This is one of my favorite projects I’ve done so far in the house because it’s demo-free, cost-effective, and doesn’t require big tools (just a hammer and picture-hanging nails). It makes a HUGE statement and can totally transform a space- but the best part is that it allows you to put many of your favorite and most sentimental pieces together in one place for you to enjoy 🙂

If you’re anything like me, the idea of a gallery wall sounds great but also intimidating. All the inspiration blog posts I’d seen looked amazing with perfectly cohesive art and frames that mixed but also somehow matched. But artwork – and particularly frames – can be EXPENSIVE. Plus, I believe that any artwork in your home should have meaning and value to you. I’d rather have a collection of photos, paintings, and keepsakes that look unrelated to each other than a bunch of matching pieces from Target that you’ll find in everybody’s house. When you’re working with a tight budget (like I was!), it can seem impossible to create that cohesiveness that you see in professionally designed homes.

Never fear! I’m here to tell you there are ways to make your existing pieces work together with things like frames and positioning so you don’t have to break the bank. Here are a few tips I utilized when creating our dining room gallery wall:

• Like choosing the perfect paint color, be super patient and test out alllll the possible arrangements. There is no other way to create a gallery wall than to break out the kraft paper, tape it up on the wall to determine the size of your space, and then arrange and rearrange (and rearrange) all your pieces on the floor over and over again. Don’t forget to take photos (how ’bout a .5, fellow iPhone users?) to be able to go back and compare your options.
• Start with the artwork itself first, and then choose the frames around it. If everything isn’t already in a frame, that’s great! It’s actually better to decide on the arrangement of your pieces first, and then you can choose the right frames so that there’s a seemingly effortless pattern of colors and materials.
• Look at Etsy for gorgeous art, keepsakes, and custom frames at great prices. I found several great pieces on Etsy to fill in a couple gaps as well as the perfect frame!
• Incorporate your own photos, artwork, and/or keepsakes. Rather than purchasing new art, print out your favorite photos, cut up a beautiful greeting card, and use other personal pieces to fill in gaps in your gallery wall. We framed our vow books from our first wedding and it is the most special to look at them every day.

Follow these steps for a guaranteed beautiful and meaningfully designed gallery wall:

1. Measure your space. Make sure to consider the vertical space, too!
2. Cut out kraft paper to the size of your gallery wall and place it on the floor.
3. Gather the pieces you want to include in your gallery wall and arrange them on the kraft paper (be sure to fill the space to the edges since you already measured!). Don’t forget to take a photo!
4. Rearrange them – no matter how much you liked the first arrangement! Take everything off the kraft paper and try again. Take another photo!
5. Rearrange again 😅 I mean it! And – take the photo 😉 Repeat step 5 until you’re feeling 1000% confident you’ve found the perfect arrangement.
6. At this point, if you need to add additional pieces and/or frames, it’s time to place your orders and hit the thrift stores. Some folks say you want to try and have a “theme” for your gallery wall, like all vintage prints or all matted frames (or no matted frames); I think you can make it all work together with the right pattern and mixture of frames and art. Try and separate out different colors and materials on your gallery wall to bring everything together.
7. Once you’ve chosen your arrangement, mark the kraft paper with a pen at the top center of each of your frames. This will help you tremendously when it’s time to hang.
8. Tape the sheet of kraft paper back on the wall.
9. Hang your frames (I use Ook picture hangers!) using the markings on your kraft paper as your guide. Hammer in the picture hangers right through the kraft paper!
10. Remove the kraft paper from the wall, hang your frames, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Share your photo with me if you’ve done your own gallery wall!!