Paul McCartney Revives a Historic 17th-Century Design Method
What happens when a timeless decorating staple meets a music icon? You get Paul McCartney’s dining room gallery wall. We first highlighted the Beatles musician’s curated frames a while back, and as we look at them in 2026, they remain as inspiring as ever.
This enduring charm comes as no surprise given the history of the design. Though a beloved feature in modern interiors, gallery walls date back to the 1670s as an official display format for the Académie des Beaux-Arts in France. Artworks were hung from floor to ceiling in tightly packed arrangements, much like the curated walls we admire today.
Over the centuries, the styles of art and photography displayed on these walls have evolved. Paul’s dining room features a mix of vibrant paintings and monochrome photographs that reflect his personal passions – making it a great inspiration for brightening up your own home this season. Rather than copying his exact artwork, use his approach as a guide to frame images that bring you joy.
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Shop the McCartney-Inspired Gallery Wall Edit
McGee & Co Cream Double Striped Frame
To recreate the refined feel of Paul’s art wall, opt for pieces with timeless structure. This frame delivers an elegant, high-end boundary for your prints, perfectly embodying the idea that a good frame elevates the entire artwork.
Target Elevated Aluminum Poster Frame Black
When building a cohesive gallery wall, simple framing is key to making diverse artworks feel intentional. This frame delivers a sharp, polished border that elevates both bold, colorful art and classic black-and-white photos without overwhelming the space.
Uniform framing helps anchor diverse pieces for any dining room display. I love that this frame offers a timeless, high-end look that brings order to a varied wall of memories, making your collection feel like a professionally curated exhibition.
Anchor your gallery wall display with a table that feels just as warm and timeless. This similar dark wood piece captures the intimate feel of Paul McCartney’s dining room, providing a classic wood foundation for casual entertaining.
Marin Sage Green Small Oval Stoneware Platter
Mirror Paul’s dining table style with this stoneware piece from Crate & Barrel. Its gentle curves and muted ceramic finish echo the vibrant green serving plates featured in the musician’s space.
Lark Manor Upholstered Dining Chair
If you want to recreate the warm mid-century feel of Paul’s setup, this Lark Manor Upholstered Dining Chair, with its beautiful vintage style, offers a remarkably similar silhouette – featuring a rich wooden frame and simple neutral upholstery.
Paul is in good company. Martin Waller, founder of the global design house Andrew Martin, swears by this technique, noting that a successful wall is ‘both an art and a science.’
‘A great gallery wall should feel as if it’s evolved over time, not been clinically measured into existence. There’s an alchemy to it – balancing shape, color, and story. Start with one anchor piece and build around it, allowing your instincts to guide you rather than a ruler. That said, a little structure goes a long way,’ Waller says.
Knowing how high to hang pictures is essential when preparing a room for warm-weather entertaining, and investing in the right frames is just as crucial.
‘Hang artwork at eye level or just above, and never underestimate the importance of framing; this is a cost you should never hold back on,’ Waller advises.
‘The right frame can transform a picture and is critical to the overall feel of the artwork. Create shapes and patterns with multiple pieces to form a gallery wall, remembering also to keep uniformity and structure in the final shape. If you have two portraits, face them towards each other as if they’re having a conversation, and make themes like putting all your pictures of animals together, even if they’re of different styles and eras. The important thing is to tell a story with your wall.’
When decorating with art, Paul McCartney’s arrangement serves as an ideal blueprint for adding warmth and color before the next season arrives.
‘Play with color by using all monochrome pieces, then one vividly colorful work in the middle. Don’t be afraid to put very contemporary art in a traditional space, or vice versa; it is often the merging of seemingly incongruous styles that creates beauty through surprise,’ Waller adds.
If there is one final lesson to take from Paul’s display, it is that we should only frame pieces that truly speak to us. ‘Only ever buy something you like. Art, above all else, should always be personal,’ Waller says.
There is no better time in 2026 to start curating a personalized display in your dining room and beyond.
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