Gallery walls look stunning and add a personal touch to any space. Creating one can seem tedious or daunting unless you know the tricks the pros use. I’m here to help you make it simple! Here is an easy way to take the hassle out of creating a gallery wall:
First, measure the wall that you want to use.
Cut a sheet of Builder’s Paper that is as long as length of the wall where you want to have your gallery display. (hint: Builder’s Paper is great to have on hand since it can be used for all kind of projects and it’s very inexpensive.) You can get it at Lowe’s: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-Builder-s-paper-3-ft-x-140-ft-Drop-Cloth/50265367
Next, gather all the art or pictures that you want to have on your gallery wall. (hint: You’ll want to use a mix of sizes.) For a dramatic or traditional look, make sure all the frames are painted the same color. For a more relaxed or Bohemian look, use frames with different colors, textures or varying thicknesses.
Gallery walls don’t have to be just art or photos! You can also mix in clocks, block letters, iron pieces, mirrors, signs or plaques...
Once you have gathered all the items for your gallery wall, prearrange them by laying everything out on the floor or a flat surface, on top of the sheet of Builder’s Paper that you previously cut to your wall’s length.
Design rules to keep in mind when laying out your items: 1. Largest items should be off-center 2. Balance color and frame textures evenly, keeping weight of the items in mind as well (hint: You’ll want to visually split the wall in half making sure that both sides are proportionate) 3. Have fun!
Play with the placement and arrangement of your frames and items until you are happy with the layout. (hint: for a professional and cohesive look, make sure there is an even amount of space between one another. Once you are happy with the layout, take a pen or a sharpie marker and loosely trace around all of your items. Remove your items.
Next, measure to find where the hangars are on each piece and then mark them accordingly on the Builder’s Paper.
Take the Builder’s Paper and use masking or painter’s tape to place it onto the wall. (hint: use a level to make sure the paper is hung evenly and at the correct height. Your nail holes will be done based on where your markings are on the paper.)
Use proper sized nails and picture hanging accessories to hammer your nails right over the paper where your hangar markers are. (hint: You might need to reinforce some of your nail holes for heavier items that are not nailed into a stud.)
Once all of your nails are hammered in, carefully remove the Builder’s Paper from the wall. Lastly, arrange your items on the wall according the layout you traced on the Builder’s Paper.
Voila! You now have a beautiful gallery wall!
If you found this tip helpful, please share this page with others. If you would like my help creating a special gallery wall for your space, give me call. I am here to help!
