Gallery Wall 101
I’m a sentimental person and a bit of picture fanatic, so I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate a gallery wall into our home. For those of you who may not know the term, a gallery wall is a collection of your favorite photos or prints that are placed strategically on an empty wall. I considered having one in our family room since it’s a casual space where we spend a lot of time but ultimately decided to feature it in our staircase since we had a large, empty wall where it could grow over time.
I wanted our photos to be the hero so I kept the frames simple and opted for modern, elegant ones from Pottery Barn (which are on sale right now !). I’m someone who likes consistency so I decided to feature the same frame. Personally, I think it looks cleaner and also removes the need to over-think blending different types of looks and allows the artwork/photo to be the focus.
Variety is important, however, when it comes to frame sizes and I would recommend featuring both horizontal and vertical images. When developing a wall, you certainly don’t have to use just photos – you can mix in art work, prints, etc. But, I would recommend laying out all of the items before you put anything on the wall and have them hung with precision. I kept 2” inches in between every frame (consistency is key!) and aligned the frames so they were seamlessly connected to one another.
Things to consider when developing a gallery wall:
- Do you want to feature art work or just family photos? Or both?
- Do you want to have a mix of frames or one consistent look?
- Where do you have an open space large enough so you can you expand it over time, if desired?
Here are some of my favorite gallery wall frame options:
Hayes Silver Gallery In a Box (These are the ones we have)
Not sure how to get started? I found this guide which can help inspire you based on the wall space you have available or the type of images you’re looking to feature. Good luck!
Do you have a gallery wall in your home? I’d love for you to post your finished wall in the “Comments” section.