4 Design Tips to Create a Gorgeous Gallery Wall

For an impressive way to display your favorite family photos, artwork, pictures, and memorabilia, a gallery wall is the way to go. You may think that this is something best left to the pros, but that’s where you’re wrong. Anybody can hang a gallery wall with the right tools and design tips.

How to Stylishly Hang Your Pictures: 4 Easy Steps

Here is how to create a picture gallery wall that will make your home look like it’s straight out of a magazine. These tips for hanging pictures are easy – all you need is a free afternoon.

1. Gather Your Pictures

A great gallery wall starts with a collection of pictures. They each can be totally unique, can all fit a theme (like the same subject matter or color scheme), or even be a collection of works by the same artist or photographer.

Whatever your collection looks like, you can tie it all together. For different pieces, go for frames that are all the same style or color. If the pieces match in some way, you can go different directions with framing to make it look more eclectic – just stick to two or three main, neutral colors.

If you can’t afford new frames and the ones you have are wildly different, try spray painting them all the same color.

2. Create a Layout

Before you start hammering nails into the wall, take all your pictures and lay them out on the floor. Play with different arrangements until you hit on one you like.

If the frames are all the same size, try a neat grid. If you have wildly different sizes, try the largest piece in the middle with the smaller ones surrounding it.

3. Grab Your Tools

For hanging pictures, you’ll need some tools: small nails, a hammer, a level, a pencil or marker, a large piece of butcher paper or newsprint, and measuring tape.

4. Finalize Your Gallery Configuration and Hang Your Pictures

Once you’ve chosen a layout, there’s a trick you can use to make the hanging process easier.

• Get a big piece of butcher paper or newsprint – it just has to be big enough to hold your layout.
• Place your paper on the floor, and arrange your picture layout just the way you want it. Use measuring tape to make sure the spacing is even.
• Using a pencil or marker, outline each frame, and mark where the nail holes need to go for each piece.
• Tape up your paper on the wall where the layout is going to live. Use a level against your guidelines to make sure the frames will hang straight.
• Using your guide, hammer in all the nails.
• When finished, take down the paper. The nails will be left behind, in perfect positions to hang all of your pictures. Just pop them on the nails!

Effortless Style is Yours with These Design Tips

Once your pictures are hung, take a step back and admire your handiwork. Give yourself a pat on the back – you just gave your home effortless style with a picture gallery wall, and it only took a little time, elbow grease, and these design tips.