How to create the perfect gallery wall in any space

Posted on Mar 08, 2021 By Amber

Gallery walls can transform any space and create a beautiful focal point in any room. I love using gallery walls to showcase prints and family photos. You’ll find gallery walls all over our house — they’re unique, versatile, and beautiful!

4 easy steps to create a custom gallery wall

Creating a gallery wall can feel like a huge undertaking but it doesn’t need to be! Having made a gallery wall or two, these are some of my favourite tips to share:

The craft paper gallery wall trick

Before you put any nails in your wall, make a plan! My favourite tip is to cut out pieces of craft paper in the size of your frames. Tape these pieces of paper on the wall and rearrange them until you’re happy!

Try different positions, pairings, and shapes until you get the perfect collection. Once you have the layout decided, leave the craft paper on the wall and nail directly through it to ensure you have the placement just right. Once your frames are up you can easily take the craft paper out.

Choose large frames for the perfect gallery wall

I love large frames for gallery walls because of the impact they make. Choose larger frames instead of many tiny ones. For those smaller photos or prints that you want to showcase, matte them in larger frames to keep the impact and add in some interesting negative space.

Keep your gallery wall frames close together

I suggest keeping frames 2”-4” apart when possible. These tighter groupings give a cleaner and more intentional look. The craft paper trick will ensure you can layout everything perfectly and get all the frames in the right spot to keep your groupings tight.

Mix and match your gallery wall

Don’t feel like you need to keep everything in your gallery wall all one style! Mix it up by pairing vintage looks with modern pieces. I love using vintage frames (check your local thrift store or look for vintage-inspired frames at your favourite home store) with a mix of new frames (IKEA is always my go-to!). The Pink Lemon vintage print collection has the perfect addition to any gallery wall if I do say so myself!