7 Gallery wall ideas and tips for any room in your house

The gallery wall is a timeless, beautiful way to have a focal point in any room, and for good reason; refined, stylish, and easy to create. It is the perfect way to showcase your favourite photos, images or prints, customised to suit your individuality. Gallery walls are great for freshening up a family photo wall, brightening up dull wall space, or displaying your favourite artwork and photographs.

If you’re wondering how to get started, we’ve compiled a guide full of tips and tricks to show you how to make a gallery wall that is tailored to you.

What you'll need to get started

Before we look at ideas throughout the whole home, we highly recommend that you find or invest in a spirit level and tape measure. Regardless of your style, your gallery wall will only benefit from your prints hanging straight and in the right place.

To get started, measure and mark out where you’d like your gallery wall to sit. Then, step back for a second look before bringing out the hammer and nails. This allows you to make sure there is an equal amount of space between each print too. For aesthetic reasons, we would suggest a gap of at least two inches.

Gallery wall layout top tip: Plan your empty space

To get you started, measure and mark out where you’d like to place your gallery wall as a whole. Then, you can start to plan out where your prints will sit inside of that space.

If you already know the amount of prints you want and their sizes, measure them out onto paper (or tracing paper) and create placeholders. This way, you can rearrange them on a flat surface to get a feel of the composition and ultimately, how it will look on your wall. Now, you can change the layouts around as much as you like before you settle on the perfect combination. Once you’ve chosen your preferred layout, use the same paper place holders and stick them to the wall. Then, measure and mark in the centre of each print where the nail or hook should go. When you remove the paper, you know exactly where to hang your prints.

Top tip - A layout top tip is to place more vibrant and colour heavy prints near the lower portion of the gallery wall then place the more minimalistic and lighter prints above. This will ensure your space still remains light and breezy with all the extra frames adorning your wall. Bear that in mind when you’re switching your prints around – it may even guide you with your composition.

Gallery wall ideas by room

Ideas & tips for the bedroom

Our favourite aspect of the gallery wall trend is just how well it can showcase your individuality. Arguably, the bedroom is the most personal room in the home, and a place that serves as your own space. Therefore, we think this is the best place to create a gallery wall that features everything you love in a bit more detail. Use your favourite colour as the palette for the arrangement, your favourite artist or quotes that you live by. This is your space and should feature what you love most - whatever your tastes or passions, you can create a wall that tells your story.

Gallery wall ideas for your dining room

Want to take your gallery wall to the next level? Dining rooms are usually where all the entertainment and fancy dining commences – so this is where your gallery wall can really show off.

For a real statement, try using images that all share a common colour theme. If your dining room is black and white, go the extra mile and create a monochrome gallery wall to complement. Or, if you want to inject colour to a monochrome room instead, make sure you choose a colour that is bold and brave to counteract the black and white colour scheme. The choice is all yours.

Ideas & tips for the living room

Two assumptions about your living room – it is probably the first place you want to relax when you arrive home after a busy day and you’ve already put a lot of thought into the overall design. To make sure that your gallery wall complements the rest of your interior, we recommended taking inspiration from your favourite feature.

For example, do you have a lot of greenery in your living room? Complement them with botanical prints and succulent imagery. Or, do you have a cushion that you adore with polka dots? Add prints to your gallery wall that also feature polka dots! Using other features in your interior design is a great way to incorporate your gallery wall into your living room.

Create a travel-focused gallery wall

Another idea for your living room is to create a travel gallery wall featuring all your favourite holiday photos. As soon as you step foot into your living room, a travel gallery wall provides you with an instant recollection of your adventures, but more importantly, it gives you something to smile about every time you have a moment of downtime. Don’t let your favourite photographs from your holidays sit on a camera roll, allow them to take centre stage in your living space!

Stairway gallery wall ideas

A great gallery wall idea is to utilise the space by your stairs. A staircase gallery wall will give you the opportunity to play around with the shape of the layout. A gallery wall layout is usually either just horizontal or vertical, but the shape of the stairs allows for an incline in the composition too.

Depending on the size and shape of your stairs, you can choose between lots of smaller frames or a few statement prints – or a mix of the both! You can start small, then increase your print size as the stairs incline or decline for a twist on the typical layout choice. If you only have room for one statement piece and a couple of supporting images,  either centre it on the stairs or put it at the bottom. Your efforts may be missed if you place your gallery wall towards the top of the staircase.

Top tip – As you’re figuring out your composition, remember that the staircase has heavy foot fall that may brush against your prints. To combat this, place your prints at shoulder level or above and make sure they are secure enough for the odd bump or brush.

Frames for your gallery walls

Frames play a crucial role styling a gallery wall. They not only protect your wall art and photos but also enhance the overall aesthetic of your display. When selecting frames, consider the following tips to create a cohesive and visually appealing gallery wall:

1. Match frames to your decor: Choose framed prints that are similar styles or complement the colour palette of the room. For instance, sleek, modern frames work well in contemporary spaces, while rustic wooden frames add charm to traditional and farmhouse-style rooms.
2. Mix and match: A mix of frame styles can add interest and texture, creating a cohesive feel despite the frames not matching 100%. Try alternating between frames with different thicknesses, or between metallic & wood frames in the same family of colours.

3. Highlight with mounts: Adding mounts can give your photos and art a polished look and make any photograph look professional.
4. Consider frame size and proportion: Play with different frame sizes to create a dynamic arrangement. Larger frames can form focal points while smaller ones can fill gaps and add detail.
5. Frame placement: Arrange your frames on the floor before hanging them, experimenting with different layouts until you find the perfect balance. Maintain even spacing between frames for a neat, cohesive look.

We take a lot of pride in being able to offer a wide range of wall art options to print your memories. That goes for frame styles too - sleek metal frames, classic wooden frames or even frames with shadow gap. The right frame can make all the difference in enhancing and completing your gallery wall design.

We hope these ideas have inspired you to create your own gallery wall in your favourite room or space in your home and feature your most beloved photos.