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4 Easy Steps to a Perfect Gallery Wall

Via The Decorista

If you have some wall space and several vacation or family photos you’d love you display, a gallery wall is a great way to get creative and express your style. Keep in mind that this is something you will be looking at everyday for the next several years; so make sure YOU like it, and don’t add pieces just because you think you “should”. Most importantly, this space and the prints should reflect you, and your personality. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, and can be totally unique. There are very few rules you actually have to follow here – so keep in mind you can get creative. I’ll give you a few quick tips on where to start, and you’ll have a gorgeous display in no time.

Via Designs By Maria

 

 Step 1:

 Choose prints that have something in common, whether it’s printing them all in black and white, matching the frames, or a common theme. Keep in mind that you don’t have to stop at frames, feel free to add mirrors, wall clocks, and anything else that may suit the theme you’ve chosen.

Via Making Home Base

Step 2:

 Decide what kind of gallery wall you want to put up. If you have several sized frames you’d like to incorporate, for example, then perhaps doing a traditional grid isn’t your best bet. If you’re going for something non symmetrical, the easiest way to arrange this is by laying out the largest pieces and working around them. If most of your frames are roughly the same size but not exact, a good way to create some organization without it looking too symmetrical, is to draw an imaginary vertical or horizontal line (depending on the wall space) and add frames to either side of it (reflective). If you have several smaller frames you’d like to display without it looking cluttered, a great option is to add small shelves to place them on, appearing as one display.

Via Sheer Luxe

 

Step 3:

 Purchase the frames. Simply go for something that compliments the rest of the room: traditional, eclectic, modern, etc. Don’t try to mix too many styles if you’re uncertain whether they’ll go together well or not. This also doesn’t have to be as expensive as one may think. You don’t need to get custom frames mades for each piece even if it’s a unique size. Simply get a frame that is larger, and either cut the mat yourself or have that part professionally done if you’re hesitant. Wayfair and Ikea have some great options for simple frames at a very fair price.

 

Via Wilson Kelsey Design

Step 4:

 The easiest way to arrange a gallery wall without making too many mistakes and holes is to make cut-outs on cardboard/brown paper that reflect the size of each frame, and stick them up on the wall, rearranging until you’re happy with it. Most often, frames are hung about 2 inches apart to keep it looking as a collective wall feature.

Via Momtastic

  

Tips on hanging art:

1: If a piece is the only thing on a bare wall, or above furniture that is less than 32” in height, the CENTER of the piece should hang around 58-62” from the floor; a gallery wall is treated as one collective piece – so center of gallery should be at the same height. 

2: Hanging extra-large pieces on a bare wall, (over 48”), the center should be around 48-56” from the ground. This is a rule that you can bend, however, because depending on the shape of the piece, and the size of the wall it’s going on, you may choose to adjust that number. When in doubt, either cut brown paper (or whatever you have lying around) into the same size and tape it up, see how it looks, adjust, take pictures, and compare, or tape an outline of the size with painter’s tape to get a feel for it before making a hole.

3: Art hanging above a sofa or a headboard should be in the range of 5-12” above said furniture. I use this as a rough guideline because that’s a pretty broad range and can completely change the look of your space. For example, if you have high ceiling and a low back sofa, I’d go closer to 12”, as not to cause a disconnect between the two pieces, but also not to allow too much empty space above. While if it’s a high headboard, I’ll stay right around 5” so as not to kink your neck every time you look at the photos. 

4: Hanging art above a mantel is pretty basic – 3-6” from the mantel to the bottom of the piece – the taller the mantel, the less space to leave.

5: Art or mirrors above any other furniture that is taller than 32” should be hung 3-8” above the “anchor” or furniture beneath it. 

Via Emily Henderson

 

 

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