How to Make a Gallery Wall
Turn Any Wall Into a Gallery (A Simple DIY Guide)
Gallery walls are a beautiful way to bring personality, memory, and rhythm into a home. This guide is designed to make the process feel clear, flexible, and enjoyable, whether you are working with artwork you already love or building a collection over time. You can move through these steps at your own pace and return to them whenever you need. This is meant to support you as your space comes together.
What this is - A 5 step guide to creating one gallery wall
Who it’s for - Anyone, beginners welcome
Time - 45–90 minutes to plan, plus installation time
Budget - Low, mid-range, or high-end. Artwork can be affordable or very expensive
Installation - You, a friend, or a professional
How to use this - Read once, bookmark, then come back to each step as you work
Step 1: Pick a statement wall and check scale.
Start with a wall you see and enjoy often. Gallery walls work best on walls that feel open enough to visually hold multiple pieces as one composition. Living rooms often shine behind a sofa or along a long open wall. Bedrooms feel balanced with a gallery wall behind the bed or on the first wall you see when you enter. Dining rooms and offices work well on the wall most visible from the doorway. Kitchens and bathrooms are perfect for smaller gallery moments where a few pieces create impact. If you are unsure, standing in the doorway and noticing where your eye naturally lands is a helpful way to choose.
Step 2: Acquire your artwork.
Gallery walls grow best from a mix of sources. You can use artwork you already own, personal photos, posters, prints, vintage finds, children’s art, textiles, or objects that can be framed. Online prints, digital downloads, local artists, museum shops, flea markets, and galleries all offer options at different price points. Starting with one piece you genuinely love gives the wall direction, and additional pieces can be added gradually.
Step 3: Plan the layout using shapes and flow.
Before you even touch a hammer, sketch your artwork on paper using simple rectangles and squares. Start with the largest shape, then add medium shapes nearby, followed by smaller ones. This planning approach follows Fibonacci sequencing, a natural design principle where the eye moves comfortably from larger elements to smaller ones. Gallery walls often feel great with 2, 3, 5, 8, or 13 pieces, while larger walls can support expanded collections that feel immersive and cohesive when the artwork shares a common thread.
Step 4: Test color, spacing, and expression.
Lay the artwork on the floor or tape paper placeholders to the wall to preview spacing, color balance, and overall feel. A helpful spacing guide is about 2–3 inches between smaller pieces and 3–5 inches between larger ones. This is also the moment to explore expression by mixing frame styles, leaning art on shelves, layering pieces, or propping artwork on bookcases. Adjust until the wall feels calm, connected, and natural.
Step 5: Install in the way that feels right.
Artwork can be installed in different ways, and you get to choose what feels comfortable. You can hang the artwork yourself, ask a friend who enjoys installing art, or hire a professional. Most frames hang using picture wire or string across the back, sawtooth hangers with small teeth, or single hooks for lighter pieces. Different wall types support different hanging methods, and matching the method to the artwork helps everything feel secure. Gallery walls naturally evolve over time as pieces move, swap, and grow with your home.
Gallery walls are meant to feel lived in, expressive, and personal. They do not need to be finished all at once. They grow beautifully alongside you. For more practical decorating tools and guides, visit JustDecorate.com.
