Hi y’all!! We’re now 9 days into 2019 and I’ve already successfully completed one of the projects on my 2019 home plans! Over the weekend I decided to take the leap and put up my gallery wall. I was so scared to start this project because everything has to be so precise. My dad is an engineer, so I called him for advice and thought I’d share some tips with y’all!
Pick Prints that Work with your Space
I struggled so hard to find prints I liked. I originally wanted photographs of natural landscapes, but everything I found was either too expensive or not the right “vibe.” My house is very traditional farmhousy, so I needed something to go with that, but I didn’t want to pull a “Clare” and do cow prints. I hopped on Pinterest and typed in Free Gallery Wall Prints as a last resort and found these super cute botanical drawings from TarynWhiteaker.com, and I love them! I saw a very similar wall in Joanna Gaine’s design book, Home Body, which is where I initially got the idea for the gallery wall.
Whatever you choose to put in your frames, just make sure it represents you and your space well. I love the idea of using pictures of your family or photos you have personally taken. There are also tons of options on Etsy, but those will cost you a little more.
Lay Out Your Frames On the Ground First
I bought my frames as a gallery wall set on Amazone (here). They came with a template for hanging so you know where to put your hardware. However, I did not use the hardware included in the box, so I didn’t use the template much either.
Even if you buy these frames, I’d recommend laying your frames out on the floor to figure out how much space you want between each frame. I decided to do 1.5″ between each frame because that is how the template was laid out and I really liked how the spacing looked when I held the template against the wall.
Start with the Middle Frame
This is where my dad’s advice came in handy. I called him to figure out where to start because I had no idea. He recommended that I start with the middle frame since it didn’t have to be as precise (except for being centered on the wall). Once I did this I could start measuring for the other frames. I would mark 1.5″ from each corner of the frame, so I’d be able to line up the next frames perfectly!
Use Command Strips to Prevent Wall Damage
The thought of putting NINE holes in my wall made me cringe, and the thought of maybe getting it wrong having to drill another hole made me sick. I opted to use Command Strips, so that I could remove the frames and move them around without damaging my wall. I purchased the kind that velcro to each other. This way I can change the photos in my frames and know exactly where to put them back without having to re-measure.
USE A LEVEL!
This is my number 1 tip! Using a level will make sure all of your frames are lined up and not out of whack. I checked each frame that I hung to make sure that it was level; if it was off, I would take it down and change out the command strip and try again. It takes extra time, but will be worth it in the end.
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