I’ve talked a lot about my love of gallery walls, and decided I finally needed to put this talk into action. Now our old apartment had no free wall space left by the time I got done decorating, so our new house’s “clean slate” was the perfect opportunity to get crackin!
This project was relatively easy, a little sentimental, and CHEAP! I think in total I spent $15 on materials.
Let me show you!
Pre-project to do list:
1. Get some frames!
Tips:
~ Use what you already have
~ Find cheap vintage frames at goodwill and salvation army
~ Don’t just look for empty frames – remember bad art can be removed
~ Stick to one color (use spray paint for consistency), one theme (frames with unique textures) or keep it random like I did!
2. Pick up some picture hangers. Trust me, they are far better than regular nails. I’ve learned this the hard way.
I love these:
From Amazon
Now it’s Project Time!
Step 1 is super important. You don’t wanna be messin’ around with your layout on an actual wall because well, that’s just silly people. Find a big table or even use the floor and play around with spacing and layout. Gallery walls can be symmetric or totally random, it’s completely up to you! If you need some help, here are some layout suggestions.
Source: Atypical Type A
This is the sentimental part. I had SO much fun with this! I explain below the meaning behind each item, but remember you don’t have to limit yourself to just photos. Be creative here!
By far, best trick I learned on the incredible internet. Use newspaper or paper bags to cut out replicas of your frames. This will allow you to play on the wall AND get it right with the hanging. Once you cut out the shapes, lay them over the frame and using a marker place a dot where the hook is (i.e. where the nail will go).
Now take your paper and tape the pseudo frames to the wall using painters tape. Mess up? No problemo! This is a safe work space 
Step 4.2: Ok important step here! So important I forgot to take a photo. Sorry!
With the paper taped to the wall, hammer your nails into the convenient dots you drew in the previous step. Then rip off the paper! Now your nails are hung perfectly!
Step back and enjoy your gallery wall!!! FYI – It’s nearly impossible to take a picture in a narrow stairwell, so sorry for the half a$$ photo.
Jenny’s gallery explanation…
1. Photo gifted from my sister-in-law Cindy during her trip to Italy
2. Photo of me and my husband made up of tiny photos of us. Bday gift from Tony
3. Wood flowers from our wedding centerpieces
4. Another gift from Cindy (she has great taste!)
5. Table numbers from our wedding spelling out our wedding date 8/6/11
6. Photo of me and Tony in the Grand Canyon, one of our first vacations as a couple
7 & 11. Framed fabric from our old apartment
8. Our save-the-date
9. Picture from Tony’s grandparents cape house – view of the path down to the beach
10. Handkerchief that Tony’s grandmother made me for our wedding day
12. Our dog-child Roxy
Have you made a gallery wall? Tell me about it!
