A gallery wall can be one of the most striking features in your home. It’s a way to show off your personality, celebrate the art you love, and instantly bring character to a room. But without careful styling, a gallery wall can quickly tip into looking messy or dated.
The good news? With a few simple tricks, you can create a display that feels balanced, modern, and effortlessly stylish.
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Start with an anchor
Every gallery wall needs something to ground it. This could be a sofa, a console table, or even a single large artwork that forms the focal point. Once you have that anchor in place, build around it with smaller pieces. This avoids the collection feeling like it’s floating aimlessly on the wall.
Mix sizes and shapes
A successful gallery wall isn’t about symmetry—it’s about rhythm. Combine different frame sizes and orientations to keep the display interesting, but aim for a sense of balance overall. For example, you can offset one larger piece with a cluster of smaller works. Adding unexpected shapes, like a round mirror or a framed textile, stops the look from becoming too uniform.
Play with placement
Traditional gallery walls often run in straight lines across a blank wall, but there are other ways to style them. Extending artwork around a corner, for instance, can soften boxy rooms and make even awkward spaces feel more considered. You can also experiment with arranging pieces closer together for a more layered, collected feel.
Use colour for cohesion
A gallery wall works best when there’s something tying it all together. One of the simplest ways to achieve this is through colour. You don’t need every piece to match, but echoing a few tones—whether in the artwork itself or in the frames—creates a sense of harmony.
Add something personal
The most memorable gallery walls are the ones that tell a story. Mix in items that have meaning to you, such as postcards, sketches, or even a decorative plate picked up on your travels. These personal touches bring warmth and keep the display from feeling like a catalogue page.
Keep evolving
Gallery walls don’t need to be completed in one go. In fact, they look best when built up over time. Start with a few favourite pieces and add as you collect more. This creates a layered, lived-in feel that never looks overdone.
When styled thoughtfully, a gallery wall adds instant personality and charm to a space. The key is balance: mixing shapes, colours, and textures while keeping an anchor point and personal touches at the heart of it. Done right, your gallery wall will look timeless, never cluttered.
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Featured Image: Pexels
