Gallery Wall Layouts for Different Rooms and Moods
A gallery wall isn’t just a collection of frames—it’s a curated mood board of your life. A visual story. A window into your travels, your people, your moments. And when done right, it can completely transform a room—from empty to expressive.
The trick? Layout.
Over the years, I’ve seen every type of gallery wall imaginable—grids, spirals, chaotic clusters that somehow just work. But it’s not about rules. It’s about feeling and flow.
🌀 Organic Flow – My Personal Favourite
If I had to choose just one layout to champion, it’d be the organic flow. It’s where photos seem to grow and evolve across a wall—carefully placed, but not stiff. The kind of layout where every photo leads to the next, like turning pages in a photo book.
A close second? A classic grid, especially when symmetry and precision are key. And for hallway or stairwell settings, the linear or staircase-style format always shines.
👩🎨 A Gallery Wall Story: Planned Randomness
One of the most striking gallery walls I’ve ever seen is in my own home—designed by my wife, Estelle.
She took our wedding photos and laid them out along a horizontal line, creating a perfect symmetry that anchored the room. But what made it magic? She used a mirrored layout—the top and bottom half of the gallery were reverse reflections. From a distance, it looked spontaneous. Up close, you could see the incredible planning. Neatness and randomness, holding hands.
🍽 Best Rooms for Gallery Walls
While gallery walls can go anywhere, we’ve found the dining area to be a top pick.
Why? It’s where people gather, linger, talk. It’s where stories happen—and where a well-placed gallery wall becomes part of the conversation.
Other great spots:
- Staircases (great for vertical storytelling)
- Living rooms (especially behind couches)
- Home offices (add personality and warmth)
- Hallways (long galleries of life and time)
❌ The One Thing to Avoid
There’s no “wrong way” to do a gallery wall—but don’t cram it.
Give it space to breathe. A few centimeters of negative space around the entire collection lets the whole wall read like a single masterpiece—because it is.
🧱 Where to Begin: Layout Advice
If you’re just starting, ask yourself: grid or organic?
- If grid, I often recommend our “Niner” (3×3) or “Sixer” (2×3) sets. Clean. Structured. Easy to place.
- If organic, start with the largest image in the centre, then build out with smaller and medium-sized prints. Think rhythm, not rules.
Pro tip: Cut out paper templates and tape them to the wall first. Move them around. Live with the layout before committing.
Final Thoughts
A gallery wall is never just decoration—it’s reflection. And when done thoughtfully, it becomes a room’s soul. Whether you’re neat or wild, minimalist or storyteller, there’s a layout that fits your walls and your life.
Explore a few of our products to get your ideas rolling.
VersaTiles – Frames, Blocks or Canvas