The gallery wall in our home is finally finished so I want to give you some tips on how to make one. These are things that helped us along in the process–believe it or not creating a gallery wall can be quite tricky!
choose all the same frames, in the same size
If you want a minimal + modern feel to your gallery wall then this is the only way to go. It gives clean lines and will not look cluttered. Mixing in different size frames is an option, but it will give you a more eclectic looking finished product. So–keep your design style in mind when choosing your frames.
mat all your photos
This makes the gallery wall look more professional and gives it more depth. I would stick to white or black mats, no matter the frame color.
choose a mix between photos containing people and landmarks
All of our photos are personal–ones that we have taken while traveling–but we decided to include some that have us in them and others that are just of scenery, buildings, streets etc. We also arranged them so these two types of photos are spread out on the wall.
print your pictures in a neutral color scheme
Ethan gave all these photos a neutral edit. They are not strictly black + white. In order to make them a bit softer and stand out, they have hints of color (like golden or cool hues) left in them. If you photos are brighter or full color then I suggest picking ones that are in the same family so they look like a cohesive group up on your wall. We sent our pictures to Wallgreens to get the prints made–convenient and easy.
lay your framed pictures out on the floor to measure before hanging
This will help you decide which photo to place beside which, how much space you’d like to leave between them and how much overall space the arrangement will take up on the wall. Once these are laid out exactly as you like, then use it to measure and mark dots on the wall for your nails.
choose standard sizes
All of our frames are 11×14 and the opening inside the photo mats are 8×10. Choosing popular sizes like this helps to keep your cost down so you do not have to custom print or frame. It also leaves you the ability to switch out photos at a later date with more current ones. I know we will want some wedding pics up on that wall eventually! 🙂
try shopping at Hobby Lobby or Amazon
I looked and looked and looked for frames and mats to keep this project affordable. Once you bypass the 8×10 frame size, they jump up in price. And that is not appealing when you need 8 or more, haha. I ended up finding these basic black frames at Hobby Lobby. They were $9.99 each but you can catch them on a week when frames are 1/2 off. I ordered a pack of 10 white mats from Amazon. Done!
&& some details on our wall…
I’ll list out what our photos are. If you have trouble picking from your photos one of these may inspire you.
(from left to right)
TOP ROW: the front of Hotel Avalon in Miami, posing with the moped we rented in Quebec City, a sun rise photo of the brooklyn bridge in NYC, standing on the beach in Orange County California
BOTTOM ROW: eating lunch at the Beverly Hills restaurant by the pool, the cobblestone streets of Quebec City, kissing at the LACMA exhibit in L.A., outside of the Royal Ontario art museum in Toronto
I hope a few of these tips and tricks help you when creating your own gallery wall. I think they are a the perfect way to make a bold, clean statement in your home without making any permanent changes. If you complete one–send me a direct message me pic on IG! I would love to see!
Oh, and… happy hump day.
