Creating a Bedroom Gallery Wall

A gallery wall above the bed is one of the most personalizing elements you can add to a bedroom. It fills the large blank wall space above the headboard, expresses your personality through the art and objects you choose, and creates a finished, designed look without requiring an expensive headboard or expensive individual pieces of art.

Plan on the Floor First

Lay out all the frames and pieces you want to include on the floor before putting a single nail in the wall. Arrange them until you find a composition that balances large and small pieces and creates a visually interesting shape overall. Trace the arrangement on paper or take a photo to reference when you move to the wall.

Mix Frame Styles Intentionally

A gallery wall with all identical frames looks clean and contemporary. A gallery wall with a mix of frame styles — black, natural wood, gold, ornate, simple — looks collected and personal. Both approaches work; choose the one that matches your overall bedroom aesthetic. If you mix frames, maintain one consistent element: all black frames in different widths, or all different styles in the same metallic finish.

Hang It at the Right Height

The gallery wall above a bed should sit about six to eight inches above the headboard (or above the bed pillows if there is no headboard). The visual bottom of the arrangement should feel connected to the bed below it. A gallery wall that floats too high loses its relationship to the furniture beneath it.