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How to design a gallery wall

Posted by Betija Markusa on

gallery wall design tips and tricks
Whenever I open Pinterest for my daily interior inspo numerous breathtaking gallery wall photos pop up on my feed, and the only thing on my mind is – I need to make one! But I can also get overwhelmed by all the inspiration and options and start thinking, how can I achieve such a stunning look? If you ever had the same feeling, this blog post might be just what you were looking for because we'll guide you through a few easy steps to make your gallery wall without a hassle!

RESEARCH & INSPIRATION

The first – most important and fun part – is to do research and get yourself inspired for your upcoming project. Gallery walls will give your room character and show your personality because each gallery wall is a unique collection of little bits and pieces that has meaning to you. Remember, you are the curator of your gallery wall, and you can let your imagination run free! There are no strict rules, but consider a few points to make the process easier.
gallery wall inspiration
Let's make ourselves a big and cozy cup of coffee, matcha, or tee and go through the gallery wall checklist:
  • Gather inspiration and look up images on the internet, in magazines, or in books to understand what you like; create a mood board (Pinterest, Instagram)
  • Think of a color palette you would like – will it be neutrals, bright colors, black and white, or maybe a mix?
  • If you want to make your wall look more professional, stick to a cohesive color palette, where your art pieces are in the same tone and intensity
  • If you don't know where to start, choose a theme according to your interior design (coastal, boho, minimal, mid-century modern, etc.) – it will blend in naturally with the room
  • Gather art – posters, photographs, magazine cutouts, even wallpaper left over from your interior project – all of that can help you make a unique gallery wall.
  • Try to arrange the pieces you gathered on the floor to see how they look together, to decide on the overall mood and pieces you want to display
  • Remember that mirrors, wall hangings, lighting, little shelves, or even plants can also be a part of a gallery wall to make it even more dynamic and three-dimensional.
  • Don't be afraid to mix frame colors & styles ( you can start with two or three colors to avoid chaos)

THE LAYOUT

When it comes to gallery wall layouts seems like there are endless ways to arrange your wall art – from even grid to organized & playful chaos. It's up to your preference, but we've put together nine layout schemes to guide you through a few of the possibilities!


1. MINIMALISM

minimal and classic gallery wall layouts

This layout is perfect if you want to keep it minimal & clean and display only a few statement pieces that will create a strong focal point in your space. You can choose two or three prints that correspond to each other and make a perfect duo or trio. With our new Danish Pastels Art Prints Collection, we've put together a few bold art print duo packs that will look beautiful side by side on your gallery wall.
danish pastels poster duo gallery wall art layout

2. THE GRID

Simple and symmetrical layouts create a sense of balance – this type of gallery wall will look finished and put together. Also, this is a place to start and a scheme to stick to if you don't feel adventurous enough to go on with the more eclectic & random layouts.
gallery wall grid and axis layout
Grid and centerpiece layouts that align on all sides will create a harmonious gallery wall. Aligning prints along one edge (or center line) will add a sense of structure but look more playful than the classic grid layout. You can add more character to these simple layouts by choosing different colored & styled frames.
grid gallery wall layout


3. DYNAMIC

With this layout scheme – if we can even call it a scheme – you can go bold and brave! This layout is the most dynamic and playful of them all, and there are almost no rules – mix & match frames, horizontal & vertical positioning, and play with space between the frames. We said no rules, but still – a few tips can bring this eclectic wall from beautiful to breathtaking!

eclectic and playful gallery wall layout

The first tip: start with the larger piece and position it slightly off center (not to take all visual focus), and then work your way around it with smaller art pieces. Or you can put two large-scale pieces diagonally from each other and then fill the spaces between and around them – and voila – you're almost done!
Second tip: arranging larger pieces off the center will make your gallery wall visually more intriguing and let the viewer's eye travel around all the artworks.
eclectic gallery wall interior inspiration
Third tip: adding a little bit of symmetry or alignment will make this layout look more harmonious. For example, alight few of the opposite side frames to each other along the top or bottom edges. Or you could align the top or bottom edges of a few frames to the center line of the larger art pieces. Aligning a few edges will help to create the "organized chaos" look.


MEASURE UP!

Final and one of the most important tips – before you start to make holes in your wall, test out your layout! There are two easy ways to do it – on a floor or a wall.

ON A FLOOR:

1. measure the amount of space you want your gallery wall to be;

2. tape off a box that exact size on your floor;

3. lay out the pieces you have chosen for your gallery wall within the taped area.

gallery wall mockup on a floor

Now you can play around with the placement for as long as you feel satisfied with the result. It is also a great way to see if your art will look good together or do you need to make adjustments.

ON A WALL:

1. take a paper and cut out squares and rectangles that are the exact size of the artworks you collected for your gallery wall;

2. with painters tape, stick them to your chosen gallery wall.

gallery wall mockup on a wall

Now you can see how much space artworks you chose will take up on your wall and make corrections to the layout or amount of artwork you want to display.

One last tip – take pictures with your phone of the layout testing process to remember all the variations you tried and liked. This way, it will be easier to recreate them on your wall when you hang your wall art.



We hope this blog post and tips will inspire you to make your gallery wall – we would love to see the result! And if you still need a little more inspiration, check out our art prints collections – maybe one of them is just the missing piece for your gallery wall project!

Betty Livette's Wallpaper Graphic Designer

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