How to Put Up a Gallery Wall

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Putting up a gallery wall can seem pretty daunting. We know our art collection is just the perfect solution for livening up that blank wall, but the idea of drilling twenty holes, ruining that smooth paint and still ending up with a mess is scary enough for us to put those prints back in the bookshelf. However, if done with a few precautions in mind, it’s not half as troublesome and can totally transform any room. See the difference yourself.

tadaaa!

Here are a few important points you should take into consideration before reaching out for the drill.

Choosing the art:

Maybe some prints online have caught your eye or maybe it’s a collection you’ve made over the years. Even if you just want a gallery wall and don’t really have anything to put up, look for free printables that many websites feature. While not all the images have to be about the same thing, it’s important that they are cohesive. For example, this gallery has mostly black, white and gold and then to add a pop of color, I added two colored paintings.

Having a sister who knows her way with a paint brush is a blessing!

Frames:

You do NOT have to splurge on the framing for it to look great. Even thrifted frames look good as new with a couple coats of spray paint. The important thing is that the frame complements the image. You can choose frames of a single color and shape for a clean and classic look or if you want it to be extra fun, mix it all up; go for different colors and shapes. It doesn’t even have to be all frames, like I added a clipboard to hang the painting in the bottom.

Lay it out first:

Once you have your framed prints at hand get a friend’s help and lay them out on the floor. This is probably the MOST important step in the entire process. You don’t want to be stuck with two frames on the wall, two more in your hand and no clue about where to hang them next. It also helps you to try different arrangements and adjust the spacing. Once you have decided on one of the patterns, take a picture and use it to guide you.

Mix different elements:

Make a yarn wrapped initial or a small felt banner and add it to your wall. You can totally skip this and go with a frames-only wall but I like the idea of adding something unexpected, like the Sea Urchin I added here and the cooling fan art that I’d be showing in an upcoming post.

Spacing:

Not all frames have to be the same number of millimeters apart but if you’re not careful enough, awkward spacing can throw the whole thing out of proportion. Right amount of spacing totally depends on the size of the objects and you can check how much of it do you need while you’re laying the frames out on the floor.

Hang it up:

Time to hang it all on the wall! Start by hanging the largest piece first and build the gallery around it. This piece doesn’t necessary have to be in the center, in fact keeping it off-center looks more interesting. Once you have the largest frame hung up it will be much easier to proceed with others.

Extra drill holes:

DON’T be scared of drilling a few extra holes, all those Pinterest-worthy gallery walls have them too. The frames would hide the ugly mess, leaving no clue for your guests and you can flaunt your accuracy. 😉