Gallery walls are such a great design card to have in your back pocket to play when the time is right. You can really make a statement by mixing sizes and colors of different frames and art print choices, but sometimes mixing and matching all the choices to create a balanced wall can feel a bit intimidating to find what looks good together.
I wanted to create a gallery wall in our new home that was easy to put together and using black and white line drawings that were all the same size made the whole thing quick and painless to complete.
We have this one wall in our living room that is kind of a “nothing” wall—it used to be a pass through from the kitchen decades ago, but I filled it in with drywall to make a flat, normal wall instead.
Once it was all flat, I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to put there, but then I remembered the Sketch restaurant in London that’s all over the internet with their velvet pink booths and how much I liked their gallery walls that are just fun black and white line drawings. Bingo!
How to make an easy gallery wall:
- Use all black and white photos or drawings
- Choose the same size for all your prints (easier to hang them in a straightforward grid)
- Use the same frame for all the prints
While I have done some gallery walls with different sizes and colors involved (like our front room wall in our last home), I have to say that I loved how easy this one was to plan and hang since all the art was the same size, same color palette, and can just about mix the prints to whatever order you want since they are all line drawings.
Gallery wall hanging tips:
- Cut pieces of paper the same size as your frames and tape them to the wall to see what placement you like (much easier to re-tape the paper elsewhere than to rehang a frame).
- Use a hanging tool that has a measuring tape and level on it to make sure your nail placements are level with each other (that’s the one I have and it’s super handy!).
- If you have a frame in the middle of the grid, start with that one and measure out from there.
- Keep the space between the frames even (so if you have 3″ of space between each frame, keep that space of 3″ above/below the next row of frames as well so there’s 3″ of space on each side of the frame).
I chose these prints for my wall (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6) but you can really choose from any line drawings, black and white illustrations, or even black and white typography quotes for your wall. Want a budget-friendly version of this idea? Use black and white kid’s drawings for a fun and personal twist!
Want a budget-friendly version of this idea? Use black and white kid’s drawings for a fun and personal twist!
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11
Love a good gallery wall? Try these gallery wall ideas!
- Try using colored mats for your wall
- … or even an ombre gallery wall!
- Make a wall of just family photos
- How to mix art and photos in a gallery wall
While I do love these prints in the white frames I happened to have, I also am super into the wooden birch frames that are popular right now too (this is a great simple frame in lots of size and color options).
Overall, this is one of my top fave gallery walls I’ve done and I love how simple it was to put together. Check out Elsie’s guide to affordable wall art for every room if you are art shopping, and browse our shopping wishlist for more decor favorites! xo. Laura
Gallery Wall FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much space should be between each frame in a gallery wall?
While this is kind of a personal preference thing, 3-6 inches of space between each frame is generally a good rule of thumb. Use pieces of paper the size of your frames and tape to play around with spacing before picking up your hammer so you can determine spacing before you add your nails!
How do I make sure my frames are evenly hung?
To get evenly spaced frames, start with your middle frame and work out from there! You can also use a picture hanging tool like this with a measuring tape and level to make sure all your nails are the same distance apart and level with each other.
Do all my frames have to be the same?
No! You can totally do a wall with mismatched frames, just keep them all different or a balance of 2-3 different kinds so you don’t have them all the same except for one that sticks out from the rest.
Credits// Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman.
Thanks for the information. Check the Poppins Shop website. It is a highly-rated shop with a wide selection of high-quality graffiti canvas art and prints, fast and efficient shipping, and friendly and helpful customer service. I would recommend it to anyone looking for unique and stylish artwork for their home or office.