Gallery walls are all the rage in home decor now but building your own gallery wall is a big deal: you have to collect a variety of prints, art, and maybe even original photography that speaks to you and nicely flows all together and works with the aesthetic of your room, home, and personal style. Having already conquered the basic gallery wall, often placed above a sofa or bed, people are moving on to more inventive ways of grouping and hanging. Think leaning art on floating ledge shelves, adding 3D objects into the mix, and now, creating a gallery wall that spans from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Wanna build one, too? Here are some tips.
Build From The Eye Level
Choose a center focal point and build from there. Instead of building your artwork out in a more radial design, think about building up and down in vertical groups.
a beautiful bedroom with a blush accent wall done with a vintage gallery wall, a black bed with neutral bedding and black nightstands
a beautiful dining room with a light-stained table and mismatching chairs, a chic chandlier and a monochromatic gallery wall
a beautiful eclectic dining room with a stained table and vintage chairs, a potted tree and a free form gallery wall with much color
a beautiful free form gallery wall with thin black and silver frames and black and white and colored art
a black powder room with a round window, vintage artwork all over the space, white appliances and lights here and there
a bold and eye-catchy gallery wall with various types of art in mismatching black frames will make a statement anywhere
a bold corner gallery wall in black and white, with prints, artwork, photos and fun pieces is a cool idea for a modern space
You Don’t Have To Do It All At Once
You don’t have to collect every single piece of art you want hanging on your wall before taking action. Build in groups of a few frames making sure to balance those groups in color and size, it’s an easy way to incrementally build a wall you love.
a bold gallery wall with colorful art in mismatching black frames will bring a touch of color and an artful feel
a bright eclectic gallery wall with mismatching frames climbing up the wall and going over the doorway is a very creative idea
a bright free form gallery wall with colorful artworks and msiamtching frames for an eclectic and fun feel in the space
a bright gallery wall with abstract artworks and prints, with neon ligth frames and usual ones for a funky look
a catchy dining room with a round table and vintage chairs, a rug, a free form gallery wall and a cool chandelier
a colorful and bold gallery wall with mismatching frames and super bold artworks in various styles placed on a wall with color block
a colorful gallery wall taking two walls with mismatching frames and super bold artworks in various styles and in various colors
a colorful gallery wall taking two walls, with vintage paintings in neutral frames, with portraits and botanicals is amazing
a colorful gallery wall with mismatching vintage frames, with and without mats, with art in various bright colors
You Can Move Art Around
Hanging frames isn’t permanent—even though it sometimes feels like it. You have the freedom to move pieces down if you find other pieces you love more and rearrange your heart out if you please. Think of your gallery wall (especially the large floor to ceiling variety) as a rotating or evolving display instead of a gallery that once hung, is never to be altered again.
a colorful pop art gallery wall in various colors - posters for fun and with black and white frames is a bold idea
a cool gallery wall done with matching neutral and black frames of various sizes and with prints is a stylish idea
a creative gallery wall with bold and unusual artworks and posters in mismatching frames is a very bold idea
a dramatic gallery wall with various types of art, letters, ampersands and even empty frames looks amazing
a free form gallery wall with black and white family pics and white frames is a very chic and stylish idea for any space
a free form gallery wall with mismatching black frames, black and white photos will refresh the space in a stylish way
a free form gallery wall with mismatching frames and bold and black and white artworks and family pics is a cool idea
a fun and bold free form gallery wall with mismatching frames and without frames and various mismatching art
a grid gallery wall with thin black frames, white matting and black and white photos with curved angles feels retro chic
Put Your Least Favorites On The Bottom
If you want all of your pieces to have equal face time, this might not be the type of gallery wall for you. What is hanging at eye level (around 57 inches) will probably be seen first and the most. Pick pieces that you want to be the center of attention to hang at eye level, and use the low space for either prints that may mean a bit less to you (if that’s even possible!) or instead using it as a space for bigger pieces to balance out smaller ones.
a jaw-dropping dining room with a simple table and vintage chairs, whimsical rope pendant lamps and artworks all over the space
a large and bold free form gallery wall with thin frames and colorful art, mostly abstract, takes over the whole space
a large corner gallery wall of black and white family photos in matching black frames is a good idea to style an awkward nook
a large free form gallery wall with a bold color scheme and with vintage artworks will make the space more refined
a large gallery wall with mismatching vintage frames and black and white artworks with a strong elegant vintage feel
a maximalist gallery wall in various bright colors, with mismatching frames taking two walls looks very bold and cool
a monochromatic gallery wall with thin black and blonde wood frames and black and white artworks is a stylish idea
a navy bathroom with a gallery wall that takes all the blank wall space, white appliances and a mirror integrated into this art spot
Don’t Neglect Small Stuff
You might think the larger statement pieces that serve as the focal point of your wall are the MVPs, but you’re wrong. The smaller frames not only add balance, spatially speaking, but can also be used to bridge gaps between the larger pieces (and vertical collections, if you choose to build out your wall with that method). Even though we often call the smaller pieces fillers, they really do play an important role in building the perfect gallery wall.
a neutral vintage dining room with a stained table and creamy chairs, a large free form gallery wall and some dried blooms
a refined free form gallery wall with mismatching black frames and various types of art - from family photos to paintings
a Scandinavian dining room with a modenr table and black chairs, a free form colorful gallery wall and bookshelves
a Scandinavian meets mid-century modern dining room with a simple table and mismatching chairs plus a colorful gallery wall
a statement gallery wall with thin black frames and black and white matting built around a central piece
a stylish colorful gallery wall with matching black frames, colorful artworks and posters, a glam clock and bold prints
a stylish home office with a white brick accent wall with a gallery wall, a glass desk, black leather chairs and some potted plants
a stylish mid-century modern dining room with a round stone table, cane chairs, a lovely gallery wall and a pendant lamp
Fill An Odd Space
Don’t feel like you have to fill up the largest wall in your house. Instead, choose a smaller space that maybe can’t fit anything else but a few small frames—or even a space that isn’t heavily trafficked. Staircases and the awkward space between two doors or windows are the perfect examples.
a super colorful and chic free form gallery wall with bold artworks and prints of various kinds, a mirror, decorative plates and faux taxidermy
a very chic gallery wall with gilded frames and various types of paintings will blow your mind away
a vintage bathroom with light green walls, a gallery wall that covers two walls at once, a clawfoot bathtub and a free-standing sink
a vintage black and white gallery wall with mismatching frames and vintage art is a stylish idea
a vintage home office with a stained desk and chairs, an elegant fireplace, a large gallery wall and an arched mirror
a vintage rustic home office with a stained desk, a leather chair, a large gallery wall on a cobalt wall and white paneling
a witchy gallery wall with thin black frames, bold prints, vintage artworks and photos is a catchy idea
an eclectic and colorful gallery wall with bold paintings, posters, signs, prints and various elements to make it catchier
an eclectic gallery wall with various types of art in mismatching frames is amazing and looks wow
an eclectic home office with a lightweight desk, a plywood and black soft chair, an oversized gallery wall with potted plants
an eclectic living room gallery wall with various artwork, masks, mini sculptures and botanical posters is lovely