Walls can either be an empty, soulless space, or a blank canvas waiting to be filled with color. It’s a medium that offers the most room for expression. One way you can work with it is by turning it into a gallery wall by hanging grouped collections of art and personal items. If done right, it will turn a mundane space into a room brimming with life and energy.

But why should you create a spiritual gallery wall? Well, for one, it’s going to do wonders for your mental health and wellbeing. Beauty is already a proven way to lift one’s mood, and combining it with your faith would take it one step further. You’d be surprised at just how much it can help you. 

Considering the atmosphere

What do you want your spiritual gallery wall to say? Remember: this is an avenue for self-expression, a medium that will reflect your faith. You can go for more conventional looks and layouts, but you can choose a more unorthodox and individualistic feel; it’s completely up to you.

As with anything, the first step to building your spiritual gallery wall is envisioning. Think of concepts, themes, and elements. Are you trying to inspire onlookers? Tell a story about your spirituality? Reveal yourself through the pieces you choose? If you conceptualize properly, your gallery wall will be able to portray these effectively.

The importance of color

Consider the wall you’re putting art on. Is it painted in neutral or bold colors? You can start envisioning a cohesive palette when you build your gallery wall—it will balance out the rest of the room. Since gallery walls are displays of collections, it can tend to look overwhelming. But a good color palette will enhance your art pieces rather than distract from them.

“By using the right colors behind artworks, you can make the viewer walk into a room and experience a painting in a more atmospheric way,” Charlotte Cosby, Farrow & Ball creative head, said in an article with Fast Company. 

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The moods that colors evoke are something to keep in mind, too. Thanks to culture and recent developments in color psychology, we know that colors convey different themes. Blues and purples, for instance, are more relaxing to look at than reds and yellows. If you want a room to feel more pleasant rather than passionate, you can build your gallery art collection with these hues. 

Choosing art styles

There’s no rule that tells you to pick specific styles—you can mix and match pieces if you want your gallery wall to look eclectic. But if unity and themes matter to you, make sure the artworks you pick reflect them.

Abstract art has bizarre, distorted elements that prompt one’s mind to wander. The essence of the piece is inferred subjectively and varies from person to person. If you want something that invokes personal insight, put up abstract art on your gallery wall. 

If you want your wall to exude vibrance, energy, and a more modern feel, try pop art pieces. Pop art is characterized by bright colors, iconic symbolism, and block letters—all of which are immediately recognizable details. By using artworks that stand out, your wall will speak for itself.

Some art styles can also feel more “otherworldly” than others. Illustrations, for example, tend to appear more fantasy-oriented. Naturalist pieces can also feel this way because it idealizes real-life elements. In this sense, they can appear more interpretive. So if your spirituality is aligned towards the ethereal, these kinds of art should make your gallery wall.

Tips on building your spiritual gallery wall

Once you’re done with the process of conceptualizing, it’s time to bring your spiritual gallery wall to life. Here are some things to keep in mind before you start drilling holes onto your wall.

Plan your layout

Photo by Vladimir Mokry (Source)

When it comes to planning out and organizing art, there’s no “right” way to do it. If you want to go with a slanting pattern, you can. If you want the art solely at the top or within the corners, you can map it out that way. But proper placement will help you achieve a good balance, so familiarizing yourself with basic layout techniques is key.

1. The Grid Gallery Wall

Grids are some of the most common styles in creating a gallery wall. It’s even, crisp, and minimalistic. You won’t have to think about the pieces you want to highlight—they’re all going to be displayed the same way.

But its versatility can also be a weakness—the symmetry of a grid can make your spiritual gallery wall appear static and blasé. The trick? Choose striking art pieces to balance it out and plan the measurements ahead. Do you want big frames in a 3x3 grid? Small frames in a 9x9 grid? It will give you some perspective in building your gallery wall.

Grid gallery walls are a safe, foolproof way to display your collection. Symmetry invokes feelings of harmony and stability, and these will manifest in just about any room. If you want a clean, modern feel, consider the grid layout.

2. The Asymmetrical Gallery Wall

An asymmetrical layout is going to make your space look more eclectic and dynamic. It also requires the least planning but it does require the most consideration when it comes to balance. 

Keep in mind: “Balancing a composition involves arranging both positive elements and negative space in such a way that no one area overpowers the other,” writes developer and designer Steven Bradley. “Everything works together and fits together in a seamless whole.”

Mixing and matching can be a tricky process but it’s also a fun one. Consecrea pieces, for instance, come in three sizes: 30x40cm (12x16”), 50x66.5cm (20x26”), and 70x93.5cm (28x37”). These are good measurements to build off on. 

So take out your measuring tape, compare, contrast, and lay out the shapes and sizes of your items. And remember that you’re curating a spiritual gallery wall—the whole should be greater than the sum of its parts.

3. The Focal Point Gallery Wall

Having a focal point or a highlight piece can help you consolidate how your spiritual gallery wall is going to look like. You can start planning out with one or two large pieces, then fill gaps later on. This way, you can go for a symmetrical or asymmetrical feel: would you like one big piece, then even and equal surrounding pieces? Or would you like it to feel more experimental?

Photo by Chance Anderson (Source)

Keep in mind that your focal point doesn’t even have to be an artwork—it can be whatever object that visually stands out. It can be a basket, a ceramic plate, your favorite cross, or just about anything that you’d consider a “centerpiece.” If a particular item means a lot to you, use it as a focal point on your spiritual gallery wall.

Experiment with shapes and sizes

This is essential in ensuring that your spiritual gallery wall looks balanced. Measure the wall you’re going to use and mark the dimensions on the floor, then lay out the artworks and items you’re going to display. If you’re still short on your collection, measure and trace estimated shapes on card stock as gap fillers. 

Another great way to test is to measure and trace all your art and objects in card stock, cut them out, then tape them directly to the wall. 

This is the perfect time to play around with the design. A good starting point would be the middle, especially if you’re going for an asymmetrical or focal point layout. Think about the pieces you want to put there and work your way around them to achieve cohesiveness.

Think about framing

Consider the design you want: would you like your gallery wall to look minimalistic, dynamic, or bold? Framing is key to achieving that, so choose the appropriate frames to display your prints in. 

Maintaining variety—just as you would in artwork—is a good tip to have. You don’t need to frame every piece you have, especially if you’re trying to be more experimental with your spiritual gallery wall.

Remember that the frame is the home of your piece: it should secure, display, and enhance it well.

When in doubt, seek inspiration

Not all of us have an artist’s eye. Luckily, there’s a lot of good sources out there that can aid you through the process. If you’re a bit stumped or unsure of what to do, go on Instagram or Pinterest—you’d be surprised at how much they’ll get your creative juices flowing. 

Choose art that represents you

No convention or rule is as important as making sure that the art and objects you display mean something to you. It’s your space, your lifestyle, and your spirituality, so choose pieces that are special and personal.

Photo by Heather Bozman (Source)

Pro-tip: don’t limit yourself to artwork. Include photographs, keepsakes, gifts, and mementos. Your spiritual gallery wall should reflect your faith and invigorate you. Displaying items with sentimental value will be the soul of your gallery wall.

Incorporate your faith into your space

Spiritual gallery walls can be difficult to conceptualize, but with thought and effort, you can make them special, meaningful, and uniquely yours. Luckily, religious art pieces nowadays can come in contemporary styles, so they don’t have to look daunting or out-of-place. 

And keep in mind that religiosity involves more than just “sacred” items now—if a photo reminds you of your faith, show it off. If that artwork about space sparks something in you, share it with others. 

Being surrounded by spiritual art and meaningful items can help you achieve a sense of balance and wholeness. And, of course, the opportunity to express your spirituality through your home is a project worth pursuing.