How to Create the Perfect Gallery Wall
Words by Michaela Quinn
August 02, 2016
|
3m
If you’re looking for a way to inject some personality into your home, a gallery wall is a great idea.
Gallery walls bring together a range of prints and framed pictures to create a visually inspiring look. Not only is it the perfect way to show off your collection of wall art, but every gallery wall is different, which means that you can add a totally unique touch to your living space.
So, how do you create the perfect gallery wall? We have some tips and tricks to help you get it right.
Curate Your Collection
To get started, you need a great collection of art, so spend some time curating the perfect pieces. The most successful gallery walls mix up a variety of art mediums, including photographs, illustrations, graphic prints and paintings. These can be sourced from art suppliers, online stores and even vintage shops, so be creative.
Make it Personal
The best way to make your gallery wall a part of your home is to use unique pieces of art that represent your personality. Use prints and postcards you've picked up from your travels or look for eye-catching wall art that reflects the things you love; this could be posters from your favourite film, album covers from your favourite band, treasured family photographs or a print of your initials.
Co-ordinate Your Colour Palette
Colour is one of the most important things to consider when planning your gallery wall. If you want your art to work well together and complement the space it's hanging in, stick to a simple colour palette to unify your display.
Monochrome shades are perfect for a modern home, while brights or pastel hues will add a fun statement to a room. Choose pieces with common shades and tones throughout to create a cohesive look.
Use a Range of Sizes
The best examples of gallery walls have one thing in common - they feature a variety of different sized prints. When planning your gallery wall, choose a range of sizes and shapes to create an interesting effect.
We recommend using 1 or 2 larger prints to create a focal point, with some medium sized prints mixed in and a couple of smaller prints to complete the look.
Choose the Right Frames
Once you've gathered the perfect collection of prints for your gallery wall, the next step is to frame each piece ready for hanging.
The types of frames you choose are personal preference but will have a big impact on the final outcome of your gallery wall; mismatched frames will create an informal and eclectic look, while frames in the same colour and style will tie your pieces together and keep the focus on the art work.
Think about Placement
Next, you need to decide where your art work will hang in your home. Gallery walls work well in almost any location with enough wall space; try adding interest to your hallway, creating a colourful display above a desk or placing your gallery wall over your sofa for a unique living room feature.
Plan the Perfect Layout
Once you’ve collected the perfect pieces of art and framed them, it's time to plan how your gallery wall will look.
It is important to make sure you get the right layout before you start hanging your frames. To do this, lay your prints out on the floor and play around with different arrangements and configurations. This makes it easy to move things around and make adjustments.
For the best effect, we recommend starting with a large piece in the centre and working out from there. Always leave equal-sized gaps between each piece.
Hang it Up
The final step to achieving the perfect gallery wall is to hang your art work. Once you've decided on your favourite arrangement, take a few photos and use these as reference when placing pieces on the wall. Get a friend to help you hang each piece and check how it looks as you go along.
Now all that's left to do is enjoy your beautiful new gallery wall!
What do you think of the gallery wall look? Do you have any tips or tricks that we've missed?