Gallery Walls are a creative way to add something new and different to your home. They are simple, and are yet a great alternative to adding some personal touches to a space. When I made this Gallery Wall for our dining room a few years ago. I found a common relationship between the media: black and white photography from my trip to Europe. I found almost all of the frames from Hobby Lobby (for a great deal). I knew that I wanted a rustic yet refined look for our wall.
Here are some simple steps to creating a Gallery Wall for any space:
- Find a space that needs art. This could be a dining room, bedroom, entry way, living room – any blank wall that could use a little tender, loving, care.
- Carefully consider your art. Think about what is meaningful to you. Mix it up with photographs, décor, art, and botanicals, but also try to have an underlying connection with the media in some way.
- Be versatile with the picture frames. Don’t think they all have to match or even be the same size. Vary the materials – wood, copper, iron, metals, paint. Vary the thicknesses. Consider the colors and tones in the room and what materials would harmonize best with them.
- Lay out the collage on a table first. Use a ruler when laying out the collage. Be consistent with your grid lines, and decide on a spacing. Use this for all your grids. Consistency here is key.
- Create a meandering collage. Now this depends on personal preference, some like more of grid look, but I personally like it to look more like a collage. Use top, bottom, and middle points of picture frames for placement – work off of those and then use your grid lines to separate. Try to get edges to line up or make sure they definitely don’t – if it’s an inch or two off it can look like a mistake.
- Hang the media. Take a picture – if needed to remember your layout. Do use a ruler, a hammer, and nails. Have a friend help if needed.
I enjoy being at our dining room table and reflecting on the memories from the photographs. I have switched out some of the photos over time, and I have replaced another with a handwritten note about our home. Think about what is meaningful to you, and you can create a special and unique Gallery wall for your home, too!
