Gallery Wall Ideas: Creative Arrangements

Photo by CottonBro Studio from Pexels

• Measure up
• Top-to-Bottom Display
• Adorn Unexpected Places
• Half-Painted Images
• Themed Display
• Adorn the Around-the-TV Area
• Let Canvas Tell a Story
• Use Triptych
• Turn Photos into Puzzles!
• Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…
• Make It Empty
• Make Double!
• Infuse Sports into the Interior
• 100% Mirrored
• Travel-Themed Arrangement
• Mix It All: Artwork, Photos, Posters

Whether it is your bedroom, living room, home office, or even staircase, it is a perfect spot for an art-stuffed wall. Arranged to create a visually wowing display, it is actually a versatile element of interior design. After all, it instantly showcases your favorite works of art, sweet family photos, or a mix of those that, in turn, bring depth, creativity, and your unique personality to any setting. Below, the Enjoy The Wood team invites you to explore creative ideas to help you arrange your pieces like a pro.

First, what is a gallery wall?

Simply put, it’s a creative arrangement of works of art, frames, photos, and other items that can be mounted on the wall. Not only is it a great way to make your room more personal, but it’s also a timeless technique to add style and adorn the room. Uniform or eclectic, this curated display is suitable for any interior, aesthetic, and place.

Here’s our gallery wall guide to help you display your most treasured photos, pieces of art, and prints.

Measure up

Now that you have your collection in front of your eyes, make sure to lay it on the floor to consider the layout, and the size and measure the space you have for it. What would you prefer? An organic arrangement, neat rows, chaotic look? Is there any décor that you have to uninstall? Do you plan to add more items in the future? Before the process starts, pre-arrange items to have a perfect look eventually. Our special tip is to keep the space between all items ~ 3 inches apart. Thus, you’ll avoid the ‘crowd’ on the wall. 

Top-to-Bottom Display

How to design a gallery wall in a hallway or living room? In a spacious room like that, the entire wall covered with framed artwork will be a hit. For a dramatic effect, mix small pieces with oversized ones. It gives balance instantly. Begin to arrange from the center and work outward.

Adorn Unexpected Places

Why not spruce up some unexpected spots in your place? Add personality to your bathroom with items hung above the toilet (moisture-resistant frames are a must!). How about the kitchen? Display your family recipes, vintage food prints, and small artwork. Or, hang items that make your heart sing in a home office. Motivational photos or/and quotes will inspire you during long hours on the laptop. The art arrangement in a dressing room or closet (small mirrors in tandem with fashion vintage sketches, personal mementos, etc.) adds a pinch of luxury to your place. For more drama, create a dark background for your special dress-up. Here’s the thing: g-walls LOVE dark-painted backgrounds!

Half-Painted Images

When wondering how to do a gallery wall with a pinch of extravagancy, pick your favorite artwork pieces or photos and…half-paint them, using colors that match your interior. If you pick the hues from the opposite side of the color wheel, you’ll get the much-desired contrast.

Themed Display

If you’re passionate about a particular topic, event, person, etc., think about how to create a gallery wall that roofs items united by one theme. It can be literally anything, from fashion and travel photos to botanical prints, pop art, vintage coffee machines, and black-and-white photography. A themed curated display of artwork or photos is a perfect choice if you need to showcase a specific interest or passion. It’s crucial though to keep sizes consistent. Thus, you’ll keep focus on the chosen theme. For a cohesive look, a set of matching frames is a must-have.  

Adorn the Around-the-TV Area

Who said that this area should be boring? If you lack gallery wall ideas, pick your favorite family photos or choose pieces of art, frame them, and wrap them around the TV. It’s a simple technique to add life into the setting and make sure that everyone notices your best memories with your loved one, even when it’s the other episode of ‘Friends’ on TV.   

Let Canvas Tell a Story

At EnjoyHome, we’re focused on helping our clients create a 100% personalized space. Here’s another way to do it: choose the photos that show, let’s say, your kid’s first birthday party. If you’re into black-and-white photos, print them out, and get a pack of gold or silver frames that instantly add a touch of delicacy typical for elegant and classy interiors.

Use Triptych

Homeowners on the lookout for ideas gallery wall layout with sizes that are miniature or medium should consider hanging a triptych. You’re welcome to either break up a single photo, painting, or any other illustration or mount images united by a single theme.

Turn Photos into Puzzles!

Parents seeking ways how to make a gallery wall stylish and creative, showcase photos of your pumpkins in a puzzle-like design. The process is fun because little ones can also participate in it when putting the fragments together. Ensure to attach a magnet to the back of every piece of the puzzle and place it on a magnetic board. Voilà!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

If you own a huge mirror framed with a gorgeous vintage baroque-style frame, start the decoration by hanging this treasure. It’ll be the centerpiece that all the other elements gravitate to. Prepare a collection of family images or artworks to display in the area surrounding the mirror.

Make It Empty

Photo by Anna Nekrashevich from Pexels

Well, why not? The style of throwing up as many photos, paintings, and pictures is cool but did you try empty frames? It’s a pocket-friendly option for those who are thinking of how to plan a gallery wall but are stuck in the middle of the agony of choice. If you can’t decide what objects are worth displaying or you don’t have them at all, empty picture frames of different sizes and shapes rock. Visit some of the local thrift stores to purchase a bag of vintage picture frames and paint them. For example, the white color works well in any setting. If not, pick the tone that plays off the other pieces of décor in a room. 

Make Double!

Photo by Joyce Hankins from Unsplash

Who said that only one wall is the limit? Decorate one and…proceed to the other! Pick the same combination of frames and colors but vary the works of art. Thus, you will have a focal point in the form of a cozy and stylish corner.

Infuse Sports into the Interior

If you have something to boast of in the world of sports (rewards, cups, etc.), showcase all of your achievements! Mix your ex-sports equipment with some vintage items from the flea markets. Add sport-themed banners, posters, and framed art to make the wall arrangement lively and perfectly personalized.

100% Mirrored

We’ve already discussed how you can make a single mirror the center of your gallery wall but…what if you have a collection of petit decorative mirrors? Prepare them all (it’s totally OK if they’re of different styles and finishes!) and display these treasures to make a living room or even a staircase look like a mirror museum. By the way, modern and old mirrors look adorable when in a tandem!

Travel-Themed Arrangement

Travel geeks wondering how to build a gallery wall should consider a world map as a hooking core for the gallery wall. It can be either the whole planet atlas or regional maps both adding a sense of adventure to any space. Make sure to surround it with travel-themed photos, tickets, postcards, or any other mementos from your adventures. Use a vintage map to surround it later with other antique-like items. This technique adds a strong nostalgic feel.

Mix It All: Artwork, Photos, Posters

If you wonder how to arrange a gallery wall so that it includes all of your favorites, we have good news – you can mix things up! Pick photos, paintings, drawings, and other objects from the same category to adorn the room. Incorporate large, medium, or small-sized pieces in frames of any color that works for you.

Planning a gallery wall is over, you’ve played around with different arrangements, and now it’s time to step back and enjoy the glory of your creation. The good news? You can swap your gallery or update it at any time. Just make sure to replace items with similar-sized ones.