How to Create the Perfect Gallery Wall: 5 Expert Tips
A large gallery wall on the left of the mantel is balanced by a single oversized piece on the right. A monochromatic palette helps ensure the eclectic grouping works as a whole. Photo by Aimee Mazzenga for The Everygirl.
Creating a gallery wall is one of the most impactful ways to add personality and style to your space. Whether you’re showcasing your favorite art, family photos, or a mix of both, a thoughtfully designed gallery wall can elevate any room. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve put together five expert tips to guide you, using tools like the Visual Search, Shuffler, and Wall Designer on Artfully Walls to help you along the way. To get started, check out the video below to learn how these tools work!
Ready to create a gallery wall? Here’s some tips to help guide the process.
Choose a Direction
A collection of art is unified by its palette of greens and browns. The eclectic framing styles are tied together by the consistent use of black and gold.
Before you reach for the hammer, take a step back and think about the overall direction of your gallery wall. Do you want a cohesive collection with matching frames, or are you going for an eclectic mix that looks like it was collected over time? Deciding on a theme or palette is a great way to create visual harmony.
Curate by color or theme: Organize your wall by color palette or by a central theme, such as travel photography, modern abstracts, botanicals, etc. The Visual Search tool can help you curate the perfect pieces by allowing you to search for specific styles, colors, themes, or moods. Whether you’re looking for "California-inspired art for my kitchen" or "deep, saturated blues in modern art," this AI tool ensures you find the perfect pieces to match your vision.
Framing matters: Matching frames create a contemporary, cohesive look, while a mix of frame styles and textures adds a collected-over-time charm. If you’re unsure, try sticking with neutral-colored frames like blacks, whites, and natural wood tones, or select a common finish, such as gold, for a curated feel.
Mix Mediums: We love combining different styles and mediums when creating a gallery wall. Oil paintings look phenomenal paired with photography, bold abstracts pair nicely with delicate line drawings, and so on. Mix it up and have some fun!
2. Consider the Room
The room's windows act as spacers in this creative take on a traditional gallery wall. The art's neutral palette works seamlessly with the furnishings and window treatments.
While it’s easy to focus solely on the wall you’re designing, remember to take the rest of the room into account. Your gallery wall should enhance the room’s overall design rather than compete with it.
Sightlines are key: Keep in mind the view from different angles in the room, as well as views from room to room. Hanging art in your living room? Consider how it looks when viewed from your dining room. If you can see art reflected in a mirror, be sure it works with art in the same sightline.
Work with the home’s architecture: In the example above, the designer allowed the pair of windows to act as a spacer between pieces of art. Working with your home’s existing architectural details will ensure your art flows seamlessly throughout. For example, if one side of your room has a large window or fireplace, balance that with a carefully arranged gallery wall on the opposite side to avoid visual imbalance. Have a large gallery wall on one side of your mantel? Then balance it out with a single oversized piece on the other side.
Create a focal point: Every room should have a strong primary and secondary focal point. Think about where your eye naturally goes when you walk into a room. The primary focal point is likely a strong architectural feature like a mantel or a window, or perhaps a large piece of furniture like a bed, and the secondary is typically an interesting design element. If your room is lacking clear focal points, you can easily create them with art.
3. Borrow from the Pros, or Make it Your Own
Our art curators have assembled several gallery walls that you can browse here, and buy as-is or personalize to suit your taste. If you find a wall that you like but want to tweak a piece or two, You can easily swap out any of the art to create a unique arrangement with just a few clicks.
Use the Shuffler tool: The Shuffler tool on Artfully Walls is perfect for fine-tuning pre-made gallery walls. You can unlock a ready-made design and shuffle through different art pieces until you find the ideal combination. This gives you the flexibility to customize your gallery wall to your exact taste, without starting from scratch. Simply choose a gallery wall, turn on the “swap” button on the top right corner, and toggle between options for the art you’d like to change.
You can easily customize an existing gallery wall with our handy Shuffler tool.
4. Plan Your Layout, and Hang
When it comes to gallery walls, planning the layout is essential. Whether you prefer a clean grid or a more casual, asymmetrical arrangement, getting the spacing right will make all the difference.
Use the Wall Designer tool: This tool allows you to experiment with different layouts, frame sizes, and matting options before you even hammer a nail. It lets you preview how your chosen pieces will look together at scale, making it easy to adjust spacing and arrangement to suit your wall and taste.
Consider spacing: Even spacing between frames creates a cohesive, intentional look, especially if you’re working with a large wall. As a general rule, try leaving around 2 to 6 inches between each piece, though you can adjust this based on the size and number of pieces you’re working with.
Consistent spacing, subject matter, and framing makes for a striking gallery wall.
5. Top it off with 3-D Elements
If you want to take your gallery wall to the next level, consider incorporating non-art elements like mirrors, sconces, or busts. These additions will add depth and texture, making your wall even more dynamic and visually interesting.
Add variety with objects: Hanging items like candle sconces, woven animal busts, or a beautiful mirror can break up the monotony of framed pieces and introduce a new dimension to your gallery wall. This is particularly useful if your wall includes many smaller pieces that need extra visual weight to balance the composition.
This designer loves to water ski, so she hung a single ski along with her collection of art for an unexpected twist. She also arranged her art around the family's TV to help disguise it.
A candle sconce adds intrigue to a simple gallery wall.
