As minimalism wans and maximalism grows, there is one trend on most homeowners’ minds: gallery walls. These design features coopt a prominent wall in an entertaining space to display art, photographs and other accessories unique to the people who live there. The effect is eye-catching; eclectic, exciting and overall interesting, a gallery wall will transform hum-drum into stylish in a heartbeat.
However, gallery wall organization doesn’t come naturally to most homeowners. It can be difficult to find the right kinds of frames, the right array of art, photos and items, the right balance of chaos and order. For all those struggling to make a gallery wall work, this guide is for you.
Consider Your Space, First
Not all walls are created equal. Some are narrow and tall; others are wide and short; still others are vast but spotted with features like windows and furniture. You should select a wall that is prominently featured in your home, so you and guests can enjoy your gallery easily. The wall should be somewhat large, with enough empty space to fit several wall hangings. Once you have a wall space selected, you should measure its dimensions and mark out the same sized space on the ground, either inside your home or outside on an even, level surface.
Next, you should consider the theme of the room in which your gallery wall will hang. You don’t want your gallery wall to look out of place; it should blend with its surrounding décor, creating an attractive and intentional design. A room’s pre-existing style will have a significant impact on how you will shop for and arrange your gallery.
For example, if you have large, well-stuffed furniture and eclectic knick-knacks, you might opt for a more diverse gallery wall with a mélange of framed prints, canvases and 3D wall hangings. Conversely, if your home is more modern in style, your gallery might have tightly ordered rows and columns with artwork in similar frames. You might use resources like Pinterest or Instagram to get a better idea of your styling options.
Assemble Everything First
Now is the fun part: finding all the elements of your gallery wall. For some people, galleries grow over time as they acquire new pieces from art fairs, loved ones and life in general, but if you want a gallery wall stat, you need to actively search out pieces to showcase. Rather than buying mass-produced artwork from big box stores like Target or Walmart, you should directly support artists by using their personal shops in-person or on sites like Etsy. You can find a wealth of unique and affordable frames at thrift stores, or you can use a professional framing service like Framebridge to ensure perfection.
The reason you need to block out your wall space on the ground is because it’s a good idea to assemble your gallery goods first in a space where you can safely rearrange them without doing damage to your wall. As you accrue the elements of your gallery wall, you should place them in your marked-off space, creating a layout that matches the style you seek. Once the organization seems right, you should take a picture and measure the distances between each piece. Then, you can replicate your plan perfectly on your wall.
Have a Focal Point
Before you start hanging, you should ask yourself one question: What’s the focal point? Especially for galleries with prints and pictures of varying sizes, it’s a good idea to plan one piece to dominate the wall. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a photograph or work of art; you might use a Houston TV wall mounting service to hang your big screen right in the center of your gallery, or you could opt for a macramé tapestry or some other non-printed art. A large focus like this will demand the attention of guests and visitors, so they will see and appreciate all of your carefully curated gallery. Plus, if you add a functional element like a TV to your wall, you’ll gaze upon your gallery more often.
Be a Bit Creative
Once you have mastered the simple gallery wall, you can begin experimenting with ways to make other galleries more distinctive. For instance, instead of using typical, hidden picture hangers, you might stack your gallery pieces on thin shelves along with non-hanging décor, like candles or small potted plants. Alternatively, you might make the hangers an edgy element of the gallery, with long strings connecting pieces to a picture rail or clothes hangers suspended from a wire rack. Use the web to generate new, crazy ideas to help your next gallery wall stand out.
