Gallery walls are one of our favorite ways to add instant interest to any space. Whether it’s an entire wall covered in art or just a small section of your home with a few unique pieces, galleries can make a space feel layered and thoughtful. When we’re creating a gallery wall we follow a few principles to help achieve a balanced, polished outcome. The hardest part of the whole process is learning to listen to what speaks to you when it comes to the artwork itself, so just remember that personal spaces that reflect you and your family are always the most interesting.

Choosing your Artwork 

When we’re creating a gallery wall we like the artwork to work together within a shared color palette while multiple mediums. Mixing sketches, paintings, prints, and photographs is a great way to keep the wall from feeling one-note.  Additionally, you’ll want to have a range of artwork sizes and a mix of horizontal and vertical pieces to give the gallery dimension. We love to incorporate personal touches like a framed menu from your favorite restaurant, kids’ paintings, or old family photos.

Choosing your Frames

Similar to the artwork, we like the frames to work together without all being the same. It’s nice to have a mix of metal and wood or modern and ornate. 

Map out your Layout

Whether you’re building a mini gallery of just a few pieces on a small wall or a mega gallery covering an entire wall of your living space, choose an anchoring piece (usually the largest artwork)  and build from there. We like to lay the pieces out on the floor first to get a visual. Typically allowing for at least 2 inches between the pieces of artwork is best. Too much space between will feel sparse and too little space will feel crammed. 

Use the Tape Trick

To avoid nailing more holes in the wall that necessary, we use painter’s tape to help us get the hanging right the first time. Layout your painter’s tape on the back of the artwork, trimming it to make a rectangle that is the exact same size as the artwork. Next, peel off the tape and you’ll be left with a rectangle that you can stick on the wall and position exactly where you want it. From there, you can reference how the artwork hangs and add the nail. Remove the tape and hang your art. Easy and mess free.