How to Make a Gallery Wall That Feels Curated, Not Cluttered

Gallery walls are one of the best ways to add personality, color, and story to your home—but they can also go south real fast. So let me walk you through exactly how to make a gallery wall the easy way, using things you already have, art you love, and a few simple layout rules that will make everything feel intentional, rather than chaotic. Whether you're figuring out how to make a gallery wall of family pictures, creating something above your couch, or aiming for a full maximalist gallery wall, I’ve gotchu covered.

But First, Plan it Out.

Before you even THINK about hammering a nail, map out how you want the wall to look.

Lay your pieces out on the floor first—or if you're a digital planner, try Canva or a gallery wall layout generator to mock up your wall without putting holes in it.

When you’re ready to hang, use painter's tape on the wall to mark off your desired spacing and arrangement. This helps you visualize how much space the gallery will take up and keeps everything even once you're hanging things for real.

Let’s break down how to make a gallery wall easy and beautiful—whether you're working with family photos, art, or a mix of both.

1. Start With a Focal Point

Start with something meaningful—or the piece you want to be the focal point—and place it near the center of your layout. Then, build the rest around it. This works especially well if you’re designing a family gallery wall or want to make sure sentimental pieces shine.

Start here, place it near eye level (around 57" to the center OF THE PICTURE), and build around it.

Bonus tip: If you want your gallery wall to feel designed, not like a random collection of frames, make sure your anchor piece is slightly off-center. Not dead center. Makes it more designer looking 😏.

2. Mix It Up: Shapes, Sizes, and Orientation

• Combine circles, ovals, rectangles, squares… even geometric shapes if that fits your style.

• Mix up the orientations—horizontal and vertical frames together keep things flowing.

• Create mini "grids" within your wall by grouping 2–4 smaller pieces together. It’s like grid gallery wall inception—It’s really cool and can look very pulled together.

• Let them be different thicknesses and color

Don’t be afraid to mix it up! The variety adds interest.

Also, frames shouldn't be an afterthought. A thoughtfully chosen frame can elevate even the simplest piece of art and help it feel more polished.

Pro tip: Keep to 2-3 frame colors throughout the gallery wall to help tie things together, unless you don’t want to 😉

3. Use What You Already Have

If you’re trying to figure out how to make a gallery wall on a budget, this one’s for you:
You probably have more wall-worthy art and photos than you think. Before you go out and buy all new pieces, take a look around your home. Old prints, postcards, souvenirs, even fabric or album covers—those are all great options. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make your walls look rich.

But hey, I get that sometimes it’s fun to buy some new things too. In this case, I suggest shopping at thrift stores, IKEA, or even my shop for some art prints or other wall art that are ready to be put onto that beautiful wall of yours.

4. Get Creative With Frames

One of the most underrated gallery wall rules: don’t make all your frames match perfectly.

Try:

• Shadow boxes for small pieces

• Thick "molding" style frames for bold edges

• Frameless mounting for larger modern pieces

• Metal borders, natural wood, or painted finishes

• Float mounting (where the artwork sits on top of the matting instead of being tucked under it) for gallery look

Looking for how to make a gallery wall with different frames? Start with 2–3 tones or finishes and build from there.

Bonus: Want your wall to feel custom and cozy? Use frame colors that match other elements in the room, like a light brown frame matching light wood flooring or a brown couch.

5. Add Depth With Shelves or Objects

Want to take it to the next level? Add floating shelves.

Gallery walls don’t have to be only framed art. Add in a small shelf or ledge to layer a few pieces to add depth & personality, and mix in vintage or 3D items like plates, vinyls, or keepsakes. You can also display a candle, greenery, flowers, or a small vase.

Floating shelves give your wall depth and let you display objects that aren’t just in a frame. This is perfect for a vintage gallery wall style or if you’re styling a gallery wall up the stairs and want to break it up with layered items.

6. Avoid the “All One Color” Trap

If you’re going for a theme (say, green misty mountains), don’t make every piece match too perfectly. A good gallery wallpaper effect comes from variety. That’s how to keep your wall interesting and not too “flat.”

What you should do:

• Pick 4-5 colors that you want to repeat across your pieces. This doesn’t mean everything has to match perfectly (in fact, please don’t). But if you’re going for that green misty mountain vibe, mix in some creams, dusty blues, soft grays, or even gold tones for contrast.

• Mix detailed and minimal/plain artwork

• Keep tones similar in brightness/intensity (all muted or all bold) so they work well together.

Think of it like putting together an outfit—you want variation, but you want it to go together.

7. Keep Your Spacing Consistent

Want to know the #1 reason gallery walls look messy? Inconsistent spacing.

This tip is simple but powerful: Keep everything spaced about 3 inches apart.
Measure your wall ahead of time—including frame dimensions—to avoid gaps or overcrowding.

• Use a tape measure and leveler

• Keep top lines under your door trim (unless you’re going for a bigger gallery wall)

• As mentioned before, this is the standard rule: place the center of your first piece at 57" from the floor (at eye level). If it’s easier, start in the middle of the wall at eye level and build around from there.

Hanging a gallery wall above the couch or stairs? Above the couch: keep the bottom of your lowest frame about 6-8 inches above the couch. Up the stairs: follow the angle of the stairs, with each frame rising in tandem.

8. Personalize It

Don't forget to add you into the gallery wall. Family photos, a note from a loved one, a souvenir, your kid's scribbles framed like fine art. This is what turns a pretty wall into a meaningful one.

If you're wondering how to make a gallery wall with family photos without it looking like a shrine of your family, mix them in with abstract art, landscape photography, or even pressed flowers.

9. Balance the Weight

To avoid a top-heavy or bottom-heavy look:

• Place big, dark pieces lower on the wall

• Let lighter and smaller items rise higher

• No two side-by-side objects should line up exactly.

Let pieces slightly shift off one another to keep things visually interesting. It’s a subtle detail, but it makes a huge difference in the overall balance. You can also create mini-collections within your gallery wall—groups of 2, 3, or 4 that create their own grid.

10. Start Small & Build Over Time

You don’t need to hang 20 items in one day. Start with 4-5 pieces and build from there. Some of the best gallery walls evolve over time as you find new art, prints, or family memories to include - that’s how many pros recommend starting.

IKEA and thrift stores are gold for affordable frames.

And please, use Command strips where possible. They are a great option if you want to avoid drilling, plus they allow you to switch things out often.

Step-by-Step Order of Operations:

Here’s a little recap + a clear outline of what to do in the right order ;)

1. Choose your color palette - keep pieces similar in tone and intensity

2. Pick one large anchor piece (not perfectly centered so it’s not the total center of attention!)

3. Keep second-largest pieces on the opposite side to create a nice balance

4. Mix up vertical and horizontal orientations by varying sizes - if you have a large piece that’s horizontal, put smaller vertical pieces next to it (centered or bottom aligned).

5. Mix frame colors + styles (just don’t go wild—start with 2–3)

6. Add in meaningful or personal items

7. Mock it up on the floor or in Canva first

8. Tape your layout on the wall before hanging

Want Some Ready-to-Frame Art Prints?

A few of the gallery wall examples in this post include pieces from my personal collection. I love creating art that’s meaningful and decor-friendly—if you’re looking to start or add to your own wall, you can explore my work below👇🏼

There are no rigid gallery wall rules—just tips to make it look how you want it from the start, and things you may want to keep in mind. HOWEVER, let your gallery wall tell your story, and don’t stress about perfection. It’s supposed to evolve.

Tell me in the comments!

Have you made a gallery wall before? What is your biggest struggle? Tag me on Insta @RachelMadsenStudio, or send me an email: hello@rachelmadsenstudio.com if you put one together! I’d love to see it.