If you read last week's blog post, you'll know that BBD really began in our second home, a place we like to call the "Harwood Happy Place!" One of our favorite parts of designing that home was the GALLERY WALLS! Do you love the idea and the look of a gallery wall, but find yourself too intimidated to create your own? Read on to get a glimpse into how we made our walls work, and how you can make your own!
Gallery walls are a great way to make a big impact in any space! Rearranging furniture and a fresh coat of paint are always an option, but using what you already have to create a gallery wall can really give a room a whole new look and feel! Starting to put together a wall like these can feel intimidating, but they're quite easy to create... once you stop overthinking it!
I know that interior design and decorating doesn't come naturally to everyone, but my best tip is this:
"It's not about designing the look of a room... it's about creating the FEEL of the space"
If it FEELS right to YOU, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about how it looks... after all, you get to live in that space! So then, how does one make a room "feel right?"
In order to get that feeling you're looking for, break down the process into steps. First, think of all the things that you enjoy, are attracted to, or make you feel great when you see them! Do you prefer crisp, clean, symmetrical balance? Or do you like more of an eclectic collection of random pieces? Figuring out what kind of structure you want with your photos and wall art will make picking out the pieces all the more easy!
Once you figure out your overall style, now's the time to find your pieces! In order to cater to your own personality and get the FEEL you want, start with one inspiration piece: something that stands out and reflects the personality you want to bring to the space. It doesn't even have to be your largest piece, just one that will build the foundation of that FEELING! Make this piece your FOCAL POINT, and then fill the space around it with things you love! Some things to keep in mind: 1) COLOR 2) TEXTURE 3) SHAPE/SIZE 4) BALANCE! Having a variety of objects (Pssst! you don't only have to use photos!) creates visual interest and will make you HAPPY every time you rediscover items on your wall!
Here's some ideas for different pieces that will add that visual interest to your gallery wall:
- clocks
- miscellaneous items like keys or cameras (see if you can spot them on our gallery wall!)
- wood slice wall art
- mirrors
- art prints or paintings
- quotes and word art
- photos
- empty frames (as a placeholder or statement piece!)
- a beautiful custom sign!
Once you find all your pieces, you can lay them out on the floor or build as you go (my personal method)! Play with your spacing, and don't be afraid to move stuff around if it doesn't have the FEEL you want! If you're the type of person who wants to see a project planned out before you begin, cut pieces of paper the same size as your objects and tape them to the wall! Before we send you off to make your one-of-a-kind gallery wall, we have a couple more tips and tricks for making your gallery wall feel perfectly you!
- vary the shapes and sizes of your pieces so they don't look too grid-like!
- balance your pieces from side to side and top to bottom! having similarly grouped items on each side will make for a balanced feeling wall (if symmetry is something you're going for!)
- consider putting darker colored objects towards the bottom of the gallery wall to give it a "grounded" feel!
- feel like something's missing? want to fill some more space? a wood sign may be the perfect addition!
In the end, you'll be surrounded by things you love, and your space will always FEEL like there's a bit of YOU in it!