You create a gallery wall by hanging several frames or panels as one whole, with a fixed spacing of 5 to 8 cm between them and the visual centre of the complete composition at 150 cm height. Stick to these two measurements and lay out the arrangement on the floor first, and you'll get a wall that works — no matter how many pieces it holds. Below are three proven layouts with exact measurements, plus the step-by-step plan from floor to wall.
The two measurements that determine everything
The spacing between the pieces is 5 to 8 cm, and that spacing is identical throughout the composition. Smaller gaps make the wall clump together messily; larger gaps break the whole into separate islands. Pick one value within that range — say 6 cm — and keep it consistent, including diagonally.
The hanging height follows the museum rule: the visual centre of the total composition hangs at 150 cm from the floor, roughly eye level. With a gallery wall you therefore measure not per frame but for the whole: if the complete composition is 120 cm tall, the top edge sits at 210 cm and the bottom edge at 90 cm. Above a sofa or sideboard, a second rule takes precedence: keep 20 to 30 cm between the furniture and the lowest frame edge.
Layout 1: the grid (2×3 or 3×3)
The grid is the cleanest and simplest layout: identical formats in straight rows and columns. It works best with matching frames — for example six posters or canvases in black or light wood — and suits modern and minimalist interiors. A grid forgives nothing: 1 cm off is visible, so measure out every position.
| Grid | Size per piece | Spacing | Total width × height | Suitable above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2×3 (horizontal) | 60×40 cm (portrait) | 6 cm | 192 × 86 cm | Sofa of 220–260 cm |
| 2×2 | 60×40 cm (landscape) | 6 cm | 126 × 86 cm | Sofa of 180–200 cm or sideboard |
| 3×3 | 40×40 or 60×40 cm | 5 cm | from 130 × 130 cm | Large empty wall |
Worked example for the 2×3 grid: three portrait pieces of 60 cm wide plus two 6 cm gaps gives 192 cm of width; two rows of 40 cm high plus 6 cm gives 86 cm of height. The centre of those 86 cm hangs at 150 cm, so the lowest frame edge ends up at 107 cm.
Layout 2: asymmetric around the centre line
The asymmetric or organic layout combines different sizes and materials — for example a large canvas print of 90×60 cm as the anchor, surrounded by pieces of 60×40 cm and smaller. The rule that prevents chaos: all pieces group around one imaginary horizontal centre line at 150 cm. Each piece extends above or below that line, but the line runs through the heart of the composition.
Three additional rules keep asymmetry calm:
- One anchor piece: the largest piece (90×60 cm) hangs just off-centre, never exactly centred, and the smaller pieces fill in around it.
- Weight in balance: distribute large and dark pieces between left and right; two heavy pieces on the same side pull the wall off balance.
- At most two frame colours: for example black with light wood, or white with wenge. Three or more frame colours make even a perfect layout restless.
Layout 3: stepped along the staircase
Along a staircase, the gallery wall follows the line of ascent: the centre of each piece hangs at 150 cm, measured vertically from the stair tread below it. The centres of the pieces thus form an imaginary line parallel to the banister. In practice this works easiest per step: hang a piece every two to three steps, with 6 to 8 cm of visual spacing horizontally. Use sizes of 60×40 cm or smaller here; large panels are hard to hang on a staircase wall and quickly look too heavy.
Lay it out on the floor first
Every successful gallery wall starts lying down. The step-by-step plan:
- Measure the available wall and mark that size on the floor with painter's tape.
- Lay all the pieces within that outline and shuffle until the composition works; start with the anchor piece, finish with the smallest pieces.
- Re-measure the gaps and correct them to one fixed value (5–8 cm).
- Take a photo from above; that's your legend while hanging.
- Trace a paper template of each piece, tape the templates to the wall and shift them until the whole works — only then come strips or hooks.
- Hang the middle or largest piece first and work outwards.
Frequently asked questions
How much space belongs between frames on a gallery wall?
5 to 8 cm, the same everywhere. Choose small gaps (5 cm) with many small pieces for a compact whole, and 7 to 8 cm with large pieces such as 90×60 cm, so each piece keeps room to breathe.
At what height do I hang a gallery wall?
The visual centre of the complete composition at 150 cm from the floor. Above a sofa or sideboard, the furniture rule takes precedence: 20 to 30 cm between the furniture and the lowest frame edge, even if that puts the centre slightly higher.
Do all the frames need to be the same colour?
No, but limit yourself to at most two frame colours. In a grid, one colour works best; in an asymmetric layout, a second colour — for example light wood next to black — adds exactly the desired layering.
