Designing the Perfect Gallery Wall / Wallpaper Australia - Ivory T Blog

10-07-2026

Designing the Perfect Gallery Wall

You may be asking what a Gallery Wall is.

A gallery wall is an arrangement of artwork, photographs, prints, clocks, mirrors, decorative objects, or framed pieces displayed together on one wall. Instead of using a single large artwork as the focal point, you bring several items together to create a visually engaging feature that reflects your personality, interests, and style.

Some gallery walls share a story of photos of their family or travels, favourite artworks, botanical prints, or their children’s creations. You can plan a clear theme, or combine styles and arrangements that grow and change over time.

A successful gallery wall starts with careful planning. Choose your location, such as a living room, hallway, staircase, bedroom, dining area, or home office, then select the pieces you want to display. For a cohesive look, use items with a shared colour palette, subject, or frame style. For a more eclectic effect, combine different frame sizes, colours, and textures.

Various Gallery Wall Layouts

Symmetrical Layout – A balanced arrangement with evenly spaced frames of similar sizes. Perfect for classic, Hamptons, and contemporary interiors.

Grid Layout – Identical or matching frames arranged in neat rows and columns. Creates a clean, modern, and organised look.

Salon Style Layout – A collection of artwork in varying sizes and frame styles that fills the wall. Ideal for eclectic, traditional, and artistic homes.

Linear Layout – Artwork displayed in a straight horizontal or vertical line. A simple, minimalist style that's perfect above sofas, beds, or hallways.

Central Anchor Layout – A large statement piece surrounded by smaller artworks, creating a strong focal point with balanced visual interest.

Eclectic Layout – A relaxed mix of artwork, photographs, mirrors, and decorative objects in different sizes and styles. Perfect for showcasing personality.

Staircase Layout – Frames arranged to follow the angle of a staircase, creating a flowing display that complements the architecture.

Picture Ledge Layout – Artwork displayed on floating shelves instead of being permanently hung, allowing pieces to be easily changed or layered.

Mixed Media Layout – Combines framed artwork with mirrors, baskets, sculptures, or wall décor to add texture, depth, and dimension.

Minimalist Layout – A small selection of carefully chosen artworks with generous spacing, creating a calm, sophisticated, and uncluttered aesthetic.

Key Points

Before hanging your pieces, it’s best to test your layout on the floor.

Cut paper templates to match each frame or item and tape them to the wall to visualise the arrangement before making holes.

Hang the center of the arrangement approximately 145–155 cm from the floor, which is close to average eye level.

Leave 5–8 cm between smaller frames and 8–12 cm between larger pieces for a cohesive look and a balance and organise display. This will help you to avoid an over crowed look.

When hanging above furniture, keep the bottom of the gallery approximately 15–25 cm above the furniture.

Your gallery wall not only relies on smart preparation, the right spatial layout, but also secure mounting. For renters there are damage-free alternatives to nails. Consider using 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips and lighter frames. Picture Hanging Strips make it easy to lock frames in place and adjust them later.

A well-designed gallery wall creates a unique feature that brings character, conversation, and lasting visual interest within your home, and a great talking point for you, your family and friends.

Images from Thibaut and Better Homes & Gardens

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