How To Create A Gallery Wall
An introduction & guide to building a show-stopping gallery wall - to suit your style.
Read through our helpful tips and tricks which will make you feel less daunted in styling your own gallery art wall - in any room in your home.
Gather some inspiration by visiting Pinterest
What is a gallery wall / art wall?
A gallery wall, art wall, or sometimes known as a picture wall, is a great way to express your personality in your interior, so take the opportunity to be bold, have faith in your choices. Some of the best gallery walls are added over time, so you can start small and build it up. Building up a large gallery wall in a space can make a room feel homely, personal and entirely inhabited.
Firstly, art is personal and therefore, there isn't a right way to approach a gallery wall. So the following are just tips. You can do it badly but more of that later.
Splashes of colour can add to the rooms overall aesthetic (Beach House Art prints)
For some ideas on some Beach House Art prints for gallery walls;
- BRIGHT & BOLD Bring instant sunshine into your room with bright art prints
- SEA GREENS Create calm and peace, with soothing, soulful sea greens
- BANISH THE BLUES Your very own window to a relaxing coastal retreat
- SIMPLY SCANDI Paired back and minimal, clean yet cozy, hygge vibes
Here are some basic tips to help you build a gallery wall
Mix it up. Art sizes, frames, art styles and textures. You can use just art or add photos, postcards, trinkets and ornaments. Adding different frame styles and sizes adds interest to the room, it really depends on the interior style you’re going for. Mixing it up will add texture to your art wall and make it look more personal and fun.
Don't limit your gallery wall to only art, think photos, trinkets and other decorative items too
"if you're unsure where to start with choosing art prints for your style, browse through out BESTSELLERS for some inspiration"
Choosing a colour pallet - style you gallery wall around a common theme
One of the first things to do is to decide on the colouring. As with wall paints. Think of the way the room faces, the current colours in the room and what colours will go with them. If you have a north facing room, try warmer colours, this will take some of the coolness out of the light in your room.
This video from Crown Paints explains how to choose colours for your home
Picking the right colours and hues and tones for your room
If you have a south facing room you can try cooler colours as they will be getting a warm light during the day. If you don’t have much natural light, go for it and go deep! We love going for really bold colours in a snug, it can be daunting but pays off if you get it right.
Consider the colours already in the room and pick one of these as the base to your colour palette.
Cool colours, monochrome and neutrals look fantastic in a room with lots of natural light
Creating a cohesive look that's personal to your style
Pick up the same colours in different prints so they tie in and don't look completely out of place. If you have a flash of colour in one print, match it with a colour in another. If you have a theme or an interior style you can match the prints to that. Theme isn't our favourite word to describe your vibe, as it's more personal than that, but it does work.
Consistency creates a unified theme (Beach House Art prints)
Examples of a gallery wall in a beach house in Cornwall - styled by Beach House Art
We recently created a small gallery wall, which will be added to over time, in a beach house in Cornwall. We had a coastal/nautical theme to work with, so chose a monochrome navy colour theme. It gives the room a sense of place.
Nautical monochrome gallery wall in a beach house in Cornwall. Beach House Art Coastal Collection
We also added a surfboard to give it texture, interest and a splash of fun. As it's a holiday let property with high traffic we didn't want to add too much to the wall, sometimes less is more. Consider the room's use when planning your gallery wall.
Add colour, fun and texture with props that help to showcase the theme
Where to place a gallery wall
There are many places to to consider when choosing the wall space to hang the gallery wall. This can be a small wall, such as under the stairs (which we love) or a big dining room or living room wall, it really doesn't matter.
Planning the layout for a gallery wall
Layout the art on the floor or a bed, in front of the wall to visualise it. This is important! Play around with the spacing and order of the wall art. We recommend trying to keep the spacing between the prints uniform. So work out what that should be, before you start to hang. It takes a while to get it right.
The tools and resources you need for hanging the perfect gallery wall
Picture hanging strips
These are removable and come in different sizes, to hold various weights. Perfect if you think you'll want to chop and change your gallery wall over time, as they won't damage the paint work. Also great if you live in a rental property.
Frog Tape
This is a great way to plan your gallery wall on the wall, as shown below, this will allow you to stand back and visualise your prints on the chosen wall, after you have planned it on the floor. Making sure your happy with the outcome before you get the hammer out. The delicate Frog Tape won't pull the paint off your walls.
Pinterest is a great source of information when it comes to looking for inspiration for everything interior related, including planning your gallery wall. Chances are, someone has already planned it out for you.
Sam from Beach House Art planning the layout for the gallery art wall for a holiday let in Cornwall
For some ideas on some Beach House Art prints for gallery walls, check out the other posts in our blog...