How to hang a personalized, one-of-a-kind gallery wall
The Mother’s Day Shop is Open! Gift Now
New! Framebridge x Lauren Liess Learn More
The thought of hanging a gallery wall might seem intimidating, but remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Small variations signal a natural, relaxed vibe. The goal is to display what you love and create a gallery that feels like an extension of your personality and style. With our expertly curated gallery walls, we’ve designed more than 30 stylish layouts to help you quickly customize a gallery wall with your digital art or photos. These pre-designed gallery walls include a life-size hanging guide and hardware, making the entire experience truly easy. If you’d rather collaborate with one of our designers to create a one-of-a-kind gallery wall using any type of photos or items (digital, physical, or both), our Gallery Wall Design Service is for you. We’ll send you a guide to walk you through hanging your personalized, one-of-a-kind gallery wall, and you can also follow these steps to make it extra easy.
How high to hang art is one of the most contested debates in home design. Here’s our take: If your gallery wall will hang above a piece of furniture, plan for the bottom of your lowest frame to hang 7-10 inches above the top of your furniture. If your gallery wall is hanging on an empty wall, aim for the center of your whole layout to hang about 57 inches above the floor. Visit this blog post for more tips on how high to hang your art.
Whether your gallery wall layout is wide, narrow, large, or small, think about it as one single piece of art. Once you’ve found your perfect spot, measure the wall space you plan to fill. Next, test out your design by laying out your frames on a large table or the floor. Play around until you find an arrangement that feels right. Pro tip: Space your frames 2-3 inches apart, and keep the spacing consistent between each frame.
For full wall installations, try to avoid having four frame corners come together in one spot. Instead, spread out the points of interest by separating the biggest or boldest pieces. Also, try to space out your art so that color is balanced as well.
Begin by holding your lowest piece of art against the wall to find the perfect spot. Estimate and mark the correct nail/hook placement for your piece, and then hammer the nail so the hook is where you want the wire or hanging hardware. Depending on the size, your piece will either have a sawtooth hanger, a hanging wire, or corner brackets. More on how to hang specifically for your hardware is here.
Repeat the hanging process with the frames to the left and right of your first frame, then with the ones above. Try to keep all frames a consistent 2-3 inches apart from one another so placement looks purposeful. This is the key to getting it straight and even.
As you work, take a step back to eyeball your design. You may need to rearrange to get that just-right look, but don’t worry about an extra nail hole or two (hopefully the frames will cover them!). Finally, when everything is hung, straighten and level each frame. You can use a few pieces of sticky tack on the back of the frames to guarantee they stay put.
Now you can admire your beautiful new gallery wall. The best part? Gallery walls are made to grow. If you find more pieces you'd like to incorporate, just build your wall out and up from your original arrangement. (We made it even easier to build on your gallery walls with extras and add-ons, too.) Snap a photo of your installation and tag us on Instagram to share your accomplishments.
No measuring tape on hand? Watch us hang 20+ frames without one.
If you need more help, try a gallery wall consultation service.
One of our designers will be happy to provide a consultation and help you outline the gallery wall of your dreams. The price of the consultation is a credit towards the final cost of your gallery wall frames.