The perfect gallery wall in 4 totally doable stepsfeatured
You’ve spent the time curating an amazing collection- why not let it shine? A gallery wall is an easy, impactful- and yes, cheap- way to showcase what you love…and if you happen to refresh a corner of your home along the way? Beautiful.
P.J. and I love going to bonkers-good places and collecting menus signed by executive chefs. (I saw this done in a home once and thought it was so cool, and representative of who you are, where you’ve been, and what you ate/drank/ate some more.)
Gallery wall tip #1
Take everything off the wall you plan to use as your new canvas. Everything. Fill in holes, sand ’em down, heck- add a fresh coat of paint!
This step is important for me as, with so many other things, if I’m given the chance to cheat at home decor, I probably will. If previous artwork holes are visible, I’ll be tempted to cover those with the new frames instead of choosing where I want them to go.
It’s good to know yourself.
(This is also an exceptional time to reevaluate what was previous displayed in your home. Not feeling it anymore? Sell ’em, give ’em away, clear ’em out, wave ’em goodbye.)
Gallery wall tip #2
Find/renovate an assortment of frames and choose borders and matting paper you dig. (You can buy pre-cut ones, but since the menus we like to display are such odd sizes, it’s more satisfying to make my own.)
Again, secondhand stores are a great place to score ornate frames on the cheap- and don’t be afraid of spray paint! As for the mattes, I use a heavy-duty paper cutter, a small measuring tape, and dabs of Scotch Tape and glue when necessary. Reminder: You’re not selling ’em, so don’t get hung up on gallery perfection. They have to look good to you and you alone! (Well, and the peeps with whom you reside.)
Bonus tip: JoAnn Fabrics always has those awesome books of wide scrapbook paper in fantastic colors and patterns. These are perfect for matting. Don’t be afraid of gold leaf and unexpected color combos. (They’re not afraid of you.)
Gallery wall tip #3
Arrange the frames in a wide space on the floor- preferably in front of where the gallery wall will actually be featured. Mess around with placement, frame tone, a mix of horizontal and vertical, and spacing.
As a general rule, I like to keep at least a 6-inch to 1-foot border between the “cloud” of frames and the ceiling, corners of the wall, and top of the furniture, and also try to keep each frame roughly 2 to 4 inches from each other within the grouping.
Reimagine and redo at least three times. Got a placement you adore for the space? Great! Take a picture. No, really, take a picture.
Gallery wall tip #4
Make magic happen! (Slowly.) Start with a central- and preferably large- frame in the grouping. Hang that one, step back, check your photo, hang a second one, rinse, repeat.
Pencils are your friend, here.
And while the temptation to be done is strong by this point, take your time. (Says the woman with permanent spackle hands.)
Here’s another strong case for always keeping Command Picture Hanging Strips on hand. Perfect placement but slightly askew? Wall hanging strips will save the day- and the last of your sanity.
(Wanna see how completely easy and stress-free it is to do this project…when someone else does it…and the process is sped up roughly 8 times? Boom.)
And now…sit back and enjoy! A streamlined, tailor-made corner of your home?
Pretty as a picture.
Let me know what you’d choose to display in your home!
Comment below!
