gallery wall ideas, layouts, & advice

Sometimes things look very different in the mind’s eye as opposed to on the wall. Because of this, it’s important to get a sense of what your gallery wall layout will look like before hammering those nails in. There are a few easy ways to visually see your concept and mock-up which pieces will go where before picking up the hammer. This includes ideas like:

• Use butcher paper or newspaper: Cut pieces of butcher paper at exactly the size of the artwork you plan to hang. Tack or tape the butcher paper on the wall in different patterns to see what looks best. Styling professionals suggest positioning the largest piece first and arranging the smaller pieces from there. Feel free to use old newspapers as an alternative, or any other kind of paper you have lying around.
• Use painter’s tape: An easy substitute for butcher paper is painter’s tape. Quickly visualize your DIY photo gallery layout. Tape your wall in the outlines of the measurements of your wall art and step back to see if it’s the look you desire. Painters tape won’t leave marks and is easy to remove and reapply if you want to shift some things around.
• Arrange artwork on the living room floor: Another easy way to visualize how to hang a gallery wall is simply by arranging pieces on the ground first to make sure you like how the various shapes and subject matters blend together.

Building a cohesive gallery wall means thinking about a defined theme you want to execute on. If you plan to build your gallery wall over time or swap in new artwork down the line, it’s important to understand what artwork would complement your pre-existing look. Even consider how you could feature some seasonally-themed pieces throughout the year. Below we have organized a few themes and looks you may want to try:

• All Photography: Whether you love collecting photography or taking it, a photo gallery wall will be one full of stories and fun memories to talk about with dinner guests. Think about whether you may want to use only black and white photography, sepia-toned photography for a rustic look, or photographs of particular people, places, or things.
• Color Palette: Thinking of creating a wall of exclusively blue, green, or yellow prints? Minted Art Stylist Mary says, “Depending on your personal style and the color scheme of your decor, the colors featured on your wall can be monochromatic, bright and bold, or more of a muted palette. If you choose to have a gallery wall with a lot of colors, throwing in a few neutral or black-and-white pieces can really help create a visually engaging gallery. Incorporating a few pieces with some white space can help balance out the collection as well.” Curious about the different effects color can play in your home decor? Be sure to read through our article on color theory and how to use the color wheel to your advantage.

• Subject Matter: If you have particular interests and things you find beautiful, why not focus on these in an eclectic gallery wall layout? For instance, wildlife, gardening, travel, or food. Broadcast your passions for all to see! Feature different art mediums in your arrangement. For example, if your passion is travel, you may have a black-and-white photograph of an African safari alongside a watercolor painting of the Eiffel Tower and a charcoal sketch of the Roman Colosseum. Review some of our popular styles below.

• Mixed Elements: Gallery walls don’t have to include just paintings or illustrations. Try incorporating other visually engaging items too, such as crafts, personal mementos, drawings from your children, notes, ticket stubs, playbills, or souvenirs.

Generally, stylists suggest using a consistent frame color or material for a cohesive look. The same advice is given if you are arranging a smaller diptych or triptych collection. However, it’s simply a suggestion and you’re free to choose as many different frame stylings as you’d like. When selecting artwork from the Minted collection, you’ll find a wide variety of frame options, from metal to wood and different frame colors too. This gives you the opportunity to frame all of your pieces with the same frame selection. You can also experiment with matting your prints. Mix up a look by ordering a smaller print with a larger frame and wide matting for an especially unique look.

Minted stylists suggest hanging art at eye level (about 57-60 inches from the center of the art print to the floor). As you formulate your gallery wall ideas and potential arrangement pattern, you may end up with some pieces positioned higher or lower on the wall, but consider avoiding pieces that are at staggering heights or placed too close to the ceiling. The same goes for extremely low art. Make sure it isn’t inches from the floor, as it will be difficult for you and your guests to view intricate details comfortably. There are exceptions to the “rule” though! If you have a large piece of wall art and the center of the piece is three feet above the ground or below the ceiling, you can get away with it because the focal point of the art will still be within eye level.

Whether you’re going for an asymmetrical or symmetrical gallery wall, consider spacing your art pieces a certain distance apart from each other. While you don’t need to have a perfectly symmetrical pattern, equal spacing in an asymmetrical arrangement can provide a touch of charm and order to your improvisational look. Using a ruler or tape measure will be your best friend while measuring it out in your home.

If you’re looking to create a contemporary look with clean lines, a grid arrangement may be perfect for you. To create this symmetrical masterpiece, determine the pieces you want to include and do some math to see how a certain number of pieces can be arranged to form a grid look (for example, 6 pieces can be 2 rows of 3). Each frame should be the same size and shape to create an organized grid formation.

Have you ever wondered how the DIY gallery look can appear to cascade elegantly down a wall? Create an imaginary line (or even place some painter’s tape in a line across a wall). All artwork at the bottom of your gallery wall can start at that height and go up (in different patterns). Or the start line could be at the top of your wall and arrangements can cascade down from it. This simple trick will give your collection some order even if you use different frames, art sizes, and subject matter.

Among the many different gallery wall ideas lies a scenario where you use one large main piece of wall art that captures most of a viewer’s attention. For context, Minted’s largest art print sizes (depending on orientation) are 48” x 70” and 70” x 48”. Other smaller pieces can be arranged around that statement piece in formations of your choosing. Remember to keep spacing around the piece in symmetry.

If you’d like to create an eclectic gallery wall, the world is your oyster! Even if there don’t seem to be any rules or patterns followed when placing your art, stylists recommend keeping all pieces within a certain cluster of space. For example, if your wall has 30 feet of space, dedicate 15 feet of space where the gallery arrangement will go. If there are large gaps between your gallery, it will seem disjointed.

Purchase Minted’s art shelves and assemble rows on your wall space. You can then add various artwork, succulents, decor, and other treasures along the shelves to create a unique spin on the more traditional gallery wall look. Minted’s Art Stylist Mary says, “Leaning art will give you the freedom to switch up your look depending on your mood and allow you to swap out pieces seasonally so your space consistently feels fresh.”

Minted’s free art styling service gives you immediate one-on-one help from one of our professional art stylists. If you’re looking for professional input and ideas for your gallery wall, simply text us a photo of your wall and we will respond with recommendations on fine art selections, the correct size to order for your space, and layouts that will work best for your room. If you love the look, the artwork will be waiting for you in your virtual cart.