How to Hang Pictures Salon-Style Like a Pro (No Wonky Walls!)

Want that gorgeous 'I definitely didn't just hammer nails randomly' gallery wall you keep pinning? The secret is salon-style (a.k.a. Petersburg hanging) - the 19th-century trick of packing art floor-to-ceiling in a beautiful, organised chaos.

Here's exactly how to nail it (pun intended).

1. Pick a loose theme

• Monochrome photos, botanical prints, wildlife, Greece shots... anything that ties the collection together. A common colour palette works wonders even if the subjects are different.

2. Frame choices

• Modern look → thin black/white/oak frames, maybe two finishes max
• Vintage vibe → mix in some ornate gold frames, but space them out so it doesn't look like a charity-shop explosion

3. Choose your wall

• Small awkward wall → go floor-to-ceiling
• Big living-room wall → centre the cluster above the sofa (bottom edge of lowest frame 8-10 inches above the sofa back)

4. Plan the layout (the layout before you touch a hammer Best method ever:

• Trace each frame onto kraft paper or newspaper
• Cut out, label the back with the print name
• Blu-tack them to the wall and shuffle until it looks perfect (No more 'oops that's crooked' holes!)

5. The magic rule (that you're allowed to break) 

• Try to line up at least one edge or corner of each frame with its neighbour and keep gaps roughly equal (about 2-3 inches). Or... ignore the rule completely and go full boho - your wall, your rules!

6. The fool-proof hanging trick

• Hold frame in place → pencil mark along the top centre
• Flip frame over → pull wire taut (or measure to hook) → measure distance from top of frame to hanging point
• Transfer that exact measurement down from your pencil line on the wall → hammer time! Result: hangs exactly where you planned, first time.

Ready to create your own salon wall with zero stress? → Shop Art Prints from £19.30 - Free UK Delivery