How to Create Beautiful Gallery Walls

One of the most common decorating hangups you might face is selecting artwork. We share a lot of decorating tips here like: how to shop for furniture like an interior designer, how to find the perfect coffee table dimensions, and living room decorating tips. Today we’re talking all about creating a beautiful gallery wall!

You might be stuck wondering: Where to source inexpensive artwork? How to curate artwork for a cohesive look? Or maybe, how to fill a large wall with a gallery art wall? 

Gallery walls may feel like they’re going out of style in 2020, but when done right, this is actually a very timeless and traditional way to display a collection of artwork. 

One of my favorite places to add a gallery wall is on a staircase or in a hallway! Avoid filling every inch of space, sometimes it’s better to have a less is more look. I also think it’s a really really lovely touch if you’re able to add picture lights to a gallery wall. It instantly makes the whole wall feel much more intentional. Learn more about unique wall art ideas!

Gallery Wall Tips from Boxwood Avenue Interiors Lead Designer Justyne DeWilde:

Boxwood Avenue’s Tips for Creating Gallery Walls:

Don’t feel overwhelmed – art is meant to be an expression of your interests and life! It needn’t be perfect or stuffy.

Like all else in design, I like to start with a color palette and mood. I ask myself what feelings I want the artwork to evoke in the space. Is it a child’s room? A bathroom? Living room? What is the vibe?

Once I know what I’m going for in terms of mood and colors, I think about scale. What sizes do I need for this space? Do I want something oversized, or something more delicate? Resist the urge to fill every square inch of open space, sometimes less is more. Sometimes more is more… It’s really about the mood you’re going for! Do you want drama? Or do you want something a bit more understated?

Choosing Photos and Art

I love mixing prints with original pieces of artwork. Occasionally I will sprinkle in some family photography, but I try to avoid gallery walls full of family photos. It feels too shrine like to me.

Instead of a wall of family photos, select one you love and frame it in an intimate area of your home such as your bathroom vanity or bed side table.

If you want more of a personal touch with your artwork, try finding a local artist and having something commissioned.

Where to Buy Gallery Wall Frames?

One of the hardest parts of putting together a gallery wall is finding a great frame! In my experience, frames are either very expensive (but perfect in every other way) or cheap and clunky looking.

I have purchased frames from Ikea, West Elm, Simply Framed, and many others. Ikea frames are inexpensive and seem perfect, until you try to hang them…they’re so flimsy and cheap. 

West Elm gallery frames are lovely, yet quite expensive, especially if you’re putting together a gallery wall with lots of frames! 

I enjoyed using Simply Framed, but don’t love their frame options. Frame Bridge is more expensive than I’d like to spend…blah blah blah. The list goes on! 

While putting together some art for a client I came across these amazing gallery wall frames. In full disclosure: I haven’t held them in my hands yet but, they look PERFECT! Not too cheap, not too expensive. The ‘exotic wood’ color is amazing, and the thickness of the frame is *just right*. I am excited. Are you excited!?

I also found these frames from Michaels which are a great option for a modern gallery wall with a set of 8 or 9 of these in a grid. Personally, I’d order an additional mat to mat them down a little bit more for a more modern look. I’d probably go with 5×7 mat fit for the 16×20 frames. 

Gallery Wall Layout Ideas:

When building your gallery wall, you have lots of options. You can simply stack two pieces of art and call it a day! Or maybe you’re trying to fill a whole wall? Here are some ideas:

• Symmetry: You can create symmetry by stacking frames in columns and rows. This looks best when using acrylic or simple gallery frames. I really like it when this style is matted down to show lots of white space around the art or photos. I like a 5×7 mat, but 8×10 is also pretty. Or, try even smaller like 4×4. You can also weight the mat at the top or the bottom for an even more artistic look. 
• Asymmetry: For a less structured look, try going asymmetrical and placing the art in a stair step pattern. 
• Stacked: Stacking the artwork one on top of the other in slightly different sized frames is always beautiful. I love this look with a picture light placed above! 
• No Rules: One of the things that bugs me about gallery walls is that often times, they look too contrived. Too forced. Try throwing all the rules out the window and just putting the artwork on the wall the way you think it looks best. This provides a much more authentic feeling. Honestly, I think this is the best way to go! 

Where to Find Art for Gallery Walls?

• Pulp Print Shop
• Diana Brambila (amazing original pieces)
• Museum Quality Art
• Vintage Supply
• BFF Print Shop 
• Juniper Print Shop 
• Etsy 
• McGee & Co
• Flea Markets
• Deb Presutto (original pieces)
• Jess Blazejewski (original pieces)

Where to Find Frames for Gallery Walls?

• 1.x – best oversized wood
• Desenio – best variety
• ikea – most inexpensive
• West Elm – best vintage inspired version
• Thrift Stores & Flea Markets – best for vintage frames
• Custom frame shops like: Simply Framed or Frame Bridge (overpriced IMO, but easy if you don’t have time to DIY)
• Craft supply stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby