How to Create a Colourful Gallery Wall on a Budget

A colourful gallery wall is like a party for your walls – and everyone is invited. The best bit is that you do not need expensive art or fancy frames to make it look amazing. With a mix of prints, postcards, DIY pieces and found treasures, you can turn any blank wall into a happy, fruity burst of personality.

Choose a happy theme for your colourful gallery wall

Start by deciding how you want the wall to feel. Do you want it to be calm and dreamy, or bold and joyfully chaotic? A loose theme helps everything look intentional, even when the pieces are all different.

Fun theme ideas include:

• Fruit and florals – think oranges, lemons, wildflowers and leafy greens
• Holiday memories – postcards, tickets, tiny sketches and photos
• Colour stories – all pinks, or a rainbow that runs across the wall
• Feel-good quotes – hand lettered phrases mixed with bright abstract art

Gather anything that fits your theme: charity shop prints, magazine cuttings, greetings cards, your own doodles, even pretty packaging. Lay them all out on the floor so you can see what you have to play with.

Mix frames and materials without losing harmony

A playful gallery wall loves variety, but a tiny bit of structure keeps it from looking messy. Aim for a mix of frame styles, but repeat some elements so the eye can rest.

Try these tricks:

• Choose 2 or 3 frame colours and repeat them – for example white, oak and one bold colour
• Use different frame sizes but keep the borders similar in thickness
• Mix framed art with washi-taped postcards or clipboards for texture
• Add one or two non-print pieces, like a woven coaster or tiny hanging plant

If frames are out of budget, use colourful washi tape, bulldog clips or mini wooden pegs on string. The mix of materials can make your colourful gallery wall feel even more creative and relaxed.

Balance colour like a cheerful jigsaw

Colour is where the fun really starts. Spread your brightest colours around the layout so they are not all shouting from one corner. Imagine your wall divided into four sections and make sure each one has a little pop.

Helpful colour-balancing tips:

• Do not cluster all dark pieces together – sprinkle them to anchor the wall
• Repeat key colours at least three times across the whole arrangement
• Use white space or pale backgrounds to give the eye breathing room
• Add one “hero” piece that feels slightly larger or bolder than the rest

Stand back often while planning. If one area looks heavy, move a bright or light piece there to lift it. Treat it like moving fruit around a platter until it looks delicious.

Plan the layout before you pick up a hammer

The secret to a relaxed, joyful wall is doing the fiddly thinking on the floor first. This is where your colourful gallery wall really takes shape.

Use this simple step by step method:

1. Measure the wall space and mark out the same size on the floor with tape or string.
2. Place your largest piece first – usually near the centre or slightly off centre.
3. Add medium pieces around it, keeping gaps of roughly 5 to 8 cm between frames.
4. Fill in with smaller prints, postcards and quirky items, like beads or mini canvases.
5. Take photos of different arrangements until one makes you smile instantly.

Once you are happy, trace around each piece on paper, cut out the shapes and tape these paper templates to the wall. You can adjust them easily without making a single hole.

Hanging tips for a joyful, low stress finish

When you are ready to hang, start with the central or largest piece and work outwards. Use picture hooks, sticky strips or small nails depending on your walls and the weight of each frame.

Check as you go:

Colourful gallery wall FAQs