Tips to Create the Perfect Gallery Wall in Any Space
Need help designing a gallery wall?
Creating your own gallery wall does not have to be stressful! In fact, it’s one of my favorite ways to personalize and add style to a home’s decor in big or small spaces and at any budget. A great gallery wall can be such a fun focal point and a special curation of all your favorite photos, signs, and meaningful collections.
Today I’m sharing four different examples of gallery walls I have personally installed in my home. Here are my tips for getting a similar look!
1. Staircase Gallery Wall
It’s important to think of all your individual pieces combined together into one piece of art.
A great way to start designing a staircase gallery is to find a focal point and color scheme. In this example, I wanted my focal point to be the large black metal sign which anchors the rest of the pieces. I hung three pieces directly above the sign and below it. I didn’t stay with the same color frames, but they are all pretty neutral.
Hip Tip: Before getting out the hammer and nails, it’s smart to build a layout first using craft paper and tape. Trace an outline all of your items on paper, cut them out, and tape the paper shapes on the wall to get an arrangement you’re satisfied with beforehand. This will save time (and a zillion holes) in the wall.
2. Grid Gallery Wall
The grid gallery just feels so sophisticated, timeless, and symmetrical.
A grid gallery also never goes out of style and looks stunning without spending a ton of money. I used eight 12×16 white frames from IKEA to display my favorite personal photography from our family travels. When grouped together, they look super fresh and clean. This method is simple, yet it does take some extra measuring (and math) to get that grid aligned perfectly.
Hip Tip: If you don’t have an IKEA nearby, Amazon has similar frames available here.
You’ll want to first decide on frame size, how much wall space you’d like in between each frame, and the number of frames/rows. Visit Domino.com for step by step instructions (as we did for this wall). A measuring tape and good level tool are so helpful for this project to get everything straight. We have a laser level, and it’s so handy for hanging wall decor.
Hip Tip: To keep photos from swaying and moving, consider using a few adhesive rubber bumpers on the back of each frame. This will help keep them straight for any type of gallery wall!
3. Eclectic Gallery Wall
Here’s a fun example of using smaller shaped and sized signs, personal photos, and mementos together for a larger, more uniform look.
You definitely don’t have to use only photos for gallery walls and can be creative with your decor. This looks like a collection with a combination of plaques, photos, and wall hangings. To accomplish this, I used a wax paper trick I found online and it worked well.
Wax Paper Trick for Hanging a Gallery Wall:
- Figure out your arrangement on the floor and flip the pics over, so the backs are facing up.
- Tape several long pieces of wax paper together and mark where the nails should go. The key here is to make sure all the frames are straight and level on the floor using a ruler and level tool.
- Then just tape the large wax paper template to the wall where you want it and place your nails.
4. Picture Ledge Gallery Wall
Finally, using picture ledges is probably the easiest gallery wall of all!
I use MOSSLANDA picture ledges from IKEA which come in black or white. You can create several rows and then simply change out all the photos and wall decor as desired. If you don’t live by an IKEA, Target.com carries similar Threshold brand picture ledges like mine.
Have so much fun creating your gallery wall!
If you have some gallery wall related tips, please share with us in the comments!
Thank you!! We moved not long ago and are in the process of painting. This will be handy when we start hanging our pictures!!
Oh perfect! You’re very welcome, Lesli! SO glad this will be helpful! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to comment!