Gallery Wall Ideas: 22 Creative Ways To Make A Picture Wall

There’s no one right way to create a gallery wall. And that’s what makes them so much fun to decorate. From colorful artwork and family photos to unexpected objects and favorite collections, these gallery wall ideas will inspire you to create a picture wall display that’s uniquely yours.

One of the things I love about gallery walls is that there really isn’t just one way to create one.

They can be neat and symmetrical, colorful and eclectic, filled entirely with family photos, or made from a collection of artwork and objects you’ve gathered over time.

So if you have a blank wall that needs a little personality, these gallery wall ideas are a great place to start.

From simple arrangements with just a few frames to floor-to-ceiling displays, there are plenty of different styles to inspire your own picture wall.

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1 | Mix Your Frames

You don’t need matching frames to create a gallery wall that looks pulled together.

In fact, mixing different frame styles, colors and sizes can make the arrangement much more interesting.

Katherine Forbes didn’t buy a single frame for her gallery wall (these are all frames she already had sitting in a closet).

The secret? Make sure that the edges of the outside frames all line up so the group forms a shape (in this case a square). That way your eye sees them as one big artwork, rather than a bunch of mis-matched little ones.

2 | Go From Floor To Ceiling

If you have a large blank wall to fill, there’s no reason your gallery wall has to stop at eye level.

Taking the pictures all the way from floor to ceiling makes use of the extra height and can fill the space without needing furniture or other decorations.

That’s exactly what Elise at What The Fab did on the tall wall beside her staircase.

She used a grid of matching black frames to create a floor-to-ceiling display of travel photos that fills the otherwise empty space.

3 | Put up Picture Ledges

If you don’t want to commit to a gallery wall layout before you start hanging pictures, picture ledges are an easy alternative.

By layering photo ledges and filling them with frames, you get the same effect as a gallery wall without needing to figure out a layout.

Liz Marie installed 3 layers of picture ledges to showcase family photos.

Then used the same style of frames for cohesion but changed things up in size and orientation.

4 | Use The Same Color Frames

Using the same color frames is an easy way to make a gallery wall look cohesive, even when the frames themselves don’t match.

That’s the approach Sarah from Interiors by Sarah Langtry used for her gallery wall.

She mixed frames in different sizes and styles but kept them all white to tie the collection together.

Of course, it doesn’t just work with white.

Using all black frames (or any other color for that matter) works just as well.

5 | Reflect Your Decorating Style

Rather than using a specific color palette to tie your gallery wall together, you can use a decorating style as the theme.

This gives you more freedom to mix colors, textures and different types of artwork while still creating a cohesive look.

At Lucky Day, they not only use framed images, but many 3D objects to create a cohesive yet dynamic boho-style gallery wall.

And this gallery wall from Sarah Joy shows how the same idea works with a completely different decorating style.

It only includes a few framed pieces. The rest is a mix of vintage finds, antiques and other objects that fit the farmhouse look.

6 | Create a Small gallery wall

You don’t have to have a ton of pictures to make a gallery wall.

A few larger ones hung together are enough to make a statement.

If you don’t like the idea of hanging pictures on the wall, you can create the same effect by layering them on top of your fireplace mantel.

Varying the heights and sizes while keeping the frames the same makes them look like a cohesive group.

7 | Make Your Gallery Wall Functional

Gallery walls work especially well in a home office because they can be decorative and functional at the same time.

Mix artwork and photos with bulletin boards, organizers and other pieces that help keep your workspace organized.

At The DIY Playbook, they combined inspirational art with a bulletin board and a wire wall organizer for files and books to create a gallery wall that’s both pretty and practical.

8 | Add some color

I’m always going to support the choice to go bold, and a gallery wall is a great place to have some fun with color.

To keep all that color from looking random, try to repeat each color 2 or 3 times throughout the gallery wall, like Studio DIY did with their colorful collection.

Every piece doesn’t need to include every color, but repeating the same shades in different pieces helps tie the whole arrangement together.

9 | Display Your Own Art

For a gallery wall that’s truly one of a kind, take inspiration from Emily Henderson and fill it with pieces that are personal to you and your family.

Her collection includes her kids’ artwork, family photos and other special keepsakes.

Grouping them all together makes a statement while creating a display that’s much more meaningful than one filled entirely with purchased art.

10 | Hang A Gallery Wall Over The Bed

I love this idea of using glam sketches in gold frames above a pink, white and black bed. The whole color scheme reminds me of Kate Spade.

With an asymmetrical alignment, it is certainly a different take on the traditional gallery wall. But it still works because the type of artwork and the color of the frames are all the same.

11 | Frame Old Family Recipes

How cool is this idea? If you come from a family of cooks or bakers, you probably have a stash of recipes sitting in a cookbook patiently waiting to be made. Why not feature them in your kitchen or dining room?

Lynette at Cleverly Simple created a gallery wall with framed recipes passed down by her grandma and great-grandma.

This is a great way to decorate on a budget and with something that comes from the heart.

12 | Display Family Photos

A gallery wall is a great way to keep some of your favorite memories on display.

Fill it with photos from family trips, special occasions, or even everyday moments that make you smile.

Ashley from Bigger Than the Three of Us did just that in her bedroom, creating a gallery wall from some of her favorite family photos.

A grid layout and similar frames help tie the whole collection together.

13 | Create A Gallery Wall On A Budget

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on artwork to create a beautiful gallery wall.

Thrift stores are a great place to find inexpensive paintings, prints and frames that you can mix together to create your own collection.

That’s how Jami at An Oregon Cottage put together this gallery wall, using oil paintings she collected from thrift stores to create an inexpensive, one-of-a-kind display.

14 | Choose a Theme

Another way to create a cohesive gallery wall is to choose pictures that all have a common theme.

The artwork doesn’t need to match in color or style when the subject itself ties the collection together.

For example, my mother has a gallery wall in her living room filled entirely with nature-inspired prints.

The individual pictures are all different, but the common subject makes them feel like they belong together.

15 | Go With Black And White

For a gallery wall with plenty of impact, black and white is hard to beat.

It’s graphic, dramatic and timeless, and the strong contrast gives even a simple collection of pictures plenty of impact.

In this gray living room from Lisa Dawson, the black and white pictures really stand out against the walls while still working beautifully with the rest of the room.

And if you want an even more cohesive-looking wall, try using all black and white pictures of the same topic (all roads in this case).

16 | Frame Your Kids’ Art

If you have kids (or grandkids) who like to draw and paint, chances are you have a steady supply of artwork.

Grouping some of their favorite pieces into a gallery wall turns all those individual drawings and paintings into a colorful, cohesive display.

And they’ll be proud to see their artwork framed and on the wall.

Cassie Bustamante did this in her hallway, where the colorful collection brightens up the space and can easily be updated as her kids create new pieces.

17 | Take Your Gallery Wall Up The Stairs

Not sure what to do with that big blank wall along your staircase?

A gallery wall is an easy way to put all that space to use.

Nick and Alicia filled theirs with photos and artwork that follow the angle of the stairs, creating a display that catches your eye as soon as you walk into their home.

18 | Turn Your Instagram Photos Into Art

Finding enough pictures to fill a gallery wall can sometimes be a challenge, but there’s a good chance you already have a whole collection to choose from.

Some of your favorite photos are likely ones you’ve shared on Instagram, making it an easy place to find pictures you love.

For her Instagram gallery wall, Stephanie at Clickin Moms kept the photos square rather than using the more traditional rectangular format.

And then arranged them in a grid to create a clean, uniform display.

19 | Embrace An Eclectic Mix

For a more eclectic look, mix traditional artwork with a few unexpected pieces.

Items with different shapes and textures add dimension and keep the arrangement interesting.

This eclectic gallery wall featured in 225 Magazine combines framed artwork with embroidery, a clock, books and other decorative pieces.

They don’t necessarily look like they belong together, but that’s exactly what gives the gallery wall so much personality. (And repeating colors help to tie the pieces together).

20 | Display A Collection

Pictures and artwork aren’t the only things that look good grouped together on a wall.

A collection of similar objects in different shapes, sizes or styles can make just as much of a statement.

Kim from Savvy Southern Style used a collection of wooden cutting boards to create a gallery wall in her dining nook.

The different shapes and wood tones add interest, while repeating the same type of object ties the whole display together.

21 | Add Typography

Mixing typography into your gallery wall is an easy way to break up a collection of pictures while keeping everything framed.

Style Curator combines words with other artwork to add more variety to the display.

And if you want to make it more personal, include a favorite quote, saying or even a single word that has special meaning to you or your family.

22 | Decorate Your Gallery Wall For The Holidays

Your gallery wall can even become part of your holiday decorating without having to take everything down and start over.

Swap a few pictures for seasonal artwork or add holiday decorations to the existing display.

Even easier? Do what Meredith from Unoriginal Mom did, and wrap some of your picture frames to look like presents.

I hope you have found some inspiration to create the picture wall of your dreams. Remember, have fun with it! And don’t be afraid to get creative.