10 Gallery Wall Layouts That Always Look Good in Every Home

A gallery wall is a collection of framed art, photography, and/or decor pieces grouped together to form a display. This popular wall feature has been an interior design fixture for centuries, but can make a modern space feel fresh and new. You can personalize a gallery wall with your choice of artwork, frame styles, and layout to create a conversation starter with a signature look.

Check out these gallery wall layout ideas to help you arrange a conversation-starting focal point in your living room, hallway, stairway, bedroom, and beyond.

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How to Design a Gallery Wall Layout 

Arranging a gallery wall is an art, not a science. Take your time moving things around until you have an arrangement that works for you.

• Before hanging artwork on the wall, do a trial run. Measure the paramaters of your gallery wall, then create a border on the floor using painter’s tape to mimic its proportions. 
• Arrange your collection to create a layout that looks balanced and appealing. Nailing down your layout will help prevent mistakes before you start nailing things into the wall. 
  
• Consider an anchor piece. If you are hanging a gallery wall made up of pieces of varying sizes and shapes, start by hanging a larger anchor piece in the center of your gallery wall, or off center if you prefer a more asymmetrical look.
• Arrange smaller pieces around the anchor piece, filling in empty spaces with smaller art or decor pieces such as mirrors, baskets, or vintage tools or architectural salvage pieces. 
• Leave roughly equal spaces between individual pieces, whether you are hanging tidy rows or creating a more freeform arrangement. 
• Create a paper mock-up on the wall. Once you’ve settled on an arrangement, cut out pieces of paper the same size as your picture frames and tape them up on the wall as a mock-up of what it would look like so that you can double check that you are happy with the placement before hanging things on the wall. You can also use painter’s tape to outline frame sizes without damaging the wall.

Living Room Gallery Wall Ideas

Hanging a gallery wall in your living room will create a focal point and help you to create a warm and personal feel that will make the space more inviting. Here are some ideas.

Symmetrical Gallery Wall

Blow up favorite family photos and display them on the wall in neat rows and matching frames to create a symmetrical gallery wall with a personal touch. Laura Brophy Interiors mounted black-and-white photos in black frames with white mats on a vertical shiplap side wall, installing picture lights above to elevate the arrangement.

Off-Kilter Gallery Wall

Hang a gallery wall with a casual modern feel by tilting your artwork in a haphazard pattern, like this irreverent take on a gallery wall in an otherwise minimalist bedroom from Fantastic Frank that could also work over a living room couch.

Full Wall Gallery Wall

Fill the space between the top of the sofa and the ceiling to create a full-wall gallery wall, like this space from House 9 Interiors. You can hang it all at once or start smaller by hanging a gallery wall over the couch that you add to over time, adjusting as you go.

Large-Scale Triptych

For a bold and streamlined take on a gallery wall, hang a triptych. Desiree Burns Interiors chose an abstract large-scale triptych to complement this Japandi-style open plan living room dining room.

Horizontal Layout

Create a focal point over the sofa with a horizontal gallery wall that will make an impact with a smaller number of pieces. Desiree Burns Interiors decorated the moody blue walls of this space with a mix of color and black-and-white photography in varying sizes and identical frames.

Frameless Gallery Wall

If you like the idea of a gallery wall but don't have the budget or are a renter who isn't allowed to put holes in the walls, get creative. Hang torn out pages from a favorite illustrated book or colorful drawings of your own design in neat, even rows using painter's tape that won't damage walls.

This idea would also work in a kids' room or playroom to showcase their designs in a way that is easy to swap out.

Colored Mat Gallery Wall

Contrast a gallery wall of subtle black-and-white illustrations with colored matboard for a cohesive feel. Studio Peake hung white framed illustrations mounted on pale yellow mats on the light blue walls of this London bedroom.

Staircase and Hallway Gallery Wall Ideas

Staircases and hallways can feel a little empty without wall decor. Make them homier with a gallery wall of anything from family photos to mirrors.

Extra-Tall Vertical Gallery Wall

Take advantage of a double-height ceilings in a foyer to make it feel like more than a pass-through space and to make the room feel more grounded. House 9 Interiors added a colorful extra-tall vertical gallery wall with a mix of frame styles, shapes, and sizes for an effortless feel.

Staircase Mirror Wall

Hang a gallery wall of mirrors on the main wall of an open staircase that will bounce light around and amplify views. Thistlewood Farms added interest to the white walls of this farmhouse staircase with mix of thrifted vintage finds and new mirrors in varying shapes and sizes to add interest at an affordable price point.

Wallpapered Staircase Gallery Wall

Layer art over colorful wallpaper to add dimension to a staircase gallery wall. This staircase gallery wall has a combination of art styles, paintings, illustrations, and photographs in a mix of frames for an eclectic look that feels collected over time.

What to Put on a Gallery Wall 

You can hang anything on a gallery wall that you find beautiful or inspiring and want to look at every day. Stick to one type of art or wall decor, or mix it up depending on the look and feel you want. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Framed or unframed paintings
• Posters, prints, and illustrations
• Black-and-white or color photography
• Family photos
• Kids’ artwork
• Vintage album covers
• Framed diplomas and awards
• Vintage signs
• Textile wall hangings
• Empty frames in varying sizes and styles such as thrifted gilded frames with ornate wood carving
• Decorative mirrors
• Wall decor such as baskets, masks, hats, or vintage tools or letters
• Architectural salvage pieces
• Sconces or neon signs
• A collection of practical items such as cutting boards in a kitchen or vintage tea trays in a butler’s pantry

Gallery Wall Design Tips

You can hang anything on a gallery wall, but here are some guidelines to help you choose what to feature.

• Display pieces that speak to you, whether that means personal family photos, a collection of hats, black-and-white photography, landscape paintings, abstract prints, or oil portraits.
• If you prefer objects, hang vintage tools or architectural salvage pieces to complement a farmhouse space, or a collection of decorative baskets for a boho-style feel.
• Use a large anchor piece as a jumping off point, adding smaller pieces that complement or contrast.
• If you are on a budget, use a gallery wall to make an impact by hanging smaller pieces that you already own together to make a greater impact, or sourcing small pieces at thrift shops or online at an affordable price point.
• Mix frame styles for a more eclectic, boho-style feel, or choose matching frames to create a sense of cohesion between a group of disparate styles and sizes.
• Paint your gallery wall before hanging up art to add more impact. Your collection will look different when hung on white, black, colorful, or wallpapered walls.