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Interior decor trends come and go all the time, but there's one thing in American homes that remains eternal: gallery walls. We love hanging an entire collection of wall art pieces, photographs, and other treasured accents on one wall or corner. Grouped wall decor is not just aesthetic, it's also deeply personal. It's a chance for us to showcase our beautiful personal memories, and also our artistic sense in decorating.
If you love showcasing your wall collection but need a little creative spark to get going, we got you! Here's a primer on the basics of hanging a gallery wall, and more examples below to give you inspiration. Enjoy!
1. Gather. Select your wall pieces to hang. You can opt to display pieces that are all uniform sizes, or go eclectic with a variety of shapes, sizes, and frames.
2. Mark a central guide. Look at the blank wall space you're decorating. This isn't necessarily the entire wall -- if there's a sofa, a table, or any other furniture in front of it, the blank space is that remaining wall area that is uncovered. You'll want to mark the central spot of this area to help you create a balanced arrangement later.
To do this, measure the top and bottom of the blank space, then find the midpoint. Using an easy-remove adhesive such as painter's tape, mark from the top midpoint straight down to the bottom midpoint. Do this horizontally as well (left to right), so that you get a cross shape with its intersection right at the center of the wall space.
3. Test with paper. Trace each wall decor on a piece of paper and cut it out. You'll then have paper 'models' which you can arrange and rearrange on the wall before nailing holes and hanging the real thing. Use painter's tape to stick the paper models on your wall temporarily.
Not sure where to start sticking? Start by putting the largest piece at eye level (not necessarily center), then gradually arranging the rest around it. Leave ample space from surrounding furniture or corners. You'll want to keep some distance from the ceiling, the wall edges, and the couch, if any.
4. Step back and see. Observe the arrangement of paper models you've put up. Does it feel balanced as a group? Not too loose, not too cramped? Most of all, do you personally like the arrangement? Feel free to rearrange to your satisfaction.
5. Hang the decor. When you're finally satisfied with the paper models, it's time to replace them one by one with your actual wall decor. If using nails or hooks, give consideration to how low the decor hangs, so you can adjust the hanger accordingly. If you're not sure about nailing anything to the wall, consider adhesive strips or Command hooks to stick lightweight decor. Don't forget to remove all the painter's tape on your wall!
This feature wall is all about an out-of-the-box assortment. Photographic prints are mixed with three-dimensional wall hangings such as shelves, masks, and miniature plants. Note how this grouping doesn't feel cramped or careless -- visual weight is evenly distributed throughout the arrangement.
When pairing two wall pieces together, they don't have to match each other precisely, but you'll want some cohesion between them. Above, our cutesy "Five More Minutes" wall sign is paired with our beautiful "Art Deco Sky" canvas art. They work as a duo because of the similar colors and common dreamy theme.
Uniform sizes, colors, and styles make this personalized initials wall art set look beautifully unified. The fun thing about wall art trios is that you can arrange them in many ways: all in a row, diagonally, asymmetrically... any way you can imagine!
How about displaying artful decor on a horizontal surface like a tabletop? In the photo above, we prop up our personalized Mom wall art against the wall, then complement it with a pretty potted plant and a decorative pebble. An arrangement like this would go so well on your console, credenza, or buffet.
If your home is blessed with ample floor space (and if you don't have toddlers or pets!), try your hand at leaning several pieces of wall art on the floor. It makes for a remarkable vignette, one that your guests will remember. Bigger artworks are perfect for this. Make sure your art pieces are of various sizes, and arrange them in a way that they overlap but aren't obscured.
Since the kitchen is full of wall mountings anyway, why not spice it up with a some kitchen-themed wall decor? This makes the wall look more like a deliberately artful display than a utilitarian jumble.
When in doubt, go symmetrical. There's timeless beauty in arranging similar things in a way that they're balanced on the left and the right. Be inspired by this 3-by-3 photo collage, which blogger Casey masterfully hung on her hallway.
When an artwork is purposely displayed with decorative lights, the result can look like an upscale exhibit wall. Try scouting for some inexpensive lighting to highlight your chosen wall decor, like we did with our personalized "Soulmates" couple art above.
Displaying plants with wall art is a favorite interior decor trick! The plants give more dimension to the scene, transforming it from a flat, ho-hum hanging to an eye-catching vignette. In the example above, we put our family wall quote centerstage between two small hanging plants. See more tips on pairing wall art and plants here!
We hope this wall art hanging guide helped you! We at Gear Den are always inspired by decorating ideas, so share yours in the comments.
For more of the art prints and home decor featured here, check out our fantastic wall art collection on GearDen.com! Happy decorating!
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