Fill Your Walls with Personality! 52 Gallery Wall Ideas for One-of-a-Kind Displays
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For the past several years, gallery wall ideas have been all the decorating rage. And like white shiplap and hardwood floors, gallery walls are one of those farmhouse decorating trends we don’t expect to go out of style anytime soon.
Oftentimes, gallery walls are born out of uncertainty—Where should that painting go? How do I show off my beloved collection of vintage paint-by-numbers? If you too are looking for creative picture and artwork arrangement solutions, some simple gallery wall ideas might just be the answer.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to hanging a gallery wall. Are you a hang-it-askew, embrace-the-perfectly-imperfectness of it all? If so, a collected-over-time rustic gallery wall is the way to go—your story told on the wall, with personal touches added as life happens (think travel mementos and treasured collections). Or are you a hand-me-the-measuring-tape-and-level type? A more formal grid-like arrangement might suit you best.
How to make a photo wall or gallery wall, 2 ways:
Trace frames and objects you want to include on butcher paper. Cut out and hang on the wall with painter’s tape and move about until you reach your desired arrangement. Hang items with nails.
Eyeball it!
Whichever way you choose, here's a pro tip: Add dimension with different depths and textures. For example, three-dimensional objects like antlers or dried flowers create visual interest and lend an organic quality to the sea of frames. Here, we've gathered 52 gallery wall ideas for art, family photos, collectibles, and more for every room, nook, corner, staircase (and wall) in your house.
Loft Gallery Wall Idea
A gallery wall is an ideal way to add style to awkward spaces, like this lofted bunk room in an 800-square-foot Michigan lake cabin. Here, the homeowner split matching pairs (framed fish drawings and round ship paintings) to create balance. She then filled in with similar themed pieces and added a set of antlers between the peak and the window.
Vintage Frames Gallery Wall Idea
In this Texas farmhouse entry, vintage gallery wall frames showcase thrifted paintings and collages made using preserved pieces of wallpaper and clippings from 1930s Swedish newspapers found in the floorboards of the house during the renovation. Dried wedding flowers (top right) add dimension and a personal touch.
Silhouettes Gallery Wall Idea for Stairs
Homeowner Shawn Lang collected antique silhouettes for nearly four years to cover the expanse of his Catskills farmhouse stairwell for the ultimate staircase gallery wall idea. Each one remains in its existing frame, regardless of scuffs, scratches, or overall condition. If only walls could talk!
Vintage Dog Paintings Art Gallery Wall Idea
Create a mini gallery wall to proudly display beloved collections. To make this grouping of vintage dog paintings complete, homeowner Kay Stanley scouted antiques stores near and far for the hand-carved tramp art frames that encase each one. The quirky collection feels right at home in this North Carolina mountain house.
Home Office Gallery Wall Idea
Landscape gardener Anthony Brewington's home office is a place where passion meets profession. On one wall, he shows off the antique garden tools he's collected for nearly three decades. On the wall above his desk, a contained gallery wall of sorts displays favorite magazine page tear sheets ("what we had before Instagram," he says).
Vintage Ship Paintings Gallery Wall Idea
Right at home with the shades of coastal blue found throughout this Maine lake cottage, an art gallery wall of vintage ship paintings serves as the main focal point in the living room. The loose arrangement hung on the expansive wall behind the couch leaves room for the collection to grow over time.
Floral Paintings Gallery Wall Idea
This cheerful collection of floral paintings wrapping an entryway table creates a warm welcome. With a variety of sizes, some paintings in frames, and some bare canvas, this happy arrangement works because of one cohesive subject matter.
Game Nook Gallery Wall Idea
In this relaxed sunroom-turned-game area, vintage lodge-style games like Bingo and Monopoly make for functional collections and inspire the gallery wall decor items. Black-and-white family photos and artwork mingle with vintage rackets and paddles for a personal wall display that carries on the theme of the space.
Family Photos Gallery Wall Idea
Family gallery wall ideas don't get more authentic than this one. Emily Griffin is the fifth generation to call this lake property home. "My great-great-grandfather bought the land in the late 1800s, so adding historic photos of my ancestors felt like a lovely nod to this history," she says. Her trick to keeping it cohesive: "I like for frames to either all be the same or all be different, with the caveat that if you go with all different, make sure they are patinaed."
Small Bathroom Gallery Wall Idea
The bathroom in this cozy one-bedroom cottage features a collection of fifty Greek- and Roman-themed bottle openers from the mid-1900s, mostly found by scouring eBay. The framed drawings sport Greek and Roman scenes as well, which makes for a thoughtfully themed space.
Related: 20 Best Small Bathroom Ideas to Spruce Up Your Space
Fireplace Nook Gallery Wall Idea
Homeowner Bambi Costanzo transformed a blank nook in her tiny 1920s West Virginia bungalow by installing an electric firebox, an antique mantel, and shelves on either side. Collected landscape paintings line the walls, giving the room hand-me-down history. The collection continues along the narrow wall on the right, which might have been an otherwise ignored space. A stack of five pieces fits nicely. Framed and unframed art propped on the mantel gives a layered look.
Living Room Gallery Wall Idea
The secret to artfully displaying a lot of collections in a small house: Cluster like items together, as homeowner Anthony Brewington did with the gallery wall above the living room's bar in his one-bedroom Leighton, Alabama, cottage. His only requirement for the wall was that each piece be black and white, so this is where he hung his assemblage of vintage etchings and pen-and-ink drawings. Simple black frames further tie all the pieces together.
Behind-the-Couch Art Gallery Wall Idea
A gallery wall is a smart way to fill a blank space behind a sofa or other furniture. Here, because the living room's wall and floors aren't level, the homeowners eyeballed where to hang their miscellany of nautical flags, maps, ship paintings, and landscapes. Pieces are hung all the way to the floor to completely cover the wall.
Lakeshore Paintings Gallery Wall Idea
Gallery wall ideas for living rooms run the gamut and often include mismatch items hung in a pleasing way. But in this tiny Michigan lake cabin, a charming collection of affordable amateur lakeshore paintings fills the walls behind the sofa and over the mantel. Choosing one style of artwork makes for a cohesive, bountiful display.
Collectible Plates Gallery Wall Idea
A large grouping—like this arrangement of (mostly) Spode and Wedgwood—has more oomph than a solo display. With pewter trays mixed in, the artful arrangement in this Texas bungalow dining room makes a real statement in the skinny wall area between windows.
Sailboat Theme Art Gallery Wall Idea
In this Boothbay Harbor, Maine, fixer-upper, homeowner Mary Barrett tucked in nautical art and knickknacks wherever she could. Here, a collection of ship paintings hangs on the triangular stair wall, while a playful sailboat-printed lampshade fills the open space.
Arrowheads Gallery Wall Idea
Hung on a wall of cream-colored horizontal shiplap, an artfully framed collection of arrowheads is surrounded by historic photos of this family property in South Carolina. The oval frame with bright turquoise matting creates a focal point in this guest room.
Powder Room Corner Gallery Wall Idea
Bring personality to a petite powder room with a graphic gallery wall. This one in Victoria and Marcus Ford's North Carolina home shows off a happy assortment of vintage finds, including a "Ford Road" sign spotted at the Raleigh Market. The eclectic mix of paintings, photographs, flags, and a framed life vest wraps the corner to decorate two walls.
Paint-by-Numbers Art Gallery Wall Idea
"My favorite part of summer camp was arts and crafts, so I really love to collect the old paint-by-numbers art," says homeowner Abby Albers of the charming wildlife scenes above her metal bed. She packs in tons of collections like this in her 800-square-foot lake cabin in Pentwater, Michigan.
Under the Eaves Gallery Wall Idea
A mix of license plates, framed silhouettes, pennants, photos, and signage makes for a sweet display tucked under the eaves of this Connecticut farmhouse. Smaller items grouped together fills the space nicely, whereas one larger piece of artwork would be awkward to hang here.
Summer Camp Theme Gallery Wall Idea
For a plaid-adorned boys' upstairs bedroom, the loose theme was "New England summer camp." Gallery wall accessories seen here include framed art and found artifacts, such as nautical flags, an old license plate, and an anchor. The mounted oars to the left of the window came with the house.
Modern Silhouettes Gallery Wall Idea
A grouping of pet and family silhouettes in a mix of round and rectangular frames makes a bold statement against graphic wallpaper. The thread of black in the cut-outs, frames, and furniture helps hold the vignette together.
Bathroom Gallery Wall Idea
Collected from travels, framed leaves on simple white backgrounds cover the white-washed wooden plank bathroom walls in this Maine cabin. The tight puzzle-like, side-by-side arrangement almost reads like wallpaper.
Hunting Theme Gallery Wall Idea
Vintage paint-by-numbers really pop against minty-green walls. A pair of petite pedestals painted the same hue as the walls holds up tiny figurines and trophies. Prize ribbons, instruments, and plates add dimension and depth. Scour tag sales and Etsy for similar items.
Framed Flash Cards Gallery Wall Idea
In Victoria and Marcus Ford's North Carolina bedroom makeover, a gallery wall designed through Framebridge shows off a reproduction set of the Society for Visual Education’s ca.-1970 “Black ABCs” flash cards. “They have these really beautiful definitions and photographs that feel so spot-on for African American culture," says Victoria. Throughout, souvenir pennants, vintage tennis racquets, and an old state fair sign make reference to meaningful places and pastimes and fill up the other walls in the bedroom.
Black-and-White Class Photographs Gallery Wall Idea
When homeowner Carter Smith renovated a cedar shake cottage on the Maine coast, this collection of black-and-white class photographs was found rolled up in a tube and tucked in the attic eaves. He mixed them in with other seaside-inspired photos and mementos.
Horse Theme Gallery Wall Idea
For an equestrian-themed breakfast nook, old-school horse needlepoints and paint-by-numbers are trotted out and neatly displayed above the seating. Prize ribbons and trophies round out the pony patina.
Deer Mount Gallery Wall Idea
For the guest room in this family property in South Carolina, two trios of like-framed art hang neatly above each twin bed. A majestic mounted deer head hangs in between, bridging the two groupings together to create one stately gallery wall arrangement.
Maritime Makeover Gallery Wall Idea
This sea-themed collection mimics the ever-moving and ever-changing Maine coast where this cottage sits. The arrangement is neat, yet the mix of frames keeps it far from fussy.
Feathered Friends Gallery Wall Idea
Duck prints, decoy paintings, and cross-stitch art make up this charming duck display. Although the wood frames and oar at top are all different shades and finishes, the continuity of the material holds this stately and sophisticated rustic gallery wall together.
Behind-the-Couch Gallery Wall Idea
For this historic Hamptons saltbox home, where square footage is at a premium, the homeowners utilized wall space throughout the home to showcase found favorites, including seascapes, still lifes, and oil portraits. A neutral sofa allows the art behind it to shine. With its casual vibe, it appears pieces have been hung over time.
Bathroom Gallery Wall Idea
A fleet of seascapes creates a gallery wall that adds a nautical touch to this relaxing primary bathroom. Extra space near the floor and ceiling allows the display to grow as future paintings are collected.
Mounted Antler Gallery Wall Idea
The Kentucky farmhouse of Holly Williams has no shortage of antiques. In the dining room, a variety of antlers on wood mounts creates a frame of sorts around a pair of art prints. There's ample room for adding more antlers as they are collected.
Curated Cutting Boards Gallery Wall Idea
There’s no shortage of cutting boards in this kitchen where uniquely shaped finds cover the walls to form a culinary-inspired gallery wall.
Wall Lighting Gallery Wall Idea
In designer Caitlin Wilson's garage-turned-guest house, the game room wall features a cartridge display board surrounded by photos of successful hunts past. A single brass wall sconce highlights the centerpiece.
Flamboyant Flamingos Gallery Wall Idea
A menagerie of tropical bird paint-by-numbers plasters the walls of this decidedly beachy Key West bungalow. Grasscloth wallpaper and leafy fabrics round out the fun look.
Mirror Gallery Wall Idea
Tastemaker and master renovator Holly Williams hunted down each and every one of the vintage mirrors that hang in the dining room of her Nashville home.
Collected Art Gallery Wall Idea
An eclectic mix of paintings and drawings perfectly frames the headboard and bedside lamp in this quirky bedroom. Cool and light color choices, mostly in blues, allow the room to feel relaxing and not chaotic.
Sea of Silhouettes Gallery Wall Idea
This homeowner’s silhouette gallery wall features her impressive finds from more than 15 years of antiquing, from Aspen to London and everywhere in between. The mix of frames and shapes punctuated by the jet-black cutouts makes for a bold grouping, especially when paired with a graphic plaid sofa.
Dessert Decor Gallery Wall Idea
The gallery wall in this sweetly decorated dining room features more than 100 ceramic cake and pie servers. How's that for displaying your prized collection!
Paw Prints Gallery Wall Idea
This homeowner took advantage of the less utilized wall space outside the staircase by installing a canine collection of silhouettes, paint-by-numbers, and drawings. The blank wall going up the stairs allows the collection to grow over time.
Ladies in Red Gallery Wall Idea
The ladies in this curated grouping of vintage oil portraits all have one thing in common: a powerful pop of red. The "red thread" holds together this striking arrangement.
Kid’s Corner Gallery Wall Idea
Show off your children’s works of art museum-style by hanging their masterpieces in colorful frames. Display on a gallery wall in the craft room or mudroom. Let them "curate" their own art and swap out as they wish.
Statement Sign Gallery Wall Idea
A graphic gallery wall to rival them all! Vintage farm and feed signs deck out the walls of this Nashville barn.
Globes Gallery Wall Idea
This display proves anything can be made into a gallery wall, including vintage globes and old school desks and textbooks repurposed as shelving.
Fashion-Forward Gallery Wall Idea
Sweet hand-colored engravings of 19th-century ladies' fashions decorate a wall above book-lined shelving. We love this idea for a dressing room or large closet.
Panoramic Portrait Gallery Wall Idea
Designer Max Humphrey proudly shows off his collection of black-and-white landscape sports team, classmate, and trade union portraits that form a gallery wall in this game room. Hunt flea markets and tag sales for similar photographs.
Camp Quarters Gallery Wall Idea
This three-dimensional summer camp-themed gallery wall features vintage life preservers, racquets, and a dartboard repurposed as a photo displaying cork board. So clever!
Frame of Flowers Hallway Gallery Wall Idea
A collection of floral artwork including needlepoints, prints, and paintings frames the hallway and entrance to a powder bathroom that features a garden urn sink.
High-Flying Flags Gallery Wall Idea
Featuring a colorful collection of National Park pennant flags from across the country—some of which date back to the 1940s—this gallery wall packs quite the graphic punch.
Bathing Beauty Gallery Wall Idea
Colorful vintage swimsuits framed in shadow boxes add a retro touch to this coastal stairwell gallery wall.
Wicker Basket Gallery Wall Idea
In a central Georgia vacation home, vintage French baskets (both round and rectangular) add texture to a perfectly symmetrical hunting-themed gallery wall surrounding the television.
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