A gallery wall can be a simple way to add depth and personality to your space.
A gallery wall can bring interest, create a focal point, and most importantly polish off a room, but there's a lot more to it than just picking our your favorite pieces. In January we hosted MGH Discovered Art, we loved the eclectic mix of colors, genres, and medium that were pulled together to create the beautifully diverse collection, so much so that we asked Michele Hembree, the owner of MGH Discovered Art to lend us some tips on how she gets the perfect gallery wall.
Lay it Out
Before you grab for the hammer, practice.
"I suggest making a mock wall on the floor. This will save your walls from many unnecessary holes and give you more freedom to experiment." say Michele. "For the wall at Fritz Porter I did a digital rendering to scale first, then laid it out on the floor, followed by a trial run in my studio. When it was time to hang I was able to get 30 pieces up fairly quickly." Remember to remain flexible in this stage, your layout will evolve after each process.
Work With the Space You Have
A hallway, the stairwell, that tiny powder room, add in a gallery wall!
Michele says "You don't need a large space to hang a gallery wall. The beautify of a gallery wall is that it can be anything you want it to be. Use a little corner vertical space and hang pieces from the ceiling to the floor. Stairways make for great gallery walls, hanging the art at a diagonal, or take up a narrow hallway and hang art in a horizontal line." There are no rules!
"If you hang the pieces you love, it will bring you job even if your measurements aren't exact."
The Art of Picking the Right Pieces
When it comes to choosing what to hang for your gallery wall Michele recommends hanging whatever you love.
"It doesn't have to be expensive, framed, or even conventional art. I love a good mix of different medium, genres and shapes. If you hang the pieces you love, it will bring you job even if your measurements aren't exact."
Finishing Touches
When it comes to choosing the right frame, for your gallery there's no right or wrong way.
For a cohesive look Michele recommends using similar style frames. This could look like all simple modern frames or keeping the palette all gold. However, a simple way to add a layer of interest to you space is to use a variety of frame. The sky's the (creative) limit!
Shop MGH Discovered Art at Fritz Porter
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