How to Create a Gallery Wall: A Step-by-Step Guide

A gallery wall is one of the most effective ways to give a room personality. Yet it has a reputation for being tricky to pull off. In reality, everything happens before you pick up the drill. Here's the six-step method we use to put together our own walls.

Step 1: pick a common thread

A balanced gallery wall relies on at least one thing its pieces have in common. Choose one or two:

• A colour palette: terracotta, sand and sage green, for example.
• A theme: botanical, travel, typography, family photos.
• Matching frames: same colour and same moulding, to pull very different images together.

The easiest way to start is with a ready-matched set, such as our botanical prints set of 3, then surround it with freer pieces: a typography quote, a custom city map, a small holiday photo.

Step 2: choose the shape of your arrangement

There are three main types of layout:

1. The grid: frames of the same size lined up in rows and columns. Very graphic, ideal above a bed or a sideboard.
2. The loose rectangle: mixed sizes that together form an imaginary rectangle. This is the most popular layout.
3. The organic layout: it starts from a central frame and grows freely outwards. Perfect for a wall that will evolve over time.

For a first gallery wall, the loose rectangle is the easiest to get right: it forgives small differences in size while keeping a neat outline.

Step 3: lay it out on the floor first

Spread your frames out on the floor in front of the wall and move them around until the balance feels right. A few rules help a lot:

• Place the largest frame slightly off-centre, towards the middle or lower part of the arrangement.
• Spread strong colours diagonally rather than grouping them together.
• Alternate portrait and landscape formats.
• Take a photo of the final layout on your phone.

Step 4: transfer the plan to the wall with templates

This is the step that saves you from unnecessary holes. Trace the outline of each frame on brown paper, cut it out and mark the exact position of the hook on it. Stick the templates to the wall with masking tape, using the photo from the previous step as your guide.

Our 7-piece gallery wall frame set comes with a ready-drawn paper hanging template: just tape it to the wall, drill through the marks, then peel it away before hanging.

Step 5: get the spacing right

Spacing is the secret to a wall that looks planned rather than improvised:

• 5 to 8 cm between frames, always keeping the same gap across the whole arrangement.
• 15 to 25 cm between the bottom of the arrangement and the top of any furniture.
• The centre of the whole group at about 150 cm from the floor if the wall is clear.

A tape measure and a spirit level, or the level app on your phone, are all you need.

Step 6: hang in the right order

Always start with the central or largest frame, then work outwards. Hang each frame, check it's level, then move on to the next. If you're renting or your wall is delicate, removable adhesive strips can replace nails: always check the maximum weight shown on the packaging against the weight of your frames.

The finishing touches that make a difference

• Peel the protective film off the acrylic glazing once the frame is up, to avoid fingerprints.
• Mix at least one piece with text and one without, so the eye has different things to read.
• Leave a gap: a gallery wall is never quite finished, and that's half the charm.

With a common thread, a floor plan and paper templates, your gallery wall will be up in an afternoon, and it will feel truly yours.