Hanging guide
How much space should be between pictures on a gallery wall?
5-8 cm between frames, and the same gap everywhere. Below about 4 cm the pieces merge into a single busy block; above 10 cm they stop reading as a group and become separate pictures that happen to share a wall. Then centre the whole arrangement at 145 cm, exactly as you would one picture.
Why the gap has to be consistent
A gallery wall is read as a single shape before it is read as individual pictures. Consistent gaps make the shape legible; varying gaps make the eye hunt for a pattern that is not there, which is the thing that feels wrong when people say an arrangement looks "off" without being able to explain it.
Pick one number and use it everywhere. 6 cm is a safe default for mixed sizes; a grid of identical frames can go tighter, at 4-5 cm.
Sizing the whole group
The two-thirds rule applies to the arrangement, not to each piece. Measure from the left edge of the leftmost frame to the right edge of the rightmost one, gaps included.
| Arrangement | Total span | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 2 × 50 cm, 6 cm gap | 106 cm | a 160 cm sofa |
| 3 × 40 cm, 6 cm gaps | 132 cm | a 200 cm sofa |
| 3 × 50 cm, 6 cm gaps | 162 cm | a 240 cm sofa |
| 2 rows of 3 × 30 cm | 102 cm | a 150 cm console |
The cheapest way to reach a large size
A single 160 cm work is expensive and, in original art, rare. Three 50 cm pieces reach the same span for a fraction of it, which is why gallery walls are as much an economic answer as an aesthetic one.
Questions people also ask
Should the frames all match?
They do not have to, but something should repeat - the frame colour, the mat width, the palette, or the subject. One repeated element is what turns a collection into an arrangement.
How wide should a gallery wall be?
The same rule as a single piece: about two thirds of the furniture below it, measured across the whole group including gaps.
Do small and large pieces mix?
Yes, and mixed sizes usually look better than a uniform grid. Put the largest piece slightly off-centre and build around it, keeping the gaps constant.
What about spacing for a grid of identical frames?
Use the tighter end, 4-6 cm. Identical frames in a grid are read as one object, so a smaller gap reinforces it. Mixed sizes want the looser end, 6-8 cm.
How do I keep it straight?
Cut paper templates the size of each frame, mark the hook position on each, and tape them to the wall. Adjust the paper until it looks right, then hammer through the marks.
Where should the centre of the group sit?
145 cm from the floor, the same as a single picture. The group is one piece as far as height is concerned.