How to Style a Gallery Wall with Mixed Frames
Nothing says I collect beautiful things and I know exactly what I’m doing quite like a well-styled gallery wall. But throw in frames from every decade — Grandma’s carved gilt, your flea market brass find, that IKEA black metal one you needed in a pinch — and suddenly you’re toeing the line between “curated collector” and "what am I doing here.”
Fear not, art-loving magpie. Here’s your comprehensive, judgment-proof guide to styling a gallery wall that mixes eras with the finesse of a Parisian apartment (on a realistic budget, obviously).
image credit: Pretty on Fridays
1. Start with a Mood Board (or, at least, a pile on the floor)
Before hammering a dozen random holes into your drywall, gather every frame you’re considering. Lay them out on the floor, or better yet, snap a photo and shuffle them around digitally. Look for balance in size, shape, and colour. A lone rococo frame might look odd surrounded by slick black modern ones — but paired with a second vintage piece, suddenly it’s intentional.
Pro tip: Try to echo shapes. A rectangular modern frame can sit nicely beside a more ornate rectangular antique one. Curvy gilt loves company — mix in a few rounded or oval shapes so it’s not the only fancy kid at the party.
2. Pick an Anchor Piece
Every gallery wall needs a star. It could be your largest artwork, the boldest frame, or the piece with the most sentimental value. Place this one slightly off-center (because perfect symmetry is boring) and build the rest around it like satellites orbiting a planet.
image credit: Pretty on Fridays
3. Establish a Loose Colour Palette
Mixed eras look best when something ties them together. Since your frames won’t match, coordinate them with the art inside. Maybe most of your pieces lean warm — think sepia photos, moody oils, botanical prints. Or maybe you stick to black-and-white photography to let the frame styles shine.
If you really want cohesion: spray paint a couple mismatched frames the same colour. It’s legal, I promise.
4. Play with Spacing — Not Everything Has to Be Even
Here’s where people panic: you do not have to measure exactly two inches between every frame. Mixed era gallery walls look best with organic, slightly varied spacing. Start with your anchor piece, add your largest next pieces nearby, then fill in the gaps with smaller frames.
Step back often. Squint. Shuffle. Repeat until it feels balanced but not rigid.
image credit: Pretty on Fridays
5. Mix Up the Content, Not Just the Frames
A truly layered gallery wall combines eras in the frames and the art. Pair an 1800s oil portrait with a modern abstract print. Throw in a vintage botanical, a candid family snapshot, maybe a funky textile or a tiny mirror. You’re not a museum curator — you’re telling your story.
6. Hang with Confidence — And Command Strips if You Must
When you’re ready to commit, start hanging from the center and work outward. Use picture-hanging hooks for heavier vintage frames. For apartment dwellers, Command strips are your secret weapon — and no, they won’t hold Grandma’s 20-pound carved mahogany frame, but they’ll keep your lighter pieces up nicely.
7. Live with It, Then Tweak It
Gallery walls are living things. Add to them as you find new treasures. Swap out art seasonally if you’re feeling fancy. And remember: imperfect is interesting.
Final Thoughts
A gallery wall of mixed era frames is the design equivalent of wearing vintage Levi’s with a crisp modern blazer — timeless, unexpected, and entirely yours. So grab that hammer (or the Command strips), trust your eye, and let your walls show off just how stylishly eclectic you really are.
-Juliette