A well-curated gallery wall is one of the most impactful ways to transform a room — and it’s easier to achieve than you might think. Whether you’re starting from scratch or building on an existing collection, art prints give you the flexibility to create a display that’s entirely your own. Here’s everything you need to know to get it right.
What Makes a Great Gallery Wall?
The best gallery walls feel both curated and personal. They have a visual thread running through them — whether that’s a shared colour palette, a consistent artistic style, or a particular theme — that stops them from looking random. What they don’t need is matching frames, identical sizes, or a rigid grid layout. In fact, some of the most beautiful gallery walls are gloriously imperfect.
Start with a Theme or Colour Story
Before you start buying prints, decide what you want the wall to say. Some popular approaches:
- Matched pairs: Two prints designed to complement each other, hung side by side. Our Gallery Wall Sets are perfect for this — every pair has been chosen to work together beautifully.
- Single artist: A collection of prints by one artist — William Morris, Matisse or Bauhaus masters — for a cohesive, collected feel.
- Colour-led: Prints in the same colour family, regardless of subject. Blues and greens, warm terracottas, or a soft neutral palette all work brilliantly.
- Mix and match: Different styles, subjects and sizes united by a consistent mood. This takes more confidence but creates the most personal results.
Japanese Style Landscape Set of Two Art Prints — a perfect matched pair for a calm, Japandi-inspired gallery wall
Choose Your Sizes
A mix of sizes adds rhythm and visual interest to a gallery wall. The classic approach is to anchor the arrangement with one or two larger prints — A2 or A1 — and build around them with smaller ones. Don’t be afraid to go bigger than you think; most people underestimate how large a print needs to be to have real impact on a wall.
All our art prints are available in five sizes: A5, A4, A3, A2 and A1. Ordering the same design in different sizes is a great way to create a cohesive display with built-in variation.
Plan Before You Hang
The golden rule of gallery walls: plan everything on the floor before a single nail goes in. Lay your prints out in roughly the shape you want to achieve, take a photo, and study it. Move things around until you’re happy. This saves a lot of unnecessary holes in your walls and often reveals combinations you wouldn’t have thought of.
- Aim for consistent gaps between prints — around 5–7cm looks intentional without feeling rigid.
- Start with your largest or most important print, position it slightly off-centre, then build outward.
- Use paper templates to test the layout on the wall itself before committing.
William Morris Honeysuckle Pink Set of Two Art Prints — rich Arts & Crafts botanical prints designed to hang as a perfectly matched pair
Where to Hang Your Gallery Wall
- Above a sofa or bed: The furniture anchors the wall space. Aim for the bottom of the arrangement to sit around 20–25cm above the furniture.
- A staircase wall: Perfect for a cascading arrangement that follows the diagonal line of the stairs.
- A hallway: Often the most neglected space in a house — a gallery wall transforms it into a real feature and sets the tone for the whole home.
- A dining room wall: Creates a wonderful backdrop and gives guests something to talk about.
The Easy Way: Start with a Set of Two
Not sure where to start? A matched pair of prints is the simplest route to a gallery wall look. Our Gallery Wall Sets include botanical pairs, William Morris duos, Japanese landscape sets, celestial print pairings and many more — each designed so the two prints work together in perfect harmony.
Start with a pair, then add to it over time. Gallery walls are never truly finished — they evolve with you.
Japanese Light Green Japandi Lake Set of Two Art Prints — a serene, Japandi-inspired pair perfect for any gallery wall
A Few Final Tips
- Keep frames consistent for a formal look — mix them for something more collected and eclectic.
- Don’t over-crowd. White space between prints is as important as the prints themselves.
- Step back often as you hang to check the overall effect at a distance.
- Prints don’t have to be framed. Leaning larger prints against the wall on a shelf or mantelpiece is a perfectly valid — and very current — approach.
All our art prints are Giclée printed on 250gsm museum-grade paper, available in five sizes from A5 to A1, and arrive carefully packaged and ready to frame. Browse the full Gallery Wall Sets collection at Stanley Street Studio and find your perfect pair.