Gallery walls provide a versatile and customizable solution for home owners to express their creativity and showcase a diverse range of artwork. It allows people to tell a visual story about their interests, travel, or passion. We are going to discuss turning a blank wall into a captivating focal point within a space. We will touch on FIVE steps: Planning Your Gallery Wall, Selecting Artwork, Layout and Arrangement, Framing and Matting, and Installation Tips. So let's get started!
Step 1 - Planning Your Gallery Wall
Selecting a Theme or Style:
Monochromatic - Using neutral black and whites
Eclectic - Using different types of media for art, sizes, colors
Thematic - Using a theme or subject throughout such as traveling, family, or nature.
Selecting a cohesive theme or style helps to establish visual harmony among the various pieces of art making up the gallery wall. Plus, having a clear theme makes the selection process of art so much easier and give a more polished and professional appearance.
Choosing the Right Wall:
Selecting the right wall for a gallery art wall is crucial for ensuring that the display has the desired impact within the space. Consider natural light, wall size, focus on visibility, and room function when selecting the perfect wall.
Step 2 - Selecting Artwork
Mixing and Matching:
Combination of different art forms such as paintings, prints, and photography along with difference sizes and orientations add visual interest. For example, all of your artwork can be pieces from your travel (different sizes, orientations, and media) but all pieces have black frames or maybe you want to have more fun and select the frame type and color based on the piece of art. Both options can work if it fits the aesthetic of the rest of the room.
Creating a Color Palette:
Determine the mood you want to convey through your art gallery wall. Do you want a serene and tranquil or vibrant and energetic vibe in your space? Let the answer to this question help guide you with your color choices.
Identify dominate colors in your artwork and consider these as key elements in your color palette. Take into account these colors along with the colors of your walls, flooring, and existing design elements. Ensure that your chosen color palette complements the overall color scheme of the gallery space.
Limit the number of colors to three to five colors. This will prevent the gallery from appearing too busy or disjointed. Balance warm and cool tones to create a visually pleasing equilibrium.
Step 3 - Framing and Matting
Using uniform frames will give a cohesive cleaner look while mixing different frame styles for added interest. It can be fun to select the color and style of frame based on the piece of art and often used with some of the layouts listed below.
Matting can also be a way to add color or enhance your artwork or help with the cohesive look if selecting all black frames in a grid layout.
Step 4 - Layout and Arrangement
Mapping out the Arrangement
Now that you have selected your artwork, it is time to select the layout such as grid, salon-style, or asymmetrical.
Consider spacing between artwork and how much space you want to take up on your gallery wall and the style you have selected.
Step 5 - Installation
For installation, it is always a good idea to create a paper template. I like to layout all my pieces of art in the order on the floor in front of the all. That way I can easily move pieces around and to see the best layout. Then create a template of your artwork and tape them on the wall for preview prior to hanging on the wall.
Ensure artwork is level using a level tool especially if hanging pieces side by side. Make sure you use the correct hardware based on wall material and weight/size of artwork.
In summary, a gallery art wall is a curated display of artwork, photographs, or other decorative elements arranged on a wall to create a visually striking and cohesive composition. Gallery walls offer a dynamic and personalized way to showcase one's taste and experiences, turning a blank wall into a captivating focal point within a space. They offer a means of infusing personality into a space, allowing homeowners to tell a visual story about their interests, travels, or aesthetic preferences.
Comments