Zoe Sugg has revealed her top 5 tips for creating a gallery wall as good as the ones you keep seeing on Instagram

This is the place to shop for Instagram-worthy interiors (plus 25 of their hottest pieces)

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By Sophie Cockett

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How to create a gallery wall

The secret to a picture wall that looks stylish and not haphazard is doing your research. While they often may look like they have been breezily put together, a bit of planning will go a long way. Using different frames, different sizes and different styles that have been carefully chosen to go together will create an effortlessly eclectic style (which equals effortlessly chic.) which Case in point: Megan Ellaby’s hallway gallery wall which mixes typography prints with photographs, abstract art and vintage pieces. Zoe told us: I love having a nice variation of some more abstract prints and some quotes and writing, which I think is why the two prints in my collection look great together."

If however the Type A personality in you is in need of a bit of uniformity, frames in the same colour can still look equally as good. These classic frames would be a good place to start - white, black or gold. You can then mix up the images you display to keep the eye drawn to your gallery wall.

Once you’ve chosen your prints and had them framed lay, the next step is to lay them out on a flat surface where you have ample space. Now is the point that it’s vital to take your time arranging them - once they’re on the wall, there’s no going back. Play with the placements and positions until you’ve got a gallery wall style you’re totally happy with. Oh, and a little insiders tip from the decor pros? Stick to odd numbers, it always looks much better. Here are some ideas...

@ellabode / Instagram

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Zoe said: "I love having a mixture of colour and black and white. Depending on the colour of your wall, I think having accent prints within your collection can really compliment it."

Before you take the plunge make sure to also consider the wall you’re choosing to hang them on before you do anything too drastic. There are a few things to consider, such as whether bright light from your windows will cause unsightly reflections and whether you fancy painting the wall before hanging your prints to ensure they stand out. If you’re feeling brave, neutral prints on a statement coloured wall can really pop.

Zoe told us: "One tip I have for creating a gallery wall is to take a picture of your wall and then - depending on where you’re purchasing your prints - you can take screenshots on your computer and pop them on where you think you’d like them on your wall - on photoshop or your phone. It’s a really nice way of moving them around and seeing how you’d want them to be styled before you actually make the dedication of sticking the nails in the wall."

Another option before you commit is to mock up your prints on different sized pieces of paper, and stick them to the wall with blue tack. You’ll be able to see how everything is going to fit together much more easily.

To hang your pictures, you’ll need nails, and a hammer. It’s also a good idea to get a spirit level to ensure your pictures are straight.

If you’ve got some heavier pieces of artwork, consider using drill anchors, but for lighter art and prints, nails will do.

Oh, and if you’re in a rented property, check with your landlord before drilling holes into the walls… If you're not allowed, Zoe suggested: "You can use Command Strips to stick prints on the walls. I’ve seen so many people make amazing gallery walls using those and I think they’re fab because you can pull them off and they don’t leave any marks.”

When you’ve decided your gallery wall layout, the next step is to lightly mark with a pencil on the wall where the top corners of your frames will be. From there, measure in relation where you’ll need to hang your nails, taking into account that if you have different frames, each hook will be in a different place. Once you’re ready to take the plunge, hammer those nails into the wall and get hanging. Use your spirit level to check everything is straight, then step back and admire the fruits of your labour!

Here are the best prints to shop now, from Made.com, Oliver Bonas, Not On The High Street, Soho Home and more...