I heart gallery walls. like. a lot. In fact, I love them so much I have one in almost every room of my home. Creating a gallery wall can be a bit intimidating at times. Since I just recently reworked the gallery wall in our guest bedroom I thought I'd share a few of the tips and tricks I've learned along the way.
1. Think outside the frame.
When you're gathering the pieces you want to display in your gallery wall don't be afraid to think outside the frame. Bringing in pieces other than framed pictures and artwork can add more interest and personality to your gallery wall. Anything you want to display can be art, from vintage handbags to your favorite sun hat, and it's typically those unexpected pieces that add life to your display.
2. Start with a large anchor piece. And hang it off center.
In this case I used a large chalkboard piece I made a few years ago (by layering a framed chalkboard over a canvas I wrapped with fabric). I hung it first, slightly off center, then worked around the wall from there.
3. Don't worry about spacing.
I know some of you just gasped, but really, over thinking the spacing of everything will just bog you down creatively. At least that's what it does to me. I think this is especially true when you aren't just working with frames and hard angles. When you are adding in odd elements like an ampersand or a great big sun hat, it gets too complicated trying to worry about spacing everything exactly the same. I think you're better off laying everything out on the floor in front of you to get an idea of the layout you like best before you start hanging things on the wall. Then as you start hanging things, just go with your gut. And trust your instincts.
4. Vary the sizes and create movement.
Make sure you have a good variety of horizontal and vertical pieces as well as lots of different sizes. You don't want everything lined up perfectly; you want the eye to travel.
5. Balance color.
You can see in this gallery wall that the color is balanced. There is some blue, green and black throughout the wall. You want to make sure all your color is not stuck together. Spread the color to balance the wall. This way even though you have a lot of different things displayed you're making one big statement.
If you're unsure what to display or include in your gallery wall try going with a collection of some sort or maybe even a theme. This gallery wall in our guest bedroom is a bit of both as I've displayed a collection of vintage paint by numbers and I've also given it a "welcome to Kentucky" theme.
The most important tip is to just have fun and don't over think it too much. I'm no expert but I think decorating should be fun, not stressful! Don't worry about the "rules", just go with your gut and what looks good to you. It's your home, so do what makes you happy!
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