I'm not sure if 'Gallery Walls' are still in fashion, but they are everywhere in our house as we have lots of prints and paintings, so it's the only sensible option for us to be able fit everything up on the walls. Therefore, it's no real surprise that I get asked about them, and framing in general, from customers and friends.
So here is a tour of some of our Gallery Walls and my top tips for how to create them...
Photo - Kitchen Diner Gallery Wall. Artists are listed here.
Tip 1 - A Colour Palette of Frames
The artworks don't need to have the same colour frames, in fact it will likely look better if they don't! Choose two to three colours of frames that work well together and keep them all within that palette if possible. This will give some variety, while also creating a unified look, tying the different artworks together through the frame colours.
If you have lots of artwork that you have bought that is still rolled in tubes, stored in a cupboard or under the bed, don't panic! You could frame it all in one go, which could actually work in your favour to create some consistency in the type and colour of frames, therefore giving your gallery wall a cohesive look.
Want to know where I recommend for framing? Skip to Framing Recommendations.
Tip 2 - Layout & Balance
The next step is to lay out all your potential framed artworks on the floor in front of your proposed wall, in the arrangement that looks best. I'd usually start with the larger pieces, placing them in the centre, or an off-centre location and then fitting the other frames around them. It takes some trial and error, but switch them around like you are doing a puzzle and see what fits best.
Think about the balance of colour, in both the frames and within the artwork. You can see in this initial arrangement below that I did for the kitchen diner, that pinks, black and white are the predominant colours across the collection of artworks, with accents of yellow and blue. In an example of colour balancing, there is a yellow circle in the artwork by Tom Camp in the top left, which balances with the yellow fish and frame (by my daughter Bayma) in the bottom right. Sometimes squinting your eyes while looking at the arrangement can help you to see what colours are jumping out where (you may get odd looks from onlookers while doing this but it's a perfectly normal thing to do in my view.)
Tip 3 - The Overall Shape
You can choose to place your frames in an organic salon-style shape as above, where the frames float around each other in no particular pattern. In this method I usually keep the distance between each print the same, approximately a 6cm gap (but you can go freestyle and have differing gaps, which will work too). You can also place the artworks as high or low as you like, they don't need to stay at eyeline. If you prefer something with more order, you can set your prints out in a grid shape, keeping similar sized frames next to each other in rows. Another alternative is to lay your prints within an overall shape, like a rectangle or square. To do this you align the outside edges of all frames to the overall shape. See our bedroom gallery wall as an example, a few pictures below.
Here is our living room, which showcases a different configuration - the frames are aligned along a straight line at the top, to mirror the picture rail above. Take a look at a reel of me assembling the Living Room Gallery Wall here.
Photo - Living Room Gallery Wall. Artists are listed here.
Of course there are endless possibilities, it will really depend on the size, shape and number of frames you have in your collection, and the space available on the wall, so have a play and see what works best for yours.
Tip 4 - Arrange and Come Back with Fresh Eyes
If you're not sure about your layout, leave the artworks for a couple of days and come back and look again with fresh eyes, and usually the answer is there before you! If you don't have space to leave them on the floor, lean the artworks against the wall where you intend to hang them for a few days to allow you to ponder further.
Photo - Artworks left out to ponder: Love Ukraine by Sarah Boris.
Tip 5 - There Actually Are No Rules
I do have some walls in my house where I have set rules for myself and tried to keep certain collections to screen prints only or artwork that is bright and bold shapes (i.e. our kitchen diner) but equally, mixing the mediums up can work a treat. In my hallway I have oil paintings by my Grandfather A J Hastings, alongside screen prints, alongside cyanotypes, alongside my daughters' nursery paintings, and this little collection together does bring me joy. (Me&You has now been moved to the kitchen diner and replaced with Love Ukraine.) So definitely go with your intuition and do what makes your eyes sing!
Photo - Hallway Gallery Wall. Artists are listed here.
Tip 6 - Include Other Objects
You can include objects which aren't in frames too - like carvings, masks, ceramics or mirrors. Feel free to include them where they slot into your gallery wall puzzle! In the bedroom I have included a letterpress print drawer, and a wood carving from India.
Photo - Bedroom Gallery Wall. Prints are set within a rectangle shape. Artists are listed here.
Tip 7 - Have a Variety of Picture Hooks and Pins
When you come to putting your frames up, you'll need a hammer, a tape measure, a ruler, a spirit level (not essential but really helpful!), and picture hooks. I recommend having a few types of picture hook to suit the different frames: plastic hooks, simple pins, and brass head picture pins for those that will be on show.
There are a few ways to start hanging; if you're going salon-style, start with positioning your largest central piece up on the wall and hang the other artworks in relation to it. If you're setting your frames out within an overall shape. You can mark the shape up on the wall using masking tape and start hanging the frames within it. Alternatively you can use one of these leveling lasers. We bought one for general DIY but it has been a game changer for gallery walls as it will project a level laser line onto the wall for you to work from without having to physically mark the wall.
Good luck! Let me know how you get on in the comments below.
Photo - What You'll Need & Purple Bedroom Gallery Wall. Artists are listed here.
FRAME RECOMMENDATIONS
If you're on a budget, your best bet will be ready-made frames, available in loads of shops. My favourite mid-range frames are Habitat Aluminus in white, or Habitat Kupari if you want a lovely copper or gold tone. John Lewis also do some nice simple frames.
If you want to go more budget, Ikea have an abundance of sizes and styles, which can be great for a kid's room. Beware, some of their larger frames come with thin acrylic instead of glass, a substitute that I'm not really a fan of as the acrylic can scratch easily, and have a milky tone that can dull the artwork behind it.
For super budget frames, I've found that some supermarket frames are perfectly adequate. I've had some success using George at Asda for little prints. They are sturdy and come with glass.
If you are doing this DIY - remember to pop a sheet of acid free paper or card behind your print to protect it from the frame backing board (that will likely be some kind of acidic MDF or card, which could degrade the artwork over time.)
If you have a little more room in your budget, I would always recommend going to a framer and having your artwork bespoke framed. The framer can discuss options with you, make recommendations and cut mounts to fit your piece precisely.
I can only really recommend framers in the places I have lived in the past few years...
- Nottingham: Custom Frames
- Edinburgh: Leith Framing Studio
- London: Jackson & Lee Framing
I'd love to hear your recommendations and/or framing wins, comment below and let me know!
ARTWORK CREDITS
Kitchen Diner Gallery Wall Artists, from left to right: Sweater by Karolin Schnoor
Birds by Tom Camp
Tokyo Builds 1 by Laura Knight
Me&You by Anthony Burrill
Hong Kong 81 by Bo Lundberg
Snug by Marko
Fish by Bayma Whittaker
Living Room Gallery Wall Artists, from left to right:
Abstract by Tom Abbiss Smith
Zeppelin by Eva Ross
Fermanagh by Caman and Co
Birds by Tom Camp
Sweater by Karolin Schnoor
Oia by Laurie Hastings
Yes by Supermundane
Blue Bedroom Gallery Wall Artists, from left to right:
And Now There is Us by Sam Foley
Darjeeling Tea by Peski Studio
Hallway Gallery Wall Artists, from left to right:
Cinema Francais by Andy Smith
Oil Paintings by A J Hastings
Me&You by Anthony Burrill
Nursery Abstract by Bayma Whittaker
Cyanotype by Craig Keenan
Purple Bedroom Gallery Wall Artists, from left to right:
B is for Bonfire by Sarah Young
ABC by Bayma Whittaker
Rainbow Powers Waves by Laurie Hastings
Ice Cream by Bayma Whittaker
Letter B by Laurie Hastings
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