Personal Gallery

If there’s one thing I love seeing in homes it’s a gallery wall!  Not only do they look great but they’re such a wonderful way to display the unique personalities of all who live within those walls!  It’s also lovely to highlight cherished photos or mementos that can take you on a stroll through memory lane each time you pass them!  The other thing I absolutely love about a gallery collection is that there are NO rules…which is the kind of decorating application that I follow religiously!  You just gather the things you love the most and start creating!  Today I’d like to share some simple suggestions and tips for creating a gallery wall for any room.  Have a peek at the one I started…

reveal your personality on a wall!

the inspiration for my gallery wall in my hall staircase came from something i saw picking up supplies from one of my favorite craft stores.  while wandering through the isles at Michael’s i saw a framed plaque with twine & mini clips attached to it for the purpose of hanging several photographs…a mini gallery of sorts!  i loved the idea of showcasing photos within a single frame in such a unique way and i thought it would make a great starting off point for the gallery wall i wanted to create.  so i found some supplies to re-imagine that very idea!  these sweet chains and clips were perfect for a less rustic version…

later on at home i gathered the rest of my supplies.   it’s a good idea to group all the items together first, even before you purchase your first frame.  this way you can be sure to buy the right sizes for those special photographs!

while there are no rules in gallery creation, i do recommend keeping within a cohesive theme by using similar colors.  this could mean sticking with the same color of frame, photo type, or using a combo of bold colors all together–it doesn’t matter what you do, just keep it kind of consistent.  since i had black & white and color photos that i wanted to use, i decided to keep my frames neutral and chose white & off-white finishes.  then i began with the largest piece in my collection…the mini gallery frame.  it was SO easy to create too!  i merely used an empty frame…

and attached three rows of chain to the back with nothing more than a tack.  the chain came packaged in one length but was easy to cut with a pair of nippers into the size i needed (it took 2 packages of the Heidi Swapp chain & clips to create my display)

and i LOVE the result…a way to highlight several of my favorite photos without having to frame them individually!

such an inexpensive way to display a grouping…and i can easily change them whenever i please!

let’s get the wall started…

now that i had a starting point, it was just a matter of looking at the rest of my goodies and deciding where to place them.  i really like to wing it and just eyeball the placement of my photos…but if visualizing an entire gallery seems overwhelming, i have an easy way to layout the design before you start pounding!  simply use a newspaper to trace and cut out a rough pattern of each item you plan to hang.  then with painter’s tape you can stick and remove the paper patterns on the wall until you find the arrangement you like the most!

once you’ve settled on a design…go ahead and put your nails in right over the paper!  (if you look closely above, you can see my nail poking through.)  remove the newsprint and start hanging!

and even though there’s room to add more to my wall, my thought is that sometimes works of art in a home are works in progress…if i waited until i had EVERYTHING for my wall i wouldn’t be enjoying what’s hanging there now!

a collection of favorite memories captured on film, a look into the past, cherished artwork, and found treasures all displayed for my entire family to enjoy!  and feel free to add anything you want!  i really like the contrast that this bunny bust from Etsy brings to the wall!

i made a tiny wreath with ribbon and garlands for some texture…and i like seeing some different materials in the mix!

if you’ve got things you love…add them to the collection!  i found the photograph of the dog in a bunch of frames i purchased for my Giggle magnet boards!  i just loved it even though he didn’t even belong to anyone in our family…but he certainly does now!

and don’t you just love the idea of using a clip board to display artwork?  so easy and cost effective!  i can always replace it with a frame later but i probably won’t!  i really like the eclectic group of different materials…and it’s another easy way to change out kid’s artwork or photos in the display!

so whether you wing it or design a master plan…maybe you’d like to give a gallery wall a place in your home!  i really love seeing all the past and recent memories each time i climb the stairs!  and i CAN’T WAIT to find the next treasured piece to hang!

my favorite collection…our gallery wall!

if you have favorite ways to create a gallery display i’d love to hear about it!

happy gallery-ing!

(clipboard from Target.  Heidi Swapp chains & clips & some frames from Michael’s Craft Stores)