Have you ever been in a situation where you’re sitting in your home and notice you’re staring at the same wall that could, realistically, do with a bit of a revamp? If yes, I have a few of my top tips to transform any wall with the perfect gallery wall set.
Suppose you’re reading this and wondering what a gallery wall is. In that case, a gallery wall is a carefully chosen collection of images displayed on a wall in a unique arrangement utilizing picture frames. Essentially, it’s an excellent and pretty straightforward way to add a personal, special touch to any room – which comes out looking great every time.
First of all, I would look for some inspiration – have a research on some examples and see if any feel relevant to you. There is a tonne online. I suggest you pick a color palette, sticking to a rule of three is always a safe option, but that’s the cool thing about a gallery wall, you can be as creative and bold as you like. Another top tip is, if you can, to create a digital mock-up of your wall so you can play trial and error with the images and layout just to make sure you get it looking perfect and just to your taste before making any purchases. However, if this is something that isn’t accessible, you can also do this by creating paper templates and sticking them on your wall using scotch tape or blue tac and rearranging different shapes and sizes till your heart’s content.
I have a few aesthetic tips that I think could help when it comes to choosing the way your new and improved wall will look. Try using a few different varieties of shapes and sizes when it comes to picking your frames. This will simply create an organic visual interest and can really express your personal creativity. However, sticking to an orderly theme can also look stunning. It’s all about personal preference.
When it comes to positioning the frames on your chosen wall, I would suggest using consistent spacing between each one so the alignment remains accurate. Aim to line up the edges of adjacent artwork either horizontally or vertically. There are a few basic wall layouts you can take inspiration from:
- Symmetrical
- Top Aligned
- Bottom Aligned
- Horizontal or Vertical Split
- Random Arrangements
If this is your first gallery wall set then I would suggest sticking to the most common layout ideas just to make it that extra bit more simple. Also, unless your aesthetic is keeping it plain and minimal, then I would also suggest adding various different textures amongst your wall pattern. This can be anything from tapestries, hanging frames, scones, etc… to add that 3D effect, which is always a winner.
If you discover an image which is your absolute favorite, you can always enlarge that picture and work around it, just to anchor the whole design. Just make sure you always hang that image first in a prominent place so you can work around it. Just think of a gallery wall as a blank canvas and you’re the artist. It can be developed and created into anything you want it to be, use it as an excuse to get creative and express your personality and style. At the end of the day your home is somewhere you want to relax and feel the most comfortable in, so make it your own and something you’re proud of. Doing this through utilizing a gallery wall is simple yet effective and can definitely be something you can impress your guests with.
So here are my main tips on creating the perfect gallery wall, just remember:
- Find inspiration
- Color palettes
- Mock-up ideas
- Variety of shapes and sizes
- Your positioning
- Using different textures
If you take a few of these tips on board then you’ll no longer be sitting staring at that same plain wall we spoke about at the beginning.
