How to Create the Perfect Gallery Grid in Your Home

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When an old interior design trend gets a makeover, it’s like a breath of fresh air. The gallery grid, a new take on the gallery wall, is the latest. Keep reading to learn all about this twist on a classic. See why it works so well and how to recreate the look on your own. Trust us when we say that you won’t want to miss out on this one.

A gallery grid is a new take on the gallery wall. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

What is a gallery grid?

In interior design, all trends are cyclical. The gallery grid is no different. With this comeback, we see a more refined version of the gallery wall. While the traditional gallery wall was all about eclectic curation and placement, the gallery grid offers a more tailored take on displaying wall art.

Gallery grids are all about structure. While the display can involve any type of artwork, the way in which you hang them is key. Gallery grids can be vertical or horizontal and involve two rows or ten. But they must feature evenly-hung prints that come together to form either a square or a rectangle.

This type of gallery wall is a bit more structured. Image: Mtlapcevic/Shutterstock

Why this look works

Standard gallery walls are great, especially if you like the eclectic look, but they can get a little bit unruly. Before you know it, a whole wall is covered in a hodge-podge of different artworks that have very little – if anything – tying them together. Believe it or not, having to take in all that stimuli is actually overwhelming to us, psychologically.

It all has to do with the way in which our brains process information. According to Gestalt Psychology, though our eyes take in separate pieces of information, our brains boil all of it down into a singular, simpler and recognizable pattern. With a traditional gallery wall, this may be impossible. A gallery grid, however, makes it easy.

In fact, gallery grids are based on repeating patterns. For one thing, no matter how many pieces of artwork are used, it’s always an even number. There’s also a coordinating color scheme or topic that brings the individual pieces of artwork together. Pattern recognition is very easy with these arrangements, which is why we tend to see them as more aesthetically pleasing.

This type of gallery wall is a bit more structured. Image: Mtlapcevic/Shutterstock

How to pull off your own gallery grid

Now that you know what this trend is and why it works, the next step is learning how to put one of your own together. Though this process is fairly simple, we have a few tips that you can keep in mind to help ensure that your gallery grid comes out looking great every time.

Find a theme

The first step in designing a gallery grid is selecting the different pieces of artwork that you intend to use. Rather than just choosing any piece you like, you’re going to want to build this arrangement around a theme. You can go with a topical or color-driven theme, but you must have some sort of common thread to tie the look together.

Work in even numbers

Like we said above, your gallery wall can be as big or as small as your heart desires. It can have as many rows and columns as you’d like. However, if there’s one rule that you absolutely must follow, it’s that your grid must contain an even number of artworks. It will not work otherwise.

Measure, measure, measure

When putting up a gallery grid, measuring is the secret to success. Not only does it need to include an even number of pieces, but each of those pieces should be evenly spaced. Even spacing will ensure greater symmetry and keep the finished product looking polished. In this case, don’t eyeball it, break out your tape measure.

What do you think of the gallery grid trend? Let  us know in the comments.