Kelly Hoppen reveals her foolproof trick for achieving perfect gallery wall placement every time
Struggling with your picture frame placement? Try this clever trick from the interior designer to save damaging walls with misjudged holes


A gallery wall can be the absolute perfect thing to draw focus to an otherwise boring wall. However, when you've got multiple frames to style it can be hard to know where to put what.
Choosing where to hang artwork in your home is a challenge in itself, whether you believe in feng shui or not placement can make or break your space.
Pictures and art can be a brilliant way of transforming your living room on a budget and bringing a bit of life back to the room so getting placement right is key.
Luckily for us, Interior Designer Kelly Hoppen has shared invaluable advice to ensure you're wall hangings are perfected the first time with minimal switching.
Kelly Hoppen's gallery wall placement trick
When it comes to interior design trends and expert-recommended tips there's no one better for the job than Kelly Hoppen. Sharing advice on her Instagram, Kelly discusses how she aced the gallery wall when designing musician Boy George's home.
"You'll see all of the pictures lying around here, well we had just started to hang them here for Boy George and it's quite daunting even for me to suddenly see all of these pictures being brought out," she says.
And whilst Kelly can visualise the display she wants to create in her mind, thanks to years of interior experience, she does point out that there's another way to do it.
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"Another way of doing it is to lay it all out on the floor so you get to see how you want to position everything so no matter how big or how small your wall is that's probably one way that you can figure out how to hang everything," Kelly adds.
A post shared by Kelly Hoppen CBE (@kellyhoppen)
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Should you be struck with how to combine traditional heirloom frames with contemporary style, Kelly has some advice for that design merging too.
She says, "Another question that's often asked is what happens if some of them are not framed in the same frame that's fine. But then make sure that that's what the look is don't just have one random frame have you know several different frames that kind of mix and match so that you can see them."
Whilst keeping to a similar theme throughout your gallery wall will ensure it stays cohesive and looks effective, there are other ways you can see your vision coming to life before you commit to a positioning.
Kelly explains, "One other thing I would say is that I always go with my instinct with an art piece. I look at a wall and think about what is it I want to see, what size I want to see, and then I will go and hold it up there or I'll have someone hold it so I can look at it and I kind of take in the whole area."
Now if you want to know how to create an entryway into your living room or perhaps create a statement in your hallway, using the right picture frames can be a brilliant and effective option.
"If I'm walking in from the front door and there's a wall it's very important that what you see means something to you and that you want to see that every day. This is because once you hang things up, people generally don't move it unless you prop your art about which is another way that you can do it," she finishes.
So if you're struggling with making the commitment and hammering that picture into the wall, start with practice floor layouts to nail the positioning. You can even measure your floor practice and see how it would fit on your wall once it's all completed.
When you're finally ready to take the leap and get your gallery wall started here are some of the most helpful products to ensure the whole process goes as smoothly as possible – and more importantly that you don't have to be re-hanging anytime soon.
RRP: £11.49 | Whether you're renting your home or not, command strips are perfect for temporary styling, especially if you find yourself changing your mind often. They provide damage-free hanging and both removal and application are incredibly simple.
RRP: £6.79 | No one wants a wonky gallery wall, and with a spirit level by your side you are guaranteed not to get one. This one from Amazon is the perfect size for taking around the house with you and correcting any sloped frames.
RRP: £9.99 | If you're low on supplies or haven't hung a picture before this picture-hanging kit comes with everything you'll need. All pieces are made with high-quality stainless steel and the hanging wire is heavy-duty but flexible.
Once your walls are decorated why not try out Kelly's tip for brightening up your home? The way she utilises flowers as decoration will have you immediately giddy for bouquet shopping and styling.
Emily joined woman&home as a staff writer after finishing her MA in Magazine Journalism from City University in 2023. After writing various health and news content, she now specialises in lifestyle, covering unique cleaning hacks, gardening how-tos, and everything to help your houseplants thrive.
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