A gallery wall looks effortless when it is done well, but it starts with a bit of arithmetic. This calculator plans a grid of identical frames: the overall size, the side margins, the gaps and the height of every edge.
The overall size
For a grid of identical frames:
- width = columns × frame width + (columns − 1) × gap
- height = rows × frame height + (rows − 1) × gap
Six 16 × 20 in frames in 3 columns and 2 rows with 3 in gaps: 3 × 16 + 2 × 3 = 54 in wide and 2 × 20 + 3 = 43 in tall.
How wide should it be?
A gallery wall usually looks best when it covers one-half to two-thirds, at most about three-quarters, of the wall or of the furniture below it. Over a 96 in sofa, aim for 48 to 72 in. The calculator flags arrangements that are too narrow or too wide.
Gaps between frames
Keep the gaps equal, usually 2 to 3 in for small and medium frames and up to 4 in for large ones. Equal gaps matter more than the exact number: they make different frames read as one composition.
How high to hang it
Galleries and museums hang art with its center at about 57 to 60 in above the floor, close to average eye level. Treat the whole arrangement as one picture and put its center there.
Over furniture, the rule changes: leave 8 to 10 in between the top of the sofa, sideboard or headboard and the bottom of the lowest frame. If that pushes the center higher than 60 in, follow the furniture rule.
With a center at 60 in and a height of 43 in, the top edge is at 81.5 in and the bottom edge at 38.5 in.
Laying it out
- Trace each frame on kraft paper and cut out the templates.
- Mark the hanging point on each template: measure from the top of the frame to the taut wire or hook.
- Tape the templates to the wall using the spacing above, and step back to check.
- Drive the nails through the marked points, then tear the paper away.
Mixed frames
For frames of different sizes, keep the outer edges aligned to an imaginary rectangle and keep the gaps equal, or align everything along a central horizontal line. Start with the largest piece near the center and build outward.