How to create a gallery wall

You can begin a composition of original abstract paintings on a modest budget. Small framed originals (for example, up to 50×50 cm) at Birute Studio cost up to €200, which makes them an excellent first step. You can hang such works on their own or combine them into a gallery wall.

I believe every home deserves at least one original work of art. A handmade painting will always hold lasting value, becoming an inseparable part of the home, a fragment of its story, and, over time, a work that has grown more valuable.

Original or print?

Prints – reproductions where the same work is copied and sold in different formats – have their place in the decor and interior market. They let you easily choose the color palette you want, dress a wall quickly, and are often a practical solution. But no copy or print will ever match an original in lasting value and relevance. An original is a singular, unrepeatable work whose true surface, texture and making simply cannot be conveyed in print. As the light changes, an original looks different each time – in the morning, in the evening, across the seasons. It is exactly this living relationship with the work that gives a home its distinctiveness.

Small paintings, big impression

I made a limited series of small original abstract paintings – each one already framed and ready to hang. These works fit the budget people usually set aside for a quality print. Every home has a space where you can hang a small original, and it will fundamentally change the mood of the room. I write more about this in the article “Where to Hang Small Paintings”.

Original painting - Where the Forest Begins. 50x50 cm

£114.00

How do you start arranging a composition?

In my summer home I built a composition across a five-metre wall over many days, and I still haven't finished – I think it will take a year or two, and everything about that is fine. It grows slowly, and that is exactly the essence of a gallery wall, a composition of paintings on a wall.

Two or three paintings that relate to one another are entirely enough to start. Later you can add family photographs, works brought home from travels, or children's drawings. Believe me how wonderfully children's drawings blend into the whole composition when you choose the right mount and frames – over the years they become the most treasured works kept in your home. In this way the whole wall gradually becomes not just an interior detail, but part of your life's story.

There is no single correct composition. Some like strict symmetry, others prefer a looser arrangement. You can look for inspiration on Pinterest, where there is plenty of it, so I won't dwell on layout here. And if you want to plan the composition precisely for your home, AI tools serve this well too – they can suggest an arrangement based on your wall's dimensions and the sizes of the paintings, and even recommend the ideal spacing between frames.

Still, the most reliable method remains very simple – cut paper templates the size of the future pieces, tape them to the wall, and leave them for a few days. This lets you judge the proportions in natural light and spares the wall unnecessary holes.

The frames matter no less. You can subtly combine oak, ash, and walnut tones, which give the whole gallery a natural feel, while black or white frames create a cleaner, more modern look.

Don't rush to fill the whole wall

The most common mistake when building your own composition on a wall is the urge to finish it all at once. Don't rush. The most beautiful walls aren't born in a day, a week or a month. They fill slowly – with a new painting, a work brought back from a trip, a child's drawing, a framed photograph.

This composition tells your family's and your own life story, and grows together with you. Thoughtful choices always let you build a distinctive space for art at home, even on a modest budget. Each new work arrives with intention, so the final composition becomes unique – the kind no ready-made interior solution could create, only you yourself.

Original painting - Forestside. 31x42,5 cm

£105.00

Start your gallery wall

FAQ:

Two or three paintings that relate to one another are enough to start. You can then fill the composition gradually – with family photographs, children's drawings, works brought home from travels. A gallery wall is meant to grow over years, so there's no need to buy everything at once.

The most reliable way is to cut paper templates the size of the future pieces, tape them to the wall, and leave them for a few days. This lets you judge the proportions in natural light and avoid unnecessary holes. AI tools can also suggest a layout based on your wall's dimensions.

Combining oak, ash, and walnut tones gives the whole gallery a natural feel, while black or white frames create a cleaner, more modern look. The frames don't all have to match – a considered mix often looks more natural than a uniform set.

No. The most common mistake is wanting to finish everything at once. The most beautiful compositions fill slowly, piece by piece, and it's exactly this slow growth that gives the wall its personality and life story.

Yes. Small framed originals cost about the same as a quality print – up to €200 at Birute Studio. You can start with two or three such works and build the composition gradually.