A gallery wall is the perfect way to elevate your home’s design. If you’ve been collecting art pieces over the years and never hung them, now you can showcase them all in one place.
Many people struggle with hanging smaller items, for fear they’ll be lost on a large wall. Combining a variety of sizes and shapes is the ideal way to create a gallery display that truly gets noticed. Read on to learn more about curating your personal art gallery display, right in your own home.
Where and What to Hang
You don’t need a huge space to create your design, and in fact, small groupings can make a grand statement in a diminutive space. Hallways are the perfect environment for your gallery, but don’t feel that you’re limited to a long expanse of wall. Stairwell walls are ideal as are high-profile spaces like the area above the fireplace.
Look for gallery opportunities in the family or great room, den or home office, dining room or foyer. Don’t forget about outdoor living spaces, either. In fact, designers have begun to showcase gallery groupings in a variety of outdoor spaces. Don’t limit yourself to traditional framed artwork or photographs, either. Hang plate shelves, wire systems and other three-dimensional or irregular items that delight you. Anything can provide visual impact when placed in the right arrangement.
How to Create Your Custom Wall Design
Experts are torn on the best approach, but truly, it depends on what you feel more comfortable with. You can simply build the gallery in a free-form manner by hanging the largest piece first, then arrange the remainder artistically around it. Or, if it makes you more comfortable, you can experiment with your layout by arranging items on the floor first to see how they will look together. You can even use graph paper and a pencil to sketch out the arrangement. One interior design maven actually recommends making copies of each piece and taping them to the wall to test your layout. However you feel most comfortable is the right way to approach this project.
What You Need to Execute Your Design
Once you’ve assembled the pieces you want to include, you’ll need a pencil, a hammer and nails (or removable adhesive hooks), laser or analog level, a measuring tape and removable painter’s tape. Measure how much wall space you have to work with, then design your layout based on one of the methods described above. Snap some quick photos of your layout, so you can refer to them as you start hanging. Use your pencil or the painter’s tape to mark corners on the wall, and identify the anchor location. Step back periodically and take a look at your progress, to make sure you love what you see.
You don’t have to have a collection of pieces sitting around to create a stunning gallery display in your home. Drop by Guild Hall Fine Furnishings and select the specific accessories and wall art that you want to include. Our experienced interior design staff can help you select your art and accessories, and provide expert advice to help you create the perfect gallery wall.
