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Want to create a gallery wall that will instantly wow your guests? If you are like me and keep seeing all the cutesy gallery walls from influencers on social media and want soo badly to make your own but don’t want to spend $2000 on it..here is the exact steps how to do that!
CREATE A GALLERY WALL THAT INSTANTLY WOWS YOUR GUESTS
Ever walked into someone’s home and your eyes instantly went to their gallery wall? Mine totally have. Or if I’m on social media and an influencer is showing their home, I instantly notice if they have a gallery wall, haha.
My love for home decor is real, but so is my love for a gallery wall in a home. I just feel like it brings such a warm and cozy but also professional and sophisticated look. I LOOOVE it!
If you’re thinking that creating a gallery wall requires you to be an interior designer or to have some kind of huge budget, you’re way wrong. This is what I thought at first and after doing some research and watching some youtube videos, I finally realized “ok I can actually do this” haha. And I did!! So let’s walk through how.
Why You Need a Gallery Wall in Your Home
A gallery wall does more than just adding decor to a room — it seriously makes it feel alive. Or is it just me that feels that way? I don’t think so, I think others would agree what a magic feeling pictures can bring to a wall.
I mean there are just soo many different reasons why you NEED a gallery wall in your home lol such as…
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They’re versatile: No matter your style or if you want it to be a gallery wall of family pictures or just a big gallery of wall art.
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They’re personal: You get to be the one to choose every piece. This makes it your own and makes your home feel more personable and warm.
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They make a statement: A gallery wall basically becomes the main focal point in a room (or the home all together) and can instantly give a face lift to any bare wall!
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They evolve: Did you take new family pictures and now want to renew your gallery wall pics? No problem!! Just swap all the old pictures out for the new ones and you’re all set 🙂
Choose the Perfect Spot for Your Gallery Wall
Before you start printing off your pictures (or whatever wall art you decided to go with), make sure you know exactly where you want this gallery wall to go. If you’re having trouble deciding on where it should go, think of what room you want to have the biggest WOW factor when someone walks into it.
Popular Places to Hang a Gallery Wall
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Above a sofa or bed: Hanging it here can really make your space feel extra cozy!
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Staircases: Staircase gallery walls are sooo good. Plus, these walls are usually walls we have no idea what to do with, so this is the perfect solution!
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Hallways: Do you have a bare hallway that needs something? Here can be a really good place to add a gallery wall!
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Home office: This is probably the least popular but still a good option!
Choose the Right Gallery Wall Frames
Which photos or art you choose to make up your gallery wall is obviously very important, but choosing the perfect frames is even more so in my opinion! Make sure you find the perfect frames that go with the feel of the space that you are going for.
Frame Style Options:
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Black or white frames: These frames can be basic but are perfect for giving a modern, clean, and minimal look.
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Wooden frames: These are if you are wanting more of a warmer feel to a room and are perfect for a natural, farmhouse, or rustic feel.
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Gold or metallic frames: I love gold frames if it matches with your style! Gold frames are soo elegant looking and can do wonders for elevating a wall.
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Mixed frames: If you prefer a less “perfect” look (not my preference, but hey we are all different!!) then mixing different types of frames is an option too.
If you’re wanting more of a polished look, consider using mats inside your frames, especially for smaller prints. White mats help make your prints to life and give off an “interior designer” feel. Trust me on this one!
Plan Your Layout
Three Popular Gallery Wall Layouts
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Grid layout: This layout is super neat rows and columns with matching frames. This is perfect if you are going for more of a modern look and like a clean feel. My personal preference!!
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Organic layout: This layout is more free and has no particular “order” to it. Just place your frames however you want them!
- Linear layout: This type of layout is more for hallways and staircases, usually in a horizontal or vertical line.
How to Plan Your Gallery Wall Layout
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Use the floor: Let’s pretend your floor is the wall for a sec haha, lay down your frames on your floor in the exact design you want them on your wall. Do you love it? If not, switch it up until you do!
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Make paper templates: This is a super good way to get a feel of how your frames will look..cut out pieces of paper the exact size of each frame and tape them on your wall to get an idea of how it will look.
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Start with the center: If you are going for an organic or “free” layout, start with the frame you want in the center. Then hang up the others around it.
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Space it out: Just a good idea…be sure to keep 2 to 4 inches between each frame for a more professional and balanced look.
Hot tip: Take pictures of your frames laid on the floor before committing. Seeing it in a picture can help you see if you need to change anything up or if you’re good to go.
Time to Hang: Tips for a Stress-Free Experience
Once you have everything figured out and you are time to hang, don’t stress! I used to think you had to be a pro to hang something correctly on a wall haha but totally not true.
Hanging Tips:
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Use proper wall anchors and hooks for heavier frames.
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Use a level (or laser level) to keep everything straight.
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Start in the center or at eye level and build outward.
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For a grid layout, measure precisely for perfect symmetry.
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For an organic layout, use your eye, it doesn’t have to be perfect!
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If you are renting, use removable adhesive hooks or strips to avoid damaging your walls. Believe it or not, I’ve actually created a gallery wall with thumb tacks before and you would have NEVER guessed it wasn’t professionally hung, haha.
Ideas to Level-Up Your Gallery Wall
Do you feel like you need to add something to your gallery wall? I LOVE the look of wall scones or lights at the very top of the gallery. But not always does it need something extra..use your best judgment! You could also mix in a mirror or two to reflect light and create depth. It’s all up to you!!
Update Your Gallery Wall Over Time
One thing I love about a gallery wall is that you can always refresh and update your photos! If you decided to go with wall art instead of pictures, you can have serious fun with it, haha. What I mean by that is if it’s a certain season, you can totally switch out the art to be whatever season (or holiday) that fits.
I have a huge gallery wall in my living room and when we get new family pics done, I love to update them!
Avoid These Common Mistakes When Creating Your Wall!
There’s mistakes you can easily make when designing your wall, so let’s go over some..
Don’t hang it too high – Depending on where you choose to put your gallery wall, making it eye level can be hard. I’m not saying to always make it eye level, but just make sure you aren’t hanging the frames TOO high. If you hang them too high, it will just look super weird.
Leave enough space in between frames – A good rule of thumb is to leave 2 to 4 inches between the frames so that it doesn’t look too cluttered and it maintains a clean look.
Keep in mind the size of the wall vs the frames – The bigger the wall you have, the bigger you need to make your frames be. You definitely don’t want to have super small frames on a really big wall space. So just be smart with the size of your frames vs the size of your wall.
I hope this post helped you with your dream to create your own gallery wall in your home. Trust me when I tell you that it is WAY easier than you probably think to create your own gallery wall and it is SO worth it! I have two (on separate walls) in my home and it completely has changed the look and feel of my home. I get sooo many compliments on them from every guest!
This post was all about how to create a gallery wall that instantly wows your guests.
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