Creating a Gallery Wall
As powerful as an individual large-scale work can be, when done right, a gallery wall can feel just as impactful as a single piece. Gallery walls are groupings of smaller scale art, offering great dimension and character to your space.
There are two main styles of gallery walls to consider: the grid gallery wall and the classic gallery wall. Here, I’ll offer my best tips to achieving these fresh, charming looks without any of the clutter.
The dining nook in my home features a grid gallery wall with new 8” x 10” prints, available in the Shop.
From left to right, clockwise: “Pilot Mountain Sunset - Print,” “Misty Blue Ridge - Print,” “Pilot Mountain Dogwood - Print,” “Hanging Rock - Print,” “Sunset Over Wasatch - Print,” “Cannon Beach Sunrise - Print”
THE GRID GALLERY WALL
The clean lines and identical shapes of a grid gallery wall will bring a calm to your space. The simplicity of the design will allow your artwork to take precedence. I recommend this style for modern, bright spaces like your kitchen or bathroom.
Do the math – The grid wall’s defining element is its uniformity, so be sure to measure out this gallery wall in advance. I recommend using painter’s tape and a bevel to tape out the exact grid on the wall before hanging. For this wall, apply the same hanging concept as in the spotlight art wall, but instead of measuring 60” to the center of the painting, measure 60” to the center of your grid. Remember to account for the space between each piece in your calculations. My recommendation for spacing is to stay between 2”-3”, depending on how large the wall is
Keep it uniform – For this style, if you decide to frame your pieces, use the same frame and matte for each work. I find that modern, neutral frames work best for this style wall by allowing your art to pop.
THE CLASSIC GALLERY WALL
A classic gallery wall display, featuring an assortment of high quality prints, original landscape paintings, and custom pet portraiture.
From left to right, clockwise: “Sunset Over Wasatch - Print,” “Rhododendron Falls” original 16” x 20” painting, “Cannon Beach Sunrise - Print,” “Misty Blue Ridge - Print,” and a custom pet portrait of our dog, Zorro.
This free-form style of gallery wall enables a little more creativity than the grid wall, while keeping all of its fresh energy. The classic gallery wall is ideal for even your most well-trafficked spaces like a cozy sitting room or foyer.
Plot it out – Although the lines don’t need to be quite as exact as the grid wall style, the classic gallery wall involves just as much – if not more – planning in advance. I recommend playing around with your arrangement on the floor before taking it to the wall. Once you have a balanced format that you love, try it out on the wall without nails first by cutting out butcher paper or brown craft paper in the shape of each piece and taping it to the wall in the formation of your choosing (using easy-to-remove painter’s tape). This way, you can try out a few different arrangements without leaving a plethora of holes in your wall.
Go big – Try to choose fewer, bigger pieces for your classic gallery wall to avoid the wall appearing cluttered. There’s a thin line between eclectic and chaotic, so trade clutter for charm by sticking to a few large to medium sized works with a few small works to fill in the gaps.
Whether you prefer the modern simplicity of the grid wall or the traditional charm of spotlight art, knowing how to make your art stand out is a skill you’ll be sure to use again and again. I hope these tips were helpful in bringing greater warmth and character to your home.
Which style of art installation do you prefer? Send me a picture of your art installation successes!