Love the look of a gallery wall, but intimidated by the process? You aren’t alone.
Figuring out the right pieces to include and the ideal spacing is one thing, but actually hanging your gallery wall can seem downright impossible if you’re never attempted it before. Before you put too many holes in the wall and end up with a spackling nightmare, read through our list of top tips to simplify the process.
Plan ahead
While gallery walls can be expanded as you acquire new pieces, your best bet is to wait to hang anything until you have a significant collection. That way, you can lay out the pieces on the floor to organize (and reorganize) the format before hanging to see how it all works together. For instance, larger pieces tend to work best toward the middle of your arrangement and smaller pieces are great for filling in gaps.
Create intrigue
Photographs are great, but your gallery wall doesn’t have to be all images. In fact, using other options — artwork, small sculptures, mirrors, etc. — can help create visual intrigue. Plus, using pieces that are differently shaped (as opposed to all squares and rectangles) can help give your gallery wall a more natural and less formulaic feel.
Make templates
Trace each item you plan to hang onto wrapping paper, then tape your templates to the wall to see how the varying sizes and shapes work together. This will also help you better visualize spacing and move pieces around — without doing any unnecessary damage to your walls.
Make hanging marks on your templates
Another useful template tip: mark where the hanging mechanism is for each piece with an “X” so you’ll know exactly where to put each nail without complicated measurements. That way, you can actually put the nails into the wall through the paper of the template, then simply tear it away to hang the piece — saving you time, process and headaches.
With these tips, you can make your dream of a gallery wall come true without risking a drywall disaster. Happy hanging!
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