First up - what you'll need:
-Stuff to hang up
-nails and potentially some drywall screws
-hammer
-pencil
-Sharpie
-cheapo wrapping paper from the dollar store
-painters tape
-a level (I highly highly recommend this one!)
Now the planning. What is your goal for the wall?
Disclaimer: I live in apartment with less than ideal lighting. Oh well.
My family has an Italian restaurant we like to visit in near Chicago. The entire restaurant is set up to be rooms from an Italian villa and one of my favorites in the library. It's a haphazard mishmash of collected objects that blend together and make it feel cozy. Our apartment has boring cream walls so I took that room as an inspiration and put some bookshelves in our dining room and then on an early out Wednesday, started hammering away. I put most of my most favorite things on this wall so whenever I look at it I just feel really happy. Don't be afraid to mix frame colors/styles. Yes you can mix gold and silver (really - you can!). If you're mixing woods, stick to all cool tones or all warm tones to keep it cohesive.
This process may seem tedious, but I find it fail proof and you don't end up with extra nail holes in the wall that you have to fill in and paint over in the future.
Step 1: Trace every single piece you may want to use onto the cheap wrapping paper. I also have used butcher paper if you have that lying around. Cut out. This part is important - match up the paper to the back of the picture or object and then use a Sharpie to mark where the hangers are for each piece! This will save you a lot of time in the near future.
Step 2: Use painters tape to start placing the papers on the wall. I love to include mirrors and reflective materials as much as possible. The arrangement options are endless and there really aren't any rules. My only advice? Don't start hammering until you absolutely love it. If you like symmetrical, great. If you don't, great. Both look great in gallery walls. You determine the balance you want!
Here are a few more examples to help give some ideas:
We have tall ceilings in our apartment so I wanted to jazz up the walls in our living room a bit. The wall with our tv console is fairly busy so I wanted to keep the couch side simple. Since these prints are a series, I debated between hanging them two on top/two on bottom or in a row. To balance with the length of the couch, I went with in a row.
This is what I wake up to in the morning so I kept it subtle, but things that I love (my mom's peonies, my uncle's cows, birch trees from Namakagon). Painting small canvases is a great way to get an "art" feel without spending a lot of money. Mixing same colored frames keeps smaller groupings balanced. The gray frame has metal inlay which adds some reflection to the mix.
Don't be afraid to be unconventional. The flower wall hanging is a leftover decoration from our wedding and my mom lovingly made all of those paper roses. I couldn't bear the thought of it hanging out in a closet so up on the wall it went. It also helps balance out that we don't have a headboard for the bed. I framed one of the handkerchiefs we used for our wedding decor as well and the family tree frame is actually the same wood tone, just looks darker due to lighting (or lack thereof).
Step 3: Once you LOVE the arrangement, check that the paper is level and then this is where the Sharpie step makes your life super easy - simply nail through the paper where you've marked with Sharpie, take the paper off, and hang up. Voila! Continue until all the pieces are up on the wall. Make sure to beware of the weight of your objects - heavier objects may require drywall screws - when in doubt, go overboard. You can get packs of hanging nails at any hardware store and I usually get the variety ones to make sure I have the right size for what I'm hanging.
If you are wanting a gallery wall, but don't have enough objects, don't rush out to your local craft or home decor store to buy "stuff." I believe if it's worth putting holes in the wall for, you should really love it. Become a collector. Some ideas:
-DIY art projects. Search Pinterest and set up a girls night to craft away! You can do it. Even if you aren't crafty/artsy
-Collect family photos and then have them printed in all different sizes. I have lots of vintage family photos around our place and I love the history they bring to our walls.
-Print off your travel photos! Scenery shots will take you back to those special places whenever you look at them! Print off some wedding photos! It's a fun day to relive!!!
-Take pictures of textures. I know this sounds weird, but on a large wall, you need some things to look cool, but not compete with bigger pieces. That really cool brick wall? Moss growing on a tree? The options are endless, you just have to think outside of the box a little.
-Ransack grandma's closets for vintage finds. I've scored a broken cuckoo clock, an etched mirror, and those candle holders FOR FREE.
-Repaint old frames.
-Buy dollar store framed mirrors and repaint the frames. The small ones are great for filling in small holes and adding reflection.
-Reuse old calendar art - crop then frame
-If you have kids, let them be creative! Then frame it.
-Search Free Vintage Printables on Google
-Make a framed collage of tickets stubs or pretty cards you have received.
-Visit antique stores to find vintage fabrics or paper items that could be framed. Old books pages are great for this! Vintage children's books can have some beautiful illustrations.
-Collect art prints. Some of my favorite sources:
(if you're in the Des Moines area, their shop is in the East Village and it's awesome)
Best places to find frames are Target and Ikea. They hold up and have a great variety as well as being affordable. Smaller frames from the dollar store can be jazzed up with a fresh coat of paint, but I don't recommend them for anything bigger than a 4x6 photograph - they are cheap and don't always hang straight, but it isn't as noticeable with a smaller frame.
Remember, most important, is to LOVE every single thing that goes on your walls and to make it appealing to YOU (not Pinterest or your guests).
Happy hammering!
