire or string. Most wires are attached to the frame with D-rings, so simply remove the wire and insert two screws in the wall that fit inside the D-rings. Hanging this way removes any future slips or crooked wall hangings. Phew!
There’s nothing more frustrating than hanging your art only to realise it’s not at the right height. Most galleries hang works with the centre of the piece 150cm from the floor, so it sits at the average eye level. Use a spirit level and pencil to mark the holes before you drill. Double check each measurement to ensure you have the right height and balance.
Tip If you’re hanging pictures yourself, consider using D-rings rather than a wire or string. Most wires are attached to the frame with D-rings, so simply remove the wire and insert two screws in the wall that fit inside the D-rings. Hanging this way removes any future slips or crooked wall hangings. Phew!
Gallery idea No 1: The layered living room
There is no fixed law that says artwork has to be hung neatly or uniformly. Layering artworks on top of each other, as in this shelf display, creates a casual, accessible atmosphere that will stand out in your living room.
There is no fixed law that says artwork has to be hung neatly or uniformly. Layering artworks on top of each other, as in this shelf display, creates a casual, accessible atmosphere that will stand out in your living room.
Gallery idea No 2: The sharp furniture line
Creating a sharp boundary above a piece of furniture can open up the room and, in some instances, limit potential damage to art. Try to keep your gallery wall at least 30cm above furniture.
We love this gallery wall where the colour tone balances the room perfectly, and the single orange artwork gives the whole display the perfect pop.
Creating a sharp boundary above a piece of furniture can open up the room and, in some instances, limit potential damage to art. Try to keep your gallery wall at least 30cm above furniture.
We love this gallery wall where the colour tone balances the room perfectly, and the single orange artwork gives the whole display the perfect pop.
Gallery idea No 3: The calming bedroom
In bedrooms, use soft palettes with splashes of colours that complement the furniture for maximum impact. Bedrooms look better with gallery walls that aren’t too busy – this is where you come to unwind and sleep.
Keep things feeling spacious by limiting your gallery to two rows.
In bedrooms, use soft palettes with splashes of colours that complement the furniture for maximum impact. Bedrooms look better with gallery walls that aren’t too busy – this is where you come to unwind and sleep.
Keep things feeling spacious by limiting your gallery to two rows.
Gallery idea No 4: The table top
The days are gone when a single statement piece of art above furniture was the norm. We love this grid pattern set above a chest of drawers.
Certain artworks, including pieces in a series, geometric works or other minimal lines look best in a structured grid. Smaller works in a series are particularly nice in this format.
The days are gone when a single statement piece of art above furniture was the norm. We love this grid pattern set above a chest of drawers.
Certain artworks, including pieces in a series, geometric works or other minimal lines look best in a structured grid. Smaller works in a series are particularly nice in this format.
Gallery idea No 5: The nook
Have fun and be playful. Gallery walls can be added to any nook in the house. A small desk with a blank wall can be transformed into a butterfly preserve, for instance, as shown in this nature-inspired arrangement.
Gallery walls don’t need to be clustered. Consider spacing out works from one another in balanced patterns. In this room, the homeowner has only clustered the core artworks, while balancing a few pieces outside the main cluster to give the feeling of the works taking flight. What a great job.
Have fun and be playful. Gallery walls can be added to any nook in the house. A small desk with a blank wall can be transformed into a butterfly preserve, for instance, as shown in this nature-inspired arrangement.
Gallery walls don’t need to be clustered. Consider spacing out works from one another in balanced patterns. In this room, the homeowner has only clustered the core artworks, while balancing a few pieces outside the main cluster to give the feeling of the works taking flight. What a great job.
Gallery idea No 6: The kitchen shelf
Create a gallery wall using existing shelves for a flexible and high-impact display. Combining artwork with kitchen items, for instance, can turn a storage shelf into a work of art.
When displaying art in kitchens, beware of placing works near heat sources and areas with high humidity. Gallery walls consisting of plates or decorative trays will last longer and there’s less risk of damage.
Create a gallery wall using existing shelves for a flexible and high-impact display. Combining artwork with kitchen items, for instance, can turn a storage shelf into a work of art.
When displaying art in kitchens, beware of placing works near heat sources and areas with high humidity. Gallery walls consisting of plates or decorative trays will last longer and there’s less risk of damage.
Gallery idea No 7: The brightness booster
In darker hallways, lofts or spaces without a lot of depth, create an airy atmosphere by using bright colours, minimal designs and white frames. We especially love geometric artworks for bringing a space to life.
In darker hallways, lofts or spaces without a lot of depth, create an airy atmosphere by using bright colours, minimal designs and white frames. We especially love geometric artworks for bringing a space to life.
Gallery idea No 8: The look-at-me landing
Staircases often get overlooked when it comes to decorating, and what a pity – they’re one of the most high-traffic areas in the home. Create a gallery that draws in the eye by staggering work along the staircase wall. Keep the centre of your gallery wall around the 150cm height, and allow 25cm from the stair to avoid damage when vacuuming.
Offsetting a gallery wall with a lone, larger artwork – as seen here, with the big typography piece at the far end – is a great way add extra punch to a space.
TELL US…
Have you created a gallery wall? Please share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Staircases often get overlooked when it comes to decorating, and what a pity – they’re one of the most high-traffic areas in the home. Create a gallery that draws in the eye by staggering work along the staircase wall. Keep the centre of your gallery wall around the 150cm height, and allow 25cm from the stair to avoid damage when vacuuming.
Offsetting a gallery wall with a lone, larger artwork – as seen here, with the big typography piece at the far end – is a great way add extra punch to a space.
TELL US…
Have you created a gallery wall? Please share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
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