Gallery walls are a famous favourite when it comes to beautifying blank walls. They bring an otherwise dull interior to life, add a pop of pizzazz, and provide the opportunity to incorporate colours in neutral spaces. By displaying the pieces you love (or have even captured yourself), you can customise your interior and tailor it to your personality. Finally, gallery walls are easy to switch up and upgrade as and when needed.
Convinced with setting up a gallery wall, but the large, bare wall space (and the accompanying anxiety) keeping you from knowing how to start? Here, we outline the 5 best gallery wall compositions. Deciding on which composition to go with will make the process flow much easier afterwards!
Golden Ratio
The golden ratio is a mathematical equation very important in art and architecture. It is based on the assumption that objects placed in the ratio of 68 to 32 appear harmonious to the human eye. For simplicity, the ratio may be divided into two-thirds and one-third, so one section takes up ⅔ of the available space, with the other(s) expending the remaining ⅓.
The golden ratio features the famous “spiral”. In more technical terms, it is called the Fibonacci spiral, and can be seen below:
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
You could work by hanging one picture in section A and another in section B. Alternatively, you could divide section B into two sections (represented by the two rectangles) and create a configuration of three. Three is a special number in interior design, by the way; here’s why! You could also opt for combinations of four, or eight — you get the idea. The concept is to keep the ratio the same and the final result will be perfect plus coherent!
Plumbline
Credit: Max and Fodder
The plumbline composition involves mounting pieces of artwork so the diagonal of the setup roughly serves as a line of symmetry. You can hang artwork randomly, ensuring the final piece has a diagonal that is roughly the same length from both ends of the composition. This diagonal between the far ends of the setup is then called “the plumbline”.
You can put together as many pieces as you like, and they may constitute varying shapes and sizes. The key is to brainstorm the setup and ensure it has an “imaginary diagonal” acting as the plumbline.
Radial
Credit: Target
The radial gallery wall composition arranges pictures and artwork into a circle. Now, you wouldn’t need a compass and pencil to figure out the right setup. Any set of pieces that you can roughly draw (or imagine) a circle around is counted in this category. An example is illustrated in the image above; although you wouldn’t get a perfect circle, the overall impression you get from the arrangement is circular.
This arrangement creates a more relaxed vibe than the earlier two, contributing to a cosy and inviting ambience.
Lean
Credit: A Pretty Fix
This composition is ideal for folks struggling to make a commitment as big as digging holes and inserting nails into their walls for a relatively permanent setup.
Simply frame your artwork, lean it, and enjoy it! You can use a wall-mounted shelf as the base, whilst a credenza would work equally fantastic.
Pro tip: Be careful of placements if you reside in an area susceptible to earthquakes. You don’t want your expensive pieces tripping over and shattering!
Grid
Credit: Framebridge
If you have lots of pictures to display, the grid is your go-to. It puts together a variety of mixtures (including blends of modern and traditional) and creates a perfectly cohesive look.
The grid is a linear composition, and may include one or more rows. It creates a uniform look — you’d want to keep measuring tape on hand to keep the dimensions accurate! You may want to keep the frame colour consistent, as the many pictures involved do the job of adding variety and diversity.
This composition works equally well with warm and cool colour-toned art pieces as well as black-and-white ones. It is perfect for family or travel pictures and concert posters, and there are several cool grid gallery wall ideas to take inspiration from!
Final Words
Curating a gallery wall means working with a large, blank space and multiple images and pieces of art. No wonder it can get intimidating in the beginning! One of the first steps to making the process easy is deciding the gallery wall composition for your setup. While there is a vast variety of compositions, the five we’ve outlined above are some of the go-to options for interior designers, because they create a perfectly cohesive and balanced gallery wall. Some of them, such the grid and lean, are super easy to put together, too!
A quick tip before we close: use uniform spacing between pieces, and start by finding suitable positions for your biggest pieces first, then continue by building around them.
Need some help to organise your decor in an aesthetically pleasing way? Just book one of our Interior Design Gurus here! They can look at your space over video chat and give you tips, ideas and guidance on how to achieve an interior that you love.