Now I love a Gallery Wall. Many of you that follow me on Instagram will know this, as I have several around my house and photograph them regularly. I love the way they allow you to group different images and objects together to create impact.
This can be as simple as grouping together a collection of family pics, displaying a set of photographic prints and typography or mixing it up with vintage art, tapestries, frames or nic nacs.
For me gathering bits for a gallery wall or arranging them is something I enjoy and find quite easy but for many this can seem a little daunting so here are some top tips to get you creating that amazing wall.
Gather your Art
As I’ve just mentioned a gallery wall doesn’t have to just consist of framed pictures, anything goes really. Plates, skulls, vintage print letters, wooden stars and hearts, mirrors, bits of driftwood or wall hangings. All these will add interest to your wall and give it a 3D effect.
Images from Pinterest
Vintage Style
If you would like to give your wall a vintage feel then there are lots of different type of things you could go for. Old tin or distressed metal stars, bits of old wallpaper or postcards mounted in frames or battered old pub sign letters. My gallery wall over my sofa has a selection of gilt frames with pretty floral pictures inside, some of them are from Italy and cost les than £10 on eBay.
Images from Instagram @nicolabroughton38 @_missdollyvintage_ and Pinterest
Typography and Photographic prints
Nothing says WOW more than a gallery wall full of super cool, moody prints. I tend to style these with a bit of a colour theme. In my hallway I have stuck to monochrome prints in black frames of all different types and styles. I feel it adds more drama and gives a bit of a flow to the look of the wall. However its great to mix colour prints and styles together.
I like to mix up the wall a bit with some typography or quotes just to break it all up a bit and keep you interested. A really cool gallery wall will have you staring at it for ages as your eyes dart around finding new bits of interest. And the best bit is there are now so many fantastic places online to get photographic prints. I will write a list of my top websites at the end.
Images from Pinterest and Instagram @archer.t.j @alice_grace_g @bo_decor
Frames
People often ask me where I buy frames. My go to place for vintage frames is eBay. You can usually buy a job lot of say 10-15 frames from a seller in all different shapes and sizes, which will give you that really vintage mixed up vibe. I love these for family photos, which look gorgeous together on a gallery wall. The beauty is you can just keep adding to them as your family grows.
I’m a real fan of painting frames as well, I’ve bought incredibly cheap ornate style frames from The Range and painted them with chalk paint and waxed them, rubbed a bit of gilding wax over the edges and they look truly vintage. Gold or gilt frames cost a bit more but are so lovely when added to a gallery wall. The gold pops and really brings the whole look together. These can be found in abundance on eBay.
For simple modern frames Ikea is perfect as is The Range. Or often the online stores selling the prints will sell really good modern frames.
Go Dark
There is not much I need to say here but painting your wall out dark will make your art look AMAZING. It offsets everything and just makes your art Pop.
Images from Instagram @artynads @jazzierere @hilaryandflo
Laying it out and Positioning
There is no set method to doing this really but there are tips on Pinterest and tutorials available. The best thing to do is lay out all your framed art on the floor and play around with what looks nice next to each other.
Then cut out pieces of paper the size of your prints and some use pieces of Washi Tape (low tack masking tape) and start positioning the bits of paper on the wall before you start banging nails in or drilling. I find its best to start with the larger pieces and add the smaller ones in around them. Basically you want to create a balanced look on the wall.
When you come to banging nails in, it’s a good idea to use a mini spirit level on top of your pictures so you hang them straight.
Images from Pinterest
Shop the Look
1. Black, white and gold wall-hanging - Hilaryandflo 2. Badass print - Nickiekelly
3. Pivoine Ibridetray - Wyldhome 4. Big letter print – New icons of print
5. Copper arrow sign – Tin Design 6. Gold bulls head – Hilaryandflo
7. Smoking Hot print – Nickiekelly 8. Santorini stars – Tin Design
9. Handpainted plates - houseoffiv5
Where to buy
As I said before there are lots of online stores to buy prints from, here are some of my favourites.
www.nickiekelly.com , a fantastic selection of statement and powerful art and probably the coolest place to buy online.
www.instagram.com/houseoffiv5 for the most amazing hand painted plates you will ever find. Worthy of a whole wall display.
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future posts and claim your 25% DISCOUNT CODE on all prints from nickiekelly.com. Go check it out and create that Perfect Gallery Wall.
And finally this is what I love to do and I’d love to work with you to create the home you desire. If you would like help creating a gallery wall, or maybe a whole design package, or simply sourcing frames please check out my services page and contact me.
Love
Kyla x