52 Eye-Catching Gallery Wall Ideas That Will Breathe Life Into Any Room

A gallery wall is a fun way to create a focal point and a conversation starter in any room. You can build a gallery wall using an existing collection by gathering all of your favorite prints, paintings, and photos in one area rather than scattering them around the room. Or you can start from scratch and build a gallery wall with everything from family photos to thrift store art.

Adapt your gallery wall to complement your space, from a minimalist photography wall featuring black-and-white photos in identical black frames to a maximalist gallery wall that incorporates a mix of frame colors and artwork. Or assemble an eclectic gallery wall that includes a variety of framed artwork interspersed with decor objects, mirrors, or natural elements.

Check out some of the best gallery wall ideas in a range of styles and settings for inspiration.

An Antique Gallery Wall

If you like mixing vintage and modern, you'll love this gallery wall. When putting together a gallery wall, try to make it a cohesive look. While there's always space to mix and match materials and colors, a common theme is the best way to ensure your arrangement doesn't look cluttered.

Gallery Wall Above a Couch

If you're struggling to decorate that wide-open wall behind a couch, and a gallery wall is a great way to fill that space. This living room proves just how beautiful a well-planned gallery wall can be above a sofa.

Once you choose your gallery wall pictures, it's a good idea to lay out your design on the floor before you hang pictures on the wall. This allows you to visualize how everything will look together before you commit to putting it on your wall.

A Basket Gallery Wall

This fun idea puts a unique spin on the gallery wall look. While a gallery wall is usually thought of as an array of artwork and photos, you can recreate the look with nearly any wall decor. This idea uses various woven baskets to decorate a bright green wall. If your gallery wall lacks color, a bold accent wall can act as the perfect canvas for the display.

Mixed Media Gallery Wall

Another fun way to break up a gallery wall is to sprinkle in various objects and pieces of decor among the prints. This rustic look uses different items such as a washboard, a vintage cake pan, and lanterns to create a multifaceted design that gives the nook a lot of dimension and style.

A Cozy Gallery Wall

Whether you have endless blank space or just a few little nooks here and there, you can find room to create a gallery wall anywhere in your home. This lovely design proves that an empty hallway wall is a perfect backdrop of a few art prints.

When working with less space, focus on a mix of small and medium-sized framed pieces to break up the display and maintain that gallery wall look.

A Home Office Gallery Wall

One of the best elements of this cute little gallery wall is that some of the pieces are framed kids' artwork. Not only is this idea adorable, but it's a great way to make your children feel like they are an intentional part of your home design.

Craft Room Gallery Wall

If you have a little craft room in your home, a gallery wall is a great idea to spruce up your space and show off some of your work at the same time. The weavings in this gallery wall break up the artwork and add pops of texture and color to the space.

A Very Colorful Gallery Wall

Patterns are fundamental building blocks of decor, and just because you have a gallery wall doesn't mean you can't weave in some bold, bright patterns at the same time. This eye-catching gallery wall is not for the shy home decorator, but the animal print and neon colors in this room look excellent.

While this pattern was painted on the wall, you can replicate the look with a wallpaper or stencil design as the canvas for your gallery wall.

Gallery Wall Series

This gallery wall is a great way to fill a large space even if you don't have a large assortment of prints and photos. These three large photographs create a wonderful series that is playful and artsy at the same time.

Another way to recreate his look is to break up a single print into three separate images and blow them up in size at your local copy store.

Staircase Gallery Wall

Another major pro when it comes to gallery walls? You can pretty much put one in every room in your house. Whether you have a stunning open staircase like this one to decorate with a gallery wall or a cozy nook, this look works no matter how much space you have.

Empty Frame Gallery Wall

Who says your picture frames need to display art in your gallery wall? This rustic idea plays with empty white picture frames and shutters to create a gallery wall that's neutral enough to play well with the rest of the room's decor.

If you want to recreate this look, you can find vintage picture frames at your local thrift store and paint them. Either stick to a single shade or pick a color palette that plays off other accessories in your room.

Floor-to-Ceiling Gallery Wall

There's just something about a floor-to-ceiling gallery wall like this one that instantly brightens our mood. While this look may be too ambitious for some of us, it is a wonderful way to fill a lot of empty space and add endless visual interest to any room. Plus, you'll never get tired of your gallery wall when there's always something new to look at.

How to Choose Art For Each Room of Your Home

Bathroom Gallery Wall

A matte black background will make modern artwork stand out. Brexton Cole Interiors added interest to a spacious bathroom with a gallery wall filled with a mix of small drawings and photos in a mix of black, white, red, and gold frames.

Pink Gallery Wall

Arrange an assortment of colorful paintings on blush pink walls to bring your bedroom or guest room to life. This gallery wall above a daybed from William Hunter Collective for Emily Henderson Design has a mix of portrait and landscape paintings in white, black, wood, and unframed canvases for an effortless feel that looks collected over time.

Breakfast Nook Gallery Wall

Add interest and color to a neutral breakfast nook with a gallery of vintage landscape paintings. Becca Interiors chose a coastal theme for this surfing village home decorated with vintage furniture and a decorative surfboard. The largest and most colorful of the paintings is hung dead center to set the tone.

Tip

Source inexpensive framed art at thrift stores, flea markets, or estate sales to create a budget-friendly gallery wall.

Royal Blue Gallery Wall

In an older home decorated with antiques, set off a collection of oil paintings in gilded frames with bold jewel-toned walls. Tyler Karu Design + Interiors highlighted a collection of portraits and landscape paintings with royal blue paint on the walls to create a timeless feel with a sense of history.

Black-and-White Drawings

Create a sense of cohesion by choosing a single style of art. This gallery wall over the desk in a London bedroom by Studio Peake contrasts blue-gray walls with rows of black-and-white drawings in a slightly staggered grid pattern to add interest to the uniform display.

Full Height Gallery Wall

Fill the space between the top of the sofa and the high ceilings of your living room to create a full-height gallery wall that will make an impact, like this space from House 9 Interiors. Beige walls soften the look.

Traditional Gallery Wall

A quiet gallery wall of small framed pieces can replace a large painting over the sofa in a traditional living room. Becca Interiors hung three rows of black-framed artworks in a diamond-shaped pattern over the sofa in this airy neutral space.

Colorful Patterned Frames

Hang a gallery wall with variations on a theme for a bold and intentional look. Studio Peake layered a series of colorful prints over patterned wallpaper. The prints are variations on a theme, while the frames have the same geometric pattern in two color iterations. The even number of prints and neat grid layout keeps the arrangement from looking chaotic.

Music Room Gallery Wall

Dark chocolate walls create a warm backdrop for a striking gallery wall. This music room from Forbes + Masters has a music-themed gallery wall lit by wall sconces that reinforces the theme, while a guitar displayed in an acrylic frame is hung on the other side of the door.

Grasscloth Gallery Wall

Hang pictures on colored grasscloth walls to add texture to your gallery wall, like this London sitting room from Studio Peake. The gray wall covering is an excellent foil for colorful art and decor.

Family Photo Gallery Wall

If you are a fan of displaying family photos, fill an empty wall in your TV room with black-and-white images in matching frames. Brophy Interiors decorated a white shiplap accent wall with two neat rows of family photos.

Yellow Matboard Gallery Wall

A simple swap like choosing colored matboard can add visual interest to a gallery wall of similar artwork in similar frames. Studio Peake matched white frames with pale yellow matboard to add contrast with light blue walls in this London bedroom.

Neutral Gallery Wall

While you can use a gallery wall to display personal items and quirky pieces, you can also display a coordinated selection of pieces for a polished feel that will add visual interest to a neutral room, like this space from Jessica Nelson Design.

The gallery wall is located on a side wall in the living room to complete the space rather than acting as a main focal point.

Bright Gallery Wall

Combine bright wallpaper with bold and colorful artwork for a striking look. This midcentury modern-inspired living room from Dazey Den makes a statement with orange patterned wallpaper and pops of neon yellow on the kitschy canvases of this lively gallery wall.

Nursery Gallery Wall

Add color and sophistication to a nursery with a colorful off-center gallery wall, like this cool space from interior designer Alvin Wayne that doesn't pander to the usual ideas of what a baby room should look like.

Black-and-White Gallery Wall

Use similar black frames of different sizes and widths to create a sense of cohesion while displaying black-and-white photos of friends, family, travels, like this hallway gallery wall from Gray Space Interiors.

Shiplap Gallery Wall

Hang vintage paintings in a selection of frames on a vertical shiplap wall to make your eat-in kitchen feel cozy and warm, like this space from Ashley Montgomery Design.

Mismatched Frame Colors

Mix different frame styles and colors for a kids's room gallery wall, like this space from K Shan Design.

Vertical Gallery Wall

In a small foyer with double-height ceilings, take advantage of vertical space to create an extra-tall gallery wall that will make what could feel like an empty and soulless pass-through area into a feature, like this space from House 9 Interiors.

Kitchen Gallery Wall

Choose a black-and-white theme to decorate your kitchen that will allow you to get creative with image formats, sizes, and mediums.

This kitchen gallery wall from Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design is centered around a large-scale black-and-white photo, and includes everything from framed sketches to a letter board sign.

Double Gallery Wall

Decorate the corner of your living room by hanging a double gallery wall of framed photos and artwork. Kate Marker Interiors created cohesion by using the same mix of frames and colors while varying the artwork. The same sconces were hung on both walls to create cohesion.

Minimalist Gallery Wall

Define a reading corner in an airy space with a small minimalist gallery wall of framed art surrounded by plenty of bare wall, like this space from Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design.

Sports-Themed Gallery Wall

Mix in vintage sports equipment and banners with small framed art to create a lively kids' room gallery wall above the bed. Brexton Cole Interiors chose navy paint and white wainscoting to create a winning backdrop for this fun gallery wall.

Moss Green Gallery Wall

Pair dark wood and gilded vintage frames of varying shapes and sizes with vibrant moss green walls, like this bedroom gallery wall from Sara Ligorria-Tramp for Emily Henderson Design.

Travel Photo Gallery Wall

Hang a gallery wall in a formal dining room that makes the space feel decorated even when it's not in use.

Desiree Burns Interiors hung a gallery of travel photos in matching white frames whose pastel colors are complemented with luminous blue-gray walls for a minimal feel.

Vintage Gallery Wall

Mix vintage posters, photos, and portraits in frames of various styles to create a nostalgic gallery wall in a cozy dining room like this space from Ryann Miller for Emily Henderson Design.

Mirror Wall Gallery

Mix in some small round decorative mirrors of different styles and finishes to reflect light and make a staircase display more varied, like this space from Brexton Cole Interiors.

Tip

If you love collecting vintage and antique mirrors, line your staircase with a mix of old and modern mirrors of varying shapes and sizes that will fill the space while reflecting light and views.

Hallway Gallery Wall

Turn the untapped wall space of a hallway into a gallery wall that will make a pass-through space feel cozier, like this space from Caitlin Higgins for Emily Henderson Design.

All-White Gallery Wall

Use white frames and mats against white walls for a seamless look that will highlight imagery.

In this home office from Calimia Home, a gallery wall of white-framed photos is complemented with an adjacent wall of frameless inspiration images tacked up with tape that can be rotated in and out at will.

Paint by Numbers Gallery

Grouping like items will create an impact. Create a budget-friendly gallery wall with a group of similar imagery sourced online or at your favorite flea market. In this white and wood dining room from Emily Henderson Design, framed paint-by-numbers ocean-themed paintings in various shapes and sizes create a cohesive look.

Dark Shiplap Gallery Wall

Dark shiplap creates a dramatic backdrop for a modern home office gallery wall. Urbanology Designs mixed framed art and textiles with a wall sconce and tiny shelf displaying decor objects for an eclectic look.

Built-In Gallery Wall

Turn built-in bookcases into a gallery wall by lining the shelves with an eclectic assortment of framed art in a mix of sizes and frame styles.

Hang some of the pieces on the front of the shelves for a three-dimensional look, like this space from Urbanology Designs.

Reading Nook Gallery Wall

Make a reading nook feel cozy and inviting with a gallery wall that includes framed prints, a wall sconce, and decor pieces like a mini ladder.

This space from Emily Henderson Design is outfitted with a chaise longue in a dark floral patterned fabric that adds a vintage note.

Home Office Gallery Wall

Add interest to a neutral home office with a small gallery wall behind your outward-facing desk that will make the room feel finished.

Urbanology Designs mixed art, photography, and decor in this small and simple gallery wall, leaving plenty of white space all around it to retain a minimal and uncluttered feel.

Cafe Style Gallery Wall

Evoke the spirit of a European cafe with a large gallery wall filled with vintage French travel posters, photos, and art, like this bright space from Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design.

Abstract Gallery Wall

For a more coordinated look, choose a theme and a color scheme for your gallery. Devon Grace Interiors added interest to the wall above a sideboard with a mix of abstract art in shades of black and blue, with matching thin black frames for cohesion.

Floor-to-Ceiling Gallery

Start with a framed canvas leaning on the floor against the base of your gallery wall to create a truly floor-to-ceiling gallery wall in a spacious entry like this one from Jess Bunge for Emily Henderson Design.

Couch Wall Gallery

Mix colorful artwork with vintage mirrors for a warm and eclectic feel. This gallery wall from Maestri Studio features pink flamingoes and gilded mirrors for a lively mix.

Color and Black-and-White

Mix color and black-and-white family photos to add interest to a gallery wall. This gallery wall from Devon Grace Interiors follows the line of the staircase, adding warmth to bare white walls.

Smoky Blue Gallery Wall

Dark smoky blue wall paint creates the perfect backdrop for modern art and photos, like this dining room from Arlyn Hernandez for Emily Henderson Design that mixes vintage and modern decor.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall

• Before you hang anything, do a trial run by laying everything out on the floor or a large table depending on the size of your artwork and your wall space. Or use painter’s tape to map out your gallery wall arrangement. This will help to prevent mistakes when it’s time to hang things up.

• Start hanging artwork and decor from the center of your gallery wall at eye level to create a focal point. This works if you have all of your wall decor picked out or if you plan to hang a gallery wall that will grow with time.

• If your gallery consists of various size frames, use larger pieces as the focal point and arrange smaller pieces around it, filling in gaps as you go with more art or small mirrors or decor such as baskets, vintage finds, or architectural salvage pieces.

• Be sure to pay attention to placement by leaving equal spacing between pieces to create a cohesive look, whether you are lining up images in a grid or have chosen a more free-form arrangement.
  

Read the original article on The Spruce.