Gallery walls have been stylish for many years now and I don’t see them ever becoming unfashionable. They can instantly transform a dull space into a cosy nook or homely living area. Julien and I are currently renting so we don’t want to make dramatic, permanent changes to our home. We also didn’t want to leave the walls plain white. Creating a gallery wall allowed us to personalise our living space, break up our long skinny lounge room while displaying our favourite prints.
This is the third time I’ve created a gallery wall in one of our apartments. I feel like I’ve learned a lot of tips and tricks with each installation. The first time, I realised swiftly, it’s not as easy as it looks. It requires a little time and patience to make sure the frames are evenly spaced and balanced correctly. Over time, I’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to make creating a gallery wall a lot easier. Keep reading to find out how to create a gallery wall.
DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DISPLAY
We didn’t have to think too much about this step as we had collected quite a few prints over the years. However, if you’re starting from scratch, you might want to consider the theme of the gallery wall, for example, do you want an eclectic mismatch of prints or a gallery wall with soft pastel tones? Maybe you’d like only vintage prints? You’ll also have to think about if you’d like your frames to be matching or made from varying materials. If you’re indecisive or having trouble picturing your future gallery wall, Artfully Walls, has a great online tool that allows you to design and generate a gallery wall to scale, giving you a sneak peak of exactly what your future wall will look like.
LAY IT OUT
Once your prints are framed and ready to be hung, lay them out on the floor and design your gallery wall. I like to choose one large print to be the central focus point, then arrange the other prints in a nice pattern around it. Creating the design on the floor first, will avoid any unnecessary holes in the wall.
MAKE A PAPER MOCK UP
Trace around each frame onto brown paper then tape each cut-out onto the wall following the patter you created in step 2. Take the time to make sure each cut-out is straight and in the correct position. Stand back, make sure you’re 100% happy with the design before moving to the next step.
MARK IT UP
Take a pencil and lightly trace around the corners of the cut-outs and mark a small line across the top and bottom. Remove the paper from the wall then use a level to ensure that your marked lines are nice and straight.
HANG YOUR FRAMES
I think the easiest way (and the safest for your walls) is to use 3M picture hanging strips. They are essentially strong Velcro tabs that allow you to attach and remove frames from your walls without creating any holes or damage. You simply press two strips firmly together. Remove one side of the lining and attach it to the corner of you frame. Repeat this process until they are attached to all corners, then remove the other side of the lining. Finally, you just need to press the frame firmly onto the wall. It’s more or less foolproof but I do recommend carefully reading the instructions to avoid any falling frames.
Now you have nothing else to do but to sit back, make a cup of tea, and enjoy your stunning gallery wall. If you have any questions or comments on this project, make sure you drop me a comment below.
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