Happy happy New Year ALL. I hope your first day of 2016 was one for the books. My husband and I enjoyed a nice day at home checking off our first DIY project of the year. It was one of those daunting ones that I have been avoiding… but I am so so glad I tackled it and faced my fears because I LOVE it!!! This year I want to try new things and face some of those fears I have of not being able to succeed. Anyone else ever feel like that?
As we enter into the New Year, I was trying to think of some of my favorite projects that I’ve worked on last year and I couldn’t pick one. One thing that stuck out in my mind as a favorite, or more so as an obsession, was Gallery Walls. I love that gallery walls can depict each person and their individual style so well. I think it is the perfect project for New Year and a great way to revamp and area in your house. And it can cost you NOTHING. Here a couple ones I created this year. I hope you are inspired by one or all of them, and maybe you’ll tackle one of those fears and try one for yourself?!
My first gallery wall this year was our bedroom. When I created it, I wanted it to tell our story. I used pictures of our engagement, our wedding, and pictures of our boys. I liked all the photos but it still needed something more. I added items from our wedding, special trips we have taken, and a painting of our engagement spot done by my FIL. The trick to a gallery wall is well.. nothing. You just have to try putting things together. There are a LOT of FREE printables on Pinterest. So if you have some frames, you can type in Free Printables for a (living room, nursery, bedroom…) Try to think of things that represent you or your loved ones. What do you want the wall to say to others? I love waking up to see such special memories and reminiscing on all the precious moments for our family. Its been a year and I think its about time to add or change some of the pictures. Ill have to add that to the list. 😉
After I created mine, my mom wanted one too. We spent maybe $40 on this wall. She had lots of frames and photos in the garage that needed to be used and with my big family, a gallery wall is perfect. We have too many sweet faces to display and not enough space to display them all without looking cluttered. A gallery wall was a perfect option for her VERY large and tall walls, and our BIG family. Because the wall was so large we purchased a couple large items to give it that POP!! Isn’t it amazing?!
My sisters redid their room, and while living together in small space isn’t always fun, when you have a cute wall to look at it makes everything a whole lot sweeter. We used old frames and letters for each of their names, and everyone knows I have a thing for chalkboards so of course we added a few of those as well. I found that awesome Nate Berkus medallion at my local Goodwill. Wah-La, beauty.
My cousin owns a spa in Redlands called International Day Spa that I literally run to every chance I get. Think old Victorian home mixed with relaxing aromas, antique furniture, sweet faces bringing you foot soaks and lemonade by the fire or outdoor waterfall, and of course spa services that are out of this world good. Anyway, back to gallery walls. Corri, my cousin recently repainted the old Victorian walls, and added some new décor to the waiting area, and retail room. She needed something to add to the hallways that wouldn’t look overwhelming, but wouldn’t be too subtle either. We knew a gallery wall would be perfect, but we wanted something a little more elegant, classy, but homey. We decided to stain a dowel, mounting it with HOOKS, and hanging frames from wire (well, we mounting the photos on the wall), but the wire gave the look like they were hanging which was unique. We picked some of those amazing printables from Etsy and Pinterest that ended up fitting the spa perfectly.
And of course my favorite one of the year: The tutorial and details are HERE
Gallery walls can be filled with frames, objects, and anything else that tells a story. Creating one is easy- especially if you are like me and have tons of old frames and random décor laying in your garage. Gather what you have, lay it on the ground for a template and play with it until it feels right. I always measure my wall and the length and width that I want the gallery wall to be, and then I lay the frames and objects on the ground according to that measurement. After you have the perfect layout, you can simply measure each point for hanging it up on the wall, or one method I love is using butcher paper to trace each of your objects and then tape the paper to the wall first to make sure you like it up on the wall as well. After that you can measure where the holes are for your frames or objects and drill or nail into the butcher paper and then hang the real thing.
Here is a step by step:
How to hang the gallery wall:
- Choose a theme or story- Colors can be a theme, certain similar objects like all gold frames, or a story of your family.. all are great!
- Layout the artwork on the ground to determine your desired position
- Offset larger objects so there is no true focal point
- Create paper cutouts of the frames and objects: lay your frames out on paper, trace around the outside, and cut out the shapes. You might want to note on each paper what it belongs to so you don’t get lost!
- Locate hook for hanging. Mark that on the paper as well.
- Tape cutouts to the wall with painters tape mimicking the arrangement on the floor
- Hammer hooks in where indicated on paper, remove cutouts, and hang frames.
Good Luck on conquering those fears and Happy DIYing.
~Taylor