Gallery Walls

A simple way to add drama to your walls is to create a gallery wall. A gallery wall is a collection of pictures, frames and other objects all hung closely together. The trend right now is to either have one large piece of art or to have a gallery wall. No wimpy walls!

So let me give you some tips as you plan your own gallery wall. First of all, I usually start planning ahead when I am going to create a gallery wall. You want to find things you really like and that have a cohesive feel. Don't just gather up some things you have and randomly put them on your wall. It will look accidental. For example, in the gallery wall above, I knew I was going to do a black and white wall with touches of teal. I began to find black and white art that I loved and I also printed out family photos in black and white.

I also like to incorporate different things in my gallery walls. Not all are art and not all are photos. Mix things together for a truly personalized look. For example, right now I am working on a gallery wall for a client and we want to include a blueprint of their home, family photos, a big metal letter of their last name, and some cherished art. Make it truly your own. The photo above shows the wall above my daughter's desk. It is a combination of art she made, photos she loves, and some different things she has collected. It makes her room more personal.

In order to keep everything cohesive, you will want to frame them in a similar fashion. That doesn't mean all frames match. It might mean all frames are black and white. Or maybe all frames are a light wood. Try to keep a similar feel to the framing to create a curated feel. The photo above is from a hallway in my house. I included family photos, art, objects... many things actually! But, it is all framed in white and black so it looks cohesive.

Also, vary the size of the objects you use. You don't want everything big or everything small. Variety is key here. Be patient as you gather things you love. Right now, I am working on a gallery wall for my office, which is going to be gold and white. I really want to start putting things up, but I don't have enough for a gallery wall yet and I don't want to buy things simply to fill the space. I want to have things I truly like up on the wall. So I am enjoying the hunt to find just the right things (and trying to be patient!).

A few tips as you hang a gallery wall. Start with the biggest piece. This anchors your wall. You can then work out from there. If you have several big pieces, space them out versus putting them all together. Have a similar spacing between your pieces. Say 3 inches. That will make your gallery wall look intentional, instead of accidental. For example, in the photo above, I started with the lips on the canvas. Then I could work out from there, varying the size of the objects as I finished the wall.

When I am putting together my pieces, I usually lay them out on the floor and figure out a configuration that I like. I then take a photo and work from that photo as I put them on the wall. Some people like to make a template from paper of each piece and then tape those to the wall so they know exactly where to hang each thing. Some people just wing it. Do what makes you feel most comfortable!

Gallery walls are a wonderful way to incorporate your personality into your home. It is also a way to showcase things that you love and that make you happy. Have fun with this design project.