Gallery Walls 101

I am sure you have all seen countless articles and images on how to hang a gallery wall. The idea is it's supposed to look collected, effortless and personal. Sounds simple enough but it took me a while to figure out some basic rules to achieve the look.

Firstly, when in doubt a grid pattern is always a great option. The idea is you stick to one frame and matting and hang your pictures in a grid pattern . Exact measurements are required so hiring a professional hanger is not a bad idea. I particularly love when a grid pattern is hung from floor to ceiling.

Tip: Super thick matting looks great with grid patterns.You can always replace skimpy matting with thicker options as many stores (such as Aaron's Brothers) sell precut matting in thicker widths that you can purchase for relatively affordable prices.

Your'e next option is going the eclectic, collected route which entails various sizes, frames and forms of art.

A couple of tips to pull off this look:

1. Stick to three different colors when choosing frames ex: black, white and brass ( you don't want too many different colors as it can start to detract from the actual art). Of course you can always throw in an extra color frame here and there but generally sticking with 3-4 frame colors creates a cohesive look.

2. Vary the sizes greatly! We are talking big pictures as big as 16"x24" down to images that are 5"x8".

3. Switch up your matting by size and even color! ( You can purchase generic frames and go to a custom frame shop just for the matting, most cary an incredible array of colors!)

4. Create a layered mix! Don't purchase all your art from one source. Head to flea markets, scour Etsy and head to sights such as One Kings Lane for a variety of art. Pick up postcards when you travel, have your kids sketch or take photographs, pull up old family photos etc. You don't have to think too hard about it!

5. This is a personal one but I like to mix at least two forms of art ex: water color prints +photography .

You can mix lithographs with vintage posters, abstract prints with vintage photos etc... Mix it up!

6. If you plan to hang your gallery wall above your sofa please hang it as close to the sofa as possible

(approximately 8") .

7. Lastly, make sure there is a couple of inches between each photo. If you are not comfortable hanging you're art a professional hanger can make a huge difference. I use a guy who takes about fifteen minutes to hang a gallery wall!

To find out my favorite sources for affordable art, check out my next post!

One of my favorite backdrops to a gallery is a dark, moody paint color. In the image below I used Benjamin Moore Black Beauty in my office as a base for my artwork.