Gallery Wall 101: Everything You Need to Know Before Putting One in Your Home
As you may have noticed, we love a good gallery wall. They are a fabulous way to bring personality into any room, but can feel intimidating when you first sit down to put yours together. If you’ve experienced some doubt in your eye for placement, we’ve got some tips to make your art hanging adventures successful.
Have Some Fun
Mix drawings, paintings, and photos in to get a super eclectic look. Be creative and choose pieces that might be surprising to the eye, like a colorful plate or a mirror. Maybe even try a letterboard with your favorite quote for a super trendy look.
Showcase Your Personality
Let your gallery wall tell a story. Whether it’s photos or souvenirs from a recent trip or posters with your favorite books, colors, or artists, your décor should really tell your guests something about you. The best way to create your ultimate gallery wall is to let pieces collect over time so you have an eclectic, interesting combination that really represents who you are.
Color is Completely Your Preference
You can choose whether to go with a monochromatic theme, black and white, or crazy colorful. There’s no best way to do this, just go with the pieces of art and photos that you love! Try to match the interior style of your home to really integrate the gallery wall smoothly. If you want a cohesive look, choose one uniting color scattered through all of the wall art.
Frames are Important
They may just seem like an expensive, unnecessary addition to your flat artwork, but they really add a clean look and highlight the art, and give you the option to add different colors, textures, and patterns. If you are looking for a cheaper option, try some craft tape around each piece. This can help keep them on the wall, or you can leave some space between the art and the tape for a super fancy matted frame look. Or, head to the local second-hand store. Sometimes, you can find unique, cool frames for less than you would find at a home décor or craft store. For uniquely shaped items, find a local custom framing shop near you to work with.
Placement Matters
Try lots of different arrangements to see all the options. Lay your frames on the floor to see what looks best. Take pictures of each arrangement to see all of them side by side.
Start with a frame a little off center for a more casual arrangement. It’s also easier to start with your larger pieces and then fill in space with the smaller objects. A gallery wall can go anywhere you have space, from over the bed to around windows to a large open wall! Eye level is the best place to hang pictures so your guests can fully enjoy them. Hang at least 5 inches above furniture and don’t hang photos too high.
If the frames and art don’t have a cohesive theme, get out a measuring tape and use uniform spacing as a way to create a clean, consistent look.
Don’t overthink it! Your gallery wall is all about you, so follow your gut and let it represent your style. Have any tips from putting up your own gallery wall? Leave them in the comments!