Gallery walls can be personal, sentimental, interesting, eye-catching, creative… and much, much more! But, without proper planning, they can also be messy, overpowering, and unbalanced. And, there is nothing quite like an overcrowded space to cast a shadow over an otherwise well-crafted interior design!
So, how can you make sure to bring to life your vision of a dynamic yet elegant gallery wall? The tips below can help you creatively arrange your photos, prints, and home decor to beautify your blank walls and create a stunning focal point in your home.
Let’s get started!
Contents
- 0.1 Bring the Warmth of Nature Into Your Home With Wooden Frames
- 0.2 Craft a Companion Photobook To Go With a Statement Piece
- 0.3 Stick to a Well-Defined Color Theme
- 0.4 Leverage the Striking Elegance of Black and White Photos
- 0.5 Choose Retro Snaps and Vintage Photos for an Antique Look
- 0.6 Play With Different Sizes and Shapes
- 0.7 Turn Your Staircase Into a Personal Gallery
- 0.8 Use Metal or Glass Frames for a Minimalist Look
- 0.9 Mix and Match Different Types of Media
- 0.10 Add a Personal Touch With DIY Creations
- 1 Endnote
Bring the Warmth of Nature Into Your Home With Wooden Frames
Nothing is as beneficial as letting fresh air, sunlight, and nature inside your home! After all, a 2019 study published in Nature Magazine shows that as little as 120 minutes a week spent in natural environments can offer benefits such as lower stress levels and better physical health.
If you live in an urban area, you can strengthen your connection with nature by decorating with natural materials, plans, and ethically-made items. When it comes to creating a gallery wall, choose hardwood frames over plastic materials or choose to transfer your photos directly to wood.
Craft a Companion Photobook To Go With a Statement Piece
Sometimes, the best thing to do to give value to your memories is to choose the single most striking and meaningful photo out of an album. Whether it is a memory from your wedding day or the first photo of your child, a single picture can truly be more expressive than a thousand words.
But what can you do with the other photos in the collection? By creating a companion book, you can compliment your statement piece and keep your precious photographs out of a dusty drawer!
For this option, make sure to choose a high-quality digital tool that allows you to highlight the story and theme behind your photographs.
Stick to a Well-Defined Color Theme
Digital cameras and smartphones have made it extremely easy to capture special moments and store away thousands of photos each year. However, when it comes down to choosing a selection of snaps for your gallery wall, it can be hard to match different photos harmoniously.
A great way to level up your creation is to select a color theme and stick to it. For example, you might choose photographs with prevalent blues and sea-inspired tones for your coastal apartment, or you could select your favorite nature portraits for your countryside home.
Leverage the Striking Elegance of Black and White Photos
If you are looking to bring together photos captured in different moments or several locations, but you don’t wish to compromise on elegance, you could consider turning your photographs into black-and-white portraits.
This is a great option to mix and match a wide range of photos, enhance the contrasts in your photos, and highlight the facial expressions of your photos’ subjects. Just make sure to work with a specialized photographer when turning your photos into black-and-white art.
Choose Retro Snaps and Vintage Photos for an Antique Look
According to surveys, over 43% of Americans consider their photos to be one of their most valued possessions. And, this is even more true when looking at the value attributed to vintage and retro photos!
If you have a collection of antique photos or snaps of other eras and historic periods, a vintage gallery wall can help you breathe new life into old photographs and display your dearest possessions.
Pro tip – Old photos might sometimes need restoration or appropriate handling techniques. Make sure to work with a professional to understand how to safely display them.
Play With Different Sizes and Shapes
New statistics show that, in 2023, iOS and Android smartphone users collect an average of 2,000 photos on their phone camera roll! And, even if you have already curated a small collection of photos on your gallery wall, you might be wondering how to match photographs that have different sizes and shapes.
The key here is to create a dynamic gallery wall by using frames of different sizes and materials and bringing them together in a puzzle-like manner. Consider creating a layout using pen and paper before hanging your photos!
Turn Your Staircase Into a Personal Gallery
One of the greatest advantages of wall galleries is that they can fill and beautify any empty or blank space. So, it isn’t surprising that they are often used to enhance staircases’ walls and empty corners.
While this is a great idea, be sure to create a storyline or theme to avoid adding clutter to this important space in your home.
Use Metal or Glass Frames for a Minimalist Look
Surveys conducted show that nearly 20% of Americans already consider themselves to be minimalists, while an additional 23% would like to be. So, let’s start simplifying your life and home by creating a minimalist wall gallery!
A great way to do so is to invest in high-quality, durable frames made in minimalist materials, such as glass, wire, or metal.
Mix and Match Different Types of Media
Looking to give your wall an eclectic look? Creating a wall using different materials and mixed media is a great way to define an eye-catching focal point in any space. For this type of wall gallery, consider balancing items such as exotic finds, mirrors, plants, and decor items with posters, prints, photos, and mementos.
Just make sure that the items chosen and your selected color scheme match your home’s interior look and design!
Add a Personal Touch With DIY Creations
Wall galleries are a great way to liven up any living space thanks to the personal touch that photographs bring! There is nothing quite like it for adding a unique, special atmosphere to your home. However, when coupled with anonymous or standard frames, you might find that your photos will lose their character.
So, how can you brighten and review your memories? An excellent solution is to put your DIY skills to the test and create ad hoc frames for your photographs. For example, you could create custom frames out of wood or carton, or paint an otherwise blank model.
Endnote
The ideas above are a great starting point to create an elegant and timeless wall gallery for your home or office. But don’t forget that all it takes is an ill-fitting photo or a low-quality frame to make your whole gallery appear shabby and chaotic. Avoid this by making a plan beforehand, choosing your photos carefully, and investing in high-quality frames!
