Arrange a Gallery Wall Starting With the Largest Wall Art as an Anchor Piece

Adding a focal point to a room, like a gallery wall, makes a space feel cozy and curated. The ultimate clean look is using same-sized frames. The more adventurous might go for different-sized frames and different-styled artwork.

We'll show you how to arrange a gallery wall that’s anchored on a large wall art piece. At the end of the blog, you'll be confident to mount a wall art arrangement of mixed-sized frames.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose art and decorative items that are cohesive.
• Arrange a gallery wall, starting with the largest piece and branching out to different-sized frames.
• Using AI like ChatGPT or Gemini to visualize the trial layout on any wall in your home.

#1 Choosing the art pieces and other decorative items

The first step is collecting a good number of wall art pieces and a combination of sizes. It’s better to have a combination of color, texture, and style, as well.

But what if you already have a good number of wall art pieces just waiting to be hung? Well, then, that makes it easier.

1. Choose one wall art piece among the largest pieces. The largest piece will serve as your gallery wall anchor. An anchor piece is the first artwork the eyes will gravitate towards before moving to the adjacent pieces. Tips: - Choose an anchor piece that’s twice the size (or even larger) than the next larger piece. You don’t have to measure it with a measuring tape — eyeballing it will work. - Notice the largest color of this artwork. It will help you choose the next art pieces for the gallery wall.
2. Choose a medium-sized piece with an opposite orientation compared to the first largest artwork. For example, if the largest piece is vertical, choose a horizontal next largest piece.
3. Then, choose a few smaller ones to work around the anchor piece. Choose medium-sized pieces that mostly match the largest color of the anchor piece. For example, if the largest color of the anchor piece is light colored like off-white, the next pieces should also have soft and light-colored hues, like light nude, nude, peach, cream, ivory, linen, or champagne. Tips: - Mix vertical and horizontal frames - It’s okay to have different colored and different styled frames.
4. Add dimensional art pieces to your mix. Add dimensional art pieces like a mirror, dimensional wall sculptures, fabric items, or a wall plant. Don’t limit yourself to framed wall art like canvas and poster prints. Tip: A dimensional art piece will help break the monotony of the gallery wall.

#2 Do a trial layout of the art pieces on the floor.

Clear the floor in front of the wall where you want to mount the gallery wall for a trial-and-error layout.

Check our related guide on spacing frames with mixed sizes, including layout templates →.

1. Start by laying down the largest or anchor piece off to the left or off to the right. There are a couple ways you can start a layout. For now, set it off to the left and not to the middle because the eye scans from left to right. - Sample Start A: Middle and Off to the Left - Sample Start B: Top Left - Sample Start C: Lower Left
2. Lay out the next largest piece opposite the first largest piece. The idea is simple: if the first largest piece is on the left, the next largest piece is on the right to achieve balance. If the largest piece is horizontal, the second largest piece can be horizontal too, but vertical might look better. Tips: - They don’t have to be in the same row or line of sight or placed beside each other, unless you are working on a small wall. - With a small wall, a vertical second piece will work better.
3. Lay out the mid-sized frames, then the smaller ones. The idea is simple: if the first largest piece is on the left, the next largest piece is on the right to achieve balance. If the largest piece is horizontal, the second largest piece can be horizontal too, but vertical might look better. Tips: - Add a two- or three-inch space between frames. - Aim for a relaxed spacing: not too narrow and not too wide.

#3 Assess the trial layout and take a photo of it using your phone camera.

The first layout doesn’t have to be the final one. Now that you’ve learned the basics of using a large art piece as an anchor, you can do another layout (or two others!). Take a photo of each layout and compare.

Do you want to see what your trial layouts will look like on the wall? You can use AI like ChatGPT or Gemini to model your gallery wall layouts.

#4 Visualize your gallery wall layout on any part of your home with this AI prompt.

AI is accessible. You don’t need a premium or paid version of the platform to create a visualization of your layout.

You can do this using a free account on the most popular AI platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini.

Take a photo of the wall area where you intend to hang the gallery wall.

Go to your AI platform of choice and do the following actions: Upload the photo of the wall area and the image you took of your trial layout.

Do not hit enter at this point.

Copy this prompt below, paste it on the AI chat box where you attached the images:

"Please take the gallery wall layout from IMAGE 2 and render it mounted onto the empty wall shown in IMAGE 1.

Instructions:

1. Preserve the exact arrangement, frame styles, photos, matting, and spacing shown in IMAGE 2.

2. Adjust the perspective of the layout so the frames appear perfectly flat, level, and mounted directly on the wall in IMAGE 1.

3. Keep all furniture, wall color, textures, architectural details, and natural room lighting from IMAGE 1 unchanged.

4. Add subtle, realistic drop shadows behind each frame that match the light source direction in IMAGE 1."

When the AI completes rendering the new image, you can download it. Then, repeat the process to visualize your other trial layouts.

Compare each one to see which feels best for your style of the whole room

#5 It's time to hang the wall art layout you've chosen

Now it’s time to hang the art pieces on the wall. As in the process of the trial layout, start by hanging the largest piece, and work your way out.

Since it’s a gallery wall, you don’t need to worry about the pieces being on the same imaginary row or column. You’re good as long as they’re balanced and have good spacing between them.