A gallery wall shows off your personality and can transform your space.
You don’t need a master’s degree in fine art to curate and display paintings, photos and other finds like a pro. Arranging art and personal items on a wall in your home injects personality into the room, expresses your aesthetic point of view and, best yet, it’s temporary should your design tastes or preferences change. The first step in building a gallery wall is to choose a centerpiece, a larger item that will be the focal point—later, you’ll fill it in with smaller pieces to create balance. Once you find your main item, figure out what the overall theme will be. Perhaps it’s a bright color to complement your décor or something more thematic such as nature or fashion. Each item should be meaningful, of course, but still cohesive so the wall tells a story and doesn’t look haphazard. Not sure what to hang? Sticking with just family photos or framed artwork is fine, or go the eclectic route by mixing and matching different objects, like grandma’s china, a mirror, typography or even your kids’ paintings. Mingling materials adds unexpected texture to the wall, while 3-D objects inject some serious dimension. Before picking up a hammer and nail, lay all your pieces out on the floor and rearrange them as you wish so you can envision the final product before you hang—this makes it easier to visualize and is better than making holes as you figure it all out. Once you’re satisfied with your creation (and you’ve snapped a photo of the arrangement that you can refer back to), it’s time to get hanging! Aim to have about 1. inches between items so each piece stands out on its own, and leave at least 8 inches above furniture. The best thing yet about a gallery wall is its versatility; unlike with paint or wallpaper, you can easily swap out a few objects every season to keep things fresh—and keep guests guessing.