A gallery wall continues to be a popular choice for people up and down the country. This is not surprising, as there is something magical about a gallery wall. They are not simply a collection of photos and frames - they provide a snapshot of a person's personality and character, and they can tell a story of events such as a holiday, a wedding, a party, and a sporting event. They help to take you back to that special time and to bring back those fond memories. They are also able to make any space truly personal to you and your family.
For those of you who have created one or more gallery walls, you will no doubt already be aware of these benefits and will have confidence in creating your next one. For those people who have never been through the process, it can be somewhat overwhelming. Where do I start? How many photos should I choose? Where should I place each photo?
Find Your Focus — It’s About the Story
To start with, it's important to remember that the best gallery walls have a focal point. It could be a rather large framed photo, a piece of abstract art, a framed certificate, or even a framed inspirational quote. Everything else can then orbit around this centrepiece. Do not overly worry about where each photo should go; purely place them where you feel they look best, to fit your individual style. The story you want to tell, whether that be about your holiday, your family, your work, your partner, or your friends, will have a bearing on the images and frames that you choose. If it were a gallery wall showcasing your baby's first year, then you could decide to have twelve photos to include one for each month of the year. This will help to show how the baby has changed throughout the year, which is bound to help raise a smile. You would place them in month order from the first month they were born to the twelfth. You could choose a uniform grid, such as a 12-frame or 9-frame square grid. And having identical square frames helps to create a modern, high-end "art gallery" look.
Think about height and space
A gallery wall shouldn’t be too high or too low - aim for eye level. A good rule of thumb is to keep the centre of your overall display at roughly average eye level, so it feels natural when you’re in the room.
Don’t Be Afraid to Update and Evolve
One of the main things people tend to like about having a gallery wall is the ability to swap out prints, to then add new photos, and to even potentially change the entire layout. Each of us is changing and evolving each day, and as your life evolves, so can your gallery wall. I'm not suggesting you change things up daily, or even every month. Some people like to swap things around each season, while others do so every year. And some decide to take out the old and replace it with the new at the time of decorating that particular room where the gallery wall is housed. As with many things of this nature, the choice is entirely yours. There is no right or wrong answer.