Ideas & Inspiration
Gallery Walls

Themes

Always have a common element running through your collection, so there's a relationship between the pictures. It could be that they all have the same frame, or if it is a mixture of frames, they might all be the same size. Perhaps they are all black and white photographs or watercolour paintings by the same artist. This way, you are creating a collection rather than a general assortment.

Location

Choose an area where there is lots of space to display the collection. A large sitting room wall is ideal, or a wide hallway or staircase. Ensure there is enough room for people to walk past without knocking the frames. Using a plain wall rather than patterned wallpaper will help the collection stand out. Dark pictures work best on light walls and light pictures on dark walls. Takedown any existing pictures and ensure your furniture doesn't cause a distraction.

Planning

First of all, line up all the pictures you will hang and start to think about sizes, colours and themes. Then, get a pen and paper and sketch some possible layouts. You may want a traditional display or something with a contemporary feel. Perhaps it is going upstairs in steps. If you feel confident with your design, you can hang your pictures directly on the wall. You might want to play with your layout by cutting full-size paper templates of your pictures and arranging them on the wall until you are happy.

Layout and position

Gallery walls can seem formidable at first, so we surveyed customers to find out their favourite designs. Below, you'll find the results and how to achieve each look.

Growing display

Start with an imaginary line running across your wall. Next, place the pictures above and below this line, growing outwards in a circular motion. Over time, you can add to this design, but be careful not to let it get too big. If the pictures start to get too high or low for you to comfortably view, it is time to start a new picture wall. This works well with a mixture of traditional style frames to give a vintage feel or sharp, clean frames such as aluminium for a stylish contemporary display. It's incredible to see how your gallery wall develops over time.

Traditional

The top row should start just above your sightline and be made up of the smaller or lighter pictures in the collection. If your pictures are all the same style and measurement, put portrait shaped ones on this row. The second row should be darker, more prominent, landscape-shaped pictures.

The shelf

It's a display style becoming ever more popular; the ledge gallery wall is perfect for people who rent, rearrange regularly or dread DIY. You can create a laid-back look without hammering any nails by leaning your frames on a ledge (make sure it's got a lip). The shelf gallery wall is easy to accessorise with small plants, candles, and books.

Grid

The grid is a clean statement piece that's simple to plan, customise and grow over time. The grid is an excellent option if you have a tricky space to fill. Think of it as a giant, life-size Instagram feed. Arrange your frames, so they fit together to create a square or rectangle design on your wall. Leave approximately 5cm between each frame to see the collection without it being squashed. This design works incredibly well if your pictures have the same style frame in different sizes.

Staircase

The staircase is an excellent place to display pictures as long as there is enough room for people to get past without brushing the frames. The picture frames should be spaced so they follow the line of the steps going up. Measure the first step up to the bottom of the first frame and use this measurement every few steps to place the following picture. If they are small frames, create a collection of 2-4 before moving up the stairs.

Stack

Also known as a column, the stack style gallery wall consists of multiple frames aligned vertically on top of one another. You can make this picture wall as tall as possible, stretch it floor to the ceiling, or a few frames high. For maximum effect, try positioning the frames at the end of a hallway or the top of your stairs. We'd typically recommend stacking smaller frames to maintain a balance, which allows you to frame your Instagram pictures.

Floor to ceiling

Not for the faint-hearted, a floor to ceiling gallery wall is a sophisticated, bold way to show off your photos and art. However, its dramatic size requires fairly tall walls (we'd recommend 2.4m plus). Because of its impressive proportions, try using softer colour frames like white and silver. The bottom of this gallery wall should start about 8 inches from your skirting board and finish about 8 inches from your ceiling (or coving).

Triptych

A triptych is a set of 3 identically sized and styled frames set side-by-side. Professional Interior Designers crave this gallery wall layout because it ticks the boxes of some fundamental design principles dictating the layout, size and shape of objects in a room. Namely that items displayed in odd numbers often create more desirable energy. Try hanging a triptych above your bed or sofa to create an authentic show-stopping look. Also, try experimenting with weighted bottom mount designs.