Interiors

Tips & Tricks: How to Curate a Gallery Wall

byTeam GM

5 years ago

Have you been thinking about creating a gallery wall for a while now? Well, this post is definitely for you and now is the time to shop, as we have our PRE-FRAMED Best Sellers ready to ship out to you...today! xx GM, 12.10.18

With so much art bopping around the GM office, we can’t help but hang allll of it on our walls. But with so many prints to choose from, curating the perfect gallery wall can be easier said than done. Luckily, we called on the professionals for this one, and their gallery wall tips did not disappoint. Ashley and Andrea of Avenue Interior Design (you can get to know them a little bit better here!) are sharing their sage gallery wall wisdom with us today, and we could not be more excited to pass it along to you. So whether you have a collection of artwork (and maybe even some Gray Malin prints in the mix) that you’re unsure how to bring to life in your space, or you’re completely starting from scratch, there is no shortage of gallery wall inspiration below. So let’s get started, shall we? Take it away, Avenue ID…

1. Understand your space.

Are you hanging your pieces in a nook, staircase, above a console or filling a big blank wall? It’s important to have a grasp on the scale of the canvas (a.k.a. your wall) and the overall finished size you want to achieve. We suggest always planning ahead—use painters tape to tape out your boundaries and lay your frames out on the floor to perfect the arrangement.

2. Collect your content and choose your subject matter.

We feel it’s best to have an underlying theme when curating your gallery wall; will you showcase black and white photography, family photos and artifacts, or a mix of paintings and vintage images? Sticking with consistent subject matter will ensure you achieve the best overall look.

3. Choose your frame style and color.

Will you be mixing and matching for an eclectic look or keeping it clean with all one color and profile? Sometimes a single solid color frame across all your pieces can help unify your mixed content (i.e. all white frames for a collection of painted still lifes). And when it comes to your GM prints, you really can’t go wrong no matter what method you choose—mix and match with black, white, and natural wood gallery frames, or keep things uniform with one frame choice across all your prints.

4. Mount your artwork.

Nothing throws a room off more than improperly hung artwork. We usually stick with keeping the center point around eye level—and then working up and down for your gallery wall. Helpful Tip: Use a level and place putty or rubber stoppers at the backside of your frames to help keep things straight after hanging them.

Some fun tips…

Try adding a wall-mounted sculpture or mirror to the mix—this adds a little depth and interest to your layout.

Work your gallery around an existing wall sconce. This can help ground the installation, make it feel natural and give an added light source.

If you’re going for the organic and collected look, don’t over think it. Sometimes mismatched spacing can be the most successful.

Play with matte sizes—a small photo with an oversized matting can make a powerful statement.

And there you have it! Curating the perfect gallery wall doesn’t seem so daunting now, does it?

These tips from the ladies at Avenue ID were immensely helpful, if you ask us. So now that you have the how-to under your belt, it’s time to get shopping…

Peruse our selection of prints in the GM shop to get started (or add to your existing collection)! And don’t forget to follow along with Avenue ID on Instagram and at their website.

Cheers!

Xx Team GM

Photos: (Header) GrayMalin.com, Avenue Interior Design