How Do You Choose Your Art Gallery Layout?

The photo in Grace's post yesterday about gold frames got us thinking about at-home art galleries and how people decide on their design layout. We've already showcased how to hang different style galleries but we wanted to know what sparks your creative design style?

We've personally created galleries in both a symmetrical design and a controlled random layout. In the symmetrical instance, we wanted to keep our wall clean and calm and wanted the matching frames would create an anchor. For the controlled random gallery, we enjoyed the mix-n-match style since the wall was completely blank and we needed an interesting look in that part of the room. While we love our galleries, we always enjoy seeing how other people create galleries in their homes. How do you pick your design? Do you go with the more popular styles of a symmetrical layout, off-center set up or a random design?

Symmetrical

Off-Center

Random

Here Are More Art Gallery Ideas:

[Photos on this page via West Elm and Pottery Barn]

Comments (13)

I start in the center - then as I add pieces I work my way out and rearrange occassionally.

posted by bepsf on August 14th 2008 at 8:35am
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I like to group my artwork so that all the pieces on a wall relate to each other, either visually or thematically. The number of pieces that "go together" tends to determine how dense or loose the arrangement is.

posted by Lisa Hunter (Montreal) on August 14th 2008 at 8:42am
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I have a huge blank wall in my living room that I am planning on making my gallery wall. I've started collecting images and frames and I think that I'll end up going the Random route. I'll pick my "main" image and center it and then go from there. Because my images range from 2"x3" all the way to 11"x14", it's going to be challenging, but I have been doing a lot of shopping on Etsy and it's awesome to find odd sized images to mix it up. I especially like panoramics.

posted by revolution9 on August 14th 2008 at 8:46am
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I depends what I'm hanging but I usually use the existing walls/architecture as a guide. If it's a nook, then I'll have start for the edges and work in. I also place everything on the floor before actually hanging to figure ideal layout. I try to keep the spaces between each frame similar to not create any awkward dead zones.

posted by azure on August 14th 2008 at 8:55am
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I think it depends on the art, room layout and wall space. But, if you do go the "symmetrical" route, it really needs to be perfect. In the 8-frame example above, the frames are hung a bit off-kilter, and it looks like one is lighter than the others! An asymmetrical layout would be much more forgiving.

posted by fabframes on August 14th 2008 at 8:59am
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I like both symmetry and asymmetrical symmetry (a mix of sizes that do align around a single horizontal or vertical line). I don't like random or weird positions on the wall.

posted by kimg924 on August 14th 2008 at 9:05am
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asymmetrical, because art comes in many shapes and sizes, and mixed frames, because it looks less calculated and gives the room more character.

posted by amt230 on August 14th 2008 at 9:24am
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asymmetrical. i think it forces people to look more closely at the artwork

posted by Kat1 on August 14th 2008 at 9:30am
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Hanging an arrangement of images off-center, especially as in the above photo, makes it awfully hard for your guests to see just what, exactly, you've hung.

posted by davidasposted on August 14th 2008 at 9:55am
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organized randomness, if that makes any sense...

posted by mdunlop on August 14th 2008 at 10:09am
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Instinct....really.

posted by atlantadesigner on August 14th 2008 at 10:29am
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Grouped salon-style first row level at bottom for some; gallery/eye-level for others; and a few propped on shelves.

posted by BonivaGScott on August 14th 2008 at 8:33pm
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That off-center example is oddly appealing.

I second the instinct answer...if it looks good, why not?

posted by somedudeinvicenza on August 15th 2008 at 12:01am
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