Simple Ways to Make A Gallery Way

Frames, wood box and flowers: Michaels, Envelope: Michaels, similar here and here. Photo printing: CVS

There are a lot of ways to build a gallery wall. You can make it large or small, long or tall, busy or minimalistic. Whatever your style may below are key pieces to remember when making your gallery wall. ​

1. Display what is important to you

Pictures of your family, place you love to travel to, favorite patterns or shapes all are great things to incorporate into your gallery wall. The best way to start is to pick a theme. In the gallery wall I put together above for my sister, I played on quotes she loves and her favorite places she has traveled to. Some of the photos were taken by her and others were great stock photos found online that captured the essence of the city. 

In sticking to your theme pick 2 or 3 dimensional pieces, these are the ones that have a bit more depth. It could be a shadow box with an object inside or it could be a clock, bowl, or basket. I'm a big fan of something you can fill like the envelope above so you can change whats inside with the seasons or occasion. 

2. Incorporate into the overall room design

If you are working with a dramatic mood room, pick bold thick frames with artwork that contrasts the colors and pops against the room. If you are working with a more neutral space, pick frames in whites and thin framed metals with artwork that may be light and airy. My sister was going with a white bedroom theme plus a few teal accents so this gallery wall highlighted those pieces while adding dimensionality and color. 

3. Balance the Space

You have a whole wall yes, but does that mean you should use all of it? Maybe?

When setting up your gallery wall start by measuring the width of the space you have. It could be from a piece of furniture to the end of the wall, or it could be wall to wall. Now step back from the wall about 5-10 ft and ask yourself is there furniture or anything else in my line of site? Measure from the top of that object to the ceiling. I find that if you give yourself 1.5-2.5 feet on all your edges, you can create a centered look and add the asymmetry within your gallery wall to create the perfect balance. Now look for frames of varying sizes to fit within your dimensions. It doesn't have to be a perfect fit, instead use these dimensions as a guide to help you get the right materials. 

4. Lay it out

With the frames, photos, and dimensional pieces in hand, use an open part of the floor and layout your pieces in the same overall dimensions as the wall space you specified. This may take some time moving pieces around to find the right balance. My rule of thumb is to keep a frame of similar look or size one to two objects away from each other. That way your eye naturally moves between differing pieces in a cohesive way rather than getting stuck on one section of the wall that looks the same. 

Remember the best part about a gallery wall is that it highlights the special aspects of both you and the room, so believe in yourself and give it a try and remember if you ever need help, send a picture of your space  via email or DM me on isnta. I always love to help! 

xoxo,

Jessica