Gallery walls are a great way to define a space in your home, add color and show off your personality. But with the endless layout, design and aesthetics options, they can be intimidating to create.
From deciding what size and color frame is best, choosing your artwork or pictures, and laying out the gallery, you can make your dream gallery wall come to life in no time.
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What Is a Gallery Wall?
A gallery wall is an intentionally designed display of pictures in an interior space. It can be a collection of prints, paintings, sculptures, trinkets or family photos, but its goal is to define the space by adding visual interest and color to a seemingly blank wall.
There really is no wrong way to create a gallery wall. They are personal and represent your interests, favorite art pieces or personal memories. However, there are techniques you can use to create a more visually appealing gallery wall that fits seamlessly into the space.
1. Choose Your Wall Space
The first step in creating a gallery wall is choosing your wall space. No area is off limits, but many people choose large, open walls because they can fill what would otherwise be a challenging area to decorate.
“Living and dining rooms are great for creating larger gallery walls. Hallways or stairwells are also great since there is a lot of dead space. If you want to keep it more personal, having gallery walls in bathrooms and bedrooms makes it more intimate,” says Susann Goerg, an interior designer and CEO of Happy Homes in New York City.
2. Choose Art or Pictures for the Gallery Wall
The next step is choosing what to display. Selecting artwork or pictures is often one of the most challenging aspects of creating a gallery wall.
Goerg likes to design gallery walls with art in mind. “I like to be intentional about what I’m putting on the walls, not just adding visual noise,” she says. She recommends selecting only pieces you love that help tell a story.
Most gallery walls require at least five to six pieces, although some can have a dozen or more frames. It depends on the wall size and the look you want to create.
“If it’s a large space, you want to use large photos or artwork,” says Janet Lorusso, an interior designer and principal of JRL Interiors in Acton, Massachusetts.
Lorusso explains that the further away the image is from the eye line, the harder the picture will be to see. “You want detailed photos where faces are larger and closer to the frame higher than a family photo with 37 people in it,” she advises.
“It’s a good idea to play in one color family, condensing it so the colors and content are alike in how they look and feel,” says Goerg. That could mean choosing three dominant colors or similar scenes like beaches or mountains.
It can also be nice to mix media, sharing personal photos and artwork in one gallery, but don’t limit yourself to prints or paintings alone. Goerg has framed wallpaper, fabric and even magazine cutouts.
Also, don’t be afraid to mix up the orientation between landscape and horizontal frames, which can create more visual interest.
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3. Pick Your Frames
Once you’ve chosen your artwork or prints, select your frames in the appropriate size. Obviously, the larger the space, the larger the frame or print should be. “You want a minimum of 8-by-10 framed images, but that’s still pretty small,” says Lorusso.
If you don’t have the budget for huge frames or the print doesn’t come in the size you need, consider using a large mat to extend the footprint of the art on the wall.
Modern frames can work well with modern art, or you can create a juxtaposition using an antique frame.
“Matching frames are less interesting than mixing frames,” says Lorusso. “If you’re mixing frames, you can choose all the same color schemes, but have new with old antique frames. If you mix colors and materials, distribute them evenly throughout the walls so all the black frames aren’t in one area, for example.”
Don’t forget to consider your wall color and how much contrast you want. Lighter frames work better on dark walls and vice versa. If you don’t want to mix frames, buy a matching do-it-yourself gallery wall kit from a home goods store.
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4. Map Out Your Layout
Before you actually hang your pictures, lay out the frames on the floor to make sure you like the look and feel. Start with the largest image and place the second largest, then continue until all the pieces are placed.
“If the pictures are smaller, the spacing will be smaller,” says Lorusso. “The mat is a good gauge for the spacing. For example, if you have a 3-inch mat because they are big pictures, you should have 3 inches between the frames.”
The key to any good gallery wall is to have it feel balanced. It can be symmetrical or a little asymmetrical, but overall it needs that even feeling.
5. Hang, Protect and Light Your Gallery Wall
The last step for creating your gallery wall is to hang the artwork and add complementary lighting. “Putting picture lights and sconces can highlight the visual interest,” says Goerg. She also advises not skipping any protection from UV ray damage for the art, especially if it’s valuable.
While selecting the right art, pictures or frames can still be time-consuming, focusing on a cohesive theme, story or color scheme will help make the selection and layout process much easier.
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How to Create a Gallery Wall In Your Home originally appeared on usnews.com
