Help & Guides

 Everything we know   about gallery walls & curating prints

Practical guides to layout, spacing, hanging height and choosing prints. Measurements come in centimetres and inches, so you can work straight from them.

A hand holds a wooden spacer between two frames to check an even gap
Featured guide

Gallery wall spacing: the exact gap between frames

Gallery wall spacing made simple: leave a consistent 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) between frames, then learn when to tighten or widen and how to keep it even.

10 min read

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An older man in a navy cardigan stands back with his arms folded to judge the height of his gallery wall

How high to hang a gallery wall: the 57-inch rule explained

How high to hang a gallery wall: centre the whole grouping at 57 inches (145 cm), and learn the exact times to break the rule above a sofa, bed or stairs.

12 min read

A hand smooths an adhesive hanging strip onto the back of a light oak frame

How to hang a gallery wall without nails (renter-friendly)

Learn how to hang a gallery wall without nails. Match each frame weight to the right no-drill method, look after your deposit, and lay the wall out first.

11 min read

A woman in a wheelchair presses paper frame templates onto her wall to plan a gallery wall

How to make a gallery wall: plan every hole before you drill

Learn how to make a gallery wall and plan it fully before you drill: layout families, spacing, frame counts, fixings and the floor-and-paper method.

11 min read

A gallery wall of seven frames rising up a staircase

How to measure and hang a gallery wall up the stairs

A gallery wall on stairs works when frames climb at the stair angle. Get the exact measuring method, two layout approaches, and a safe plan-first process.

9 min read

The asymmetric gallery wall layout above a sideboard with a yellow lamp

How to balance an asymmetric gallery wall by visual weight

An asymmetric gallery wall balances unequal pieces by visual weight. Learn the method, a worked example, frame counts, and how to handle awkward walls.

10 min read

A man holds up a tablet to preview a gallery wall on an empty wall

ArtPlacer alternative for planning a gallery wall at home

Looking for an ArtPlacer alternative? Compare ArtPlacer and Curate, and see which plans a gallery wall at home, free, on a photo of your own room with AR.

9 min read

A grand salon gallery wall of ten frames above a linen sofa

How to hang a salon style gallery wall that looks collected

A salon style gallery wall mixes frame sizes and styles around one anchor. Get the balance, spacing and eclectic look that reads collected, not cluttered.

10 min read

A phone standing on a coffee table in front of a cream sofa and an empty wall

Wallpoet alternative: preview the wall in your own room first

Looking for a Wallpoet alternative? Compare Wallpoet vs Curate and see a gallery wall on a photo of your own room before you buy anything.

9 min read

A three by three grid of square frames above a vintage plan chest

How to hang a grid gallery wall straight: the formula

A grid gallery wall uses identical frames and one even gap. Get the exact formula, frame counts and a worked 3x3 example to plan and hang it straight.

11 min read

A small salon gallery wall in a kitchen diner above a banquette

Gallery wall layouts: how to choose the right one for your wall

Compare gallery wall layouts (grid, salon, symmetrical, row, staircase, ledge) and pick the right one for your wall, frames and furniture before you drill.

14 min read

Two hands side by side, one holding adhesive strips and one holding a picture hook and nail

Command strips vs nails: which should you use?

Command strips vs nails for pictures: a clear, honest comparison by weight, wall type and damage, so you know which to use for your frame and situation.

8 min read

A woman with natural curls in a mustard jumper photographs an empty living room wall on her phone to plan a gallery wall

Wallary alternative: a free gallery wall planner in your browser

Looking for a Wallary alternative? Plan a whole gallery wall free on a photo of your own room, in any browser, with AR on a phone.

10 min read

A father and his young daughter sit close together on a bench looking up at their family photo wall

Family photo wall ideas: multi-generational and legacy walls

Family photo wall ideas for multi-generational and legacy displays: choose the right layout, organise by generation, and leave room for the wall to grow.

9 min read

A hand picks one print from a table covered in family photos

How to choose which family photos to print for the wall

Stuck on which family photos to print? Use this 6-step curation method to end the paralysis, pick the right shots, and fill your wall with photos you love.

10 min read

Three empty light oak frames in small, medium and large sizes leaning against a wall

What size to print photos for your wall without blur

Work out what size to print photos for your wall without blur. Real PPI targets, a phone-photo formula, and the truth about the 300 DPI myth, both units.

11 min read

A stack of light oak frames and loose colourful prints on a dining table ready to hang

Mixtiles alternative: plan your whole wall before you buy

A free Mixtiles alternative that lets you arrange your whole wall on a photo of your own room before you buy, so you order the right sizes once.

8 min read

A classic gallery wall of mixed frame sizes above a boucle sofa in a sunny room

Gallery wall sizes: which frames to use and how many

Gallery wall sizes made clear: choose an anchor frame, mix the right frame sizes, work out how many frames you need, and size the art to 66 to 75% of a sofa.

9 min read

A cluttered gallery wall of mismatched frames and uneven gaps above a sideboard

Why your gallery wall looks cluttered, and how to fix it

Your gallery wall looks cluttered for six fixable reasons, from uneven gaps to mismatched frames. Diagnose yours in under a minute and apply the right fix.

9 min read

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Curate is a gallery wall planner. Upload a photo of your room, arrange prints and your own photos on the wall, then preview the finished wall in AR before you buy a single frame. First room free. Built in the UK.

Curate is operated by Curate Walls Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17412020. Registered office: 167-169 Great Portland Street, Fifth Floor, London, W1W 5PF. Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office, reference ZC229040. Curate is a registered trade mark, UK00004377186.