I’ve always loved a good gallery wall because I think art is one of the most personal elements in a room, and indeed, a home. The fact that art is so personal means it’s a great way to showcase your personality and imprint your unique aesthetic onto your home. Plus, it can be a wonderful way to add a design statement, especially if your space is lacking in architectural detail or, say, color. Today’s post explores two different rooms where a gallery wall is the focal point in the space: one light and one dark. Each of the spaces has been styled as part of my monthly picks collaboration with Grandin Road, and you can shop the art you see in this post right here. Check out my picks for the previous months, here. OK, let’s dive into how to style a gallery wall in a light space!
This white shiplap room was crying out for COLOR! I love shiplap but if you don’t layer on colors and textures it can quickly feel cold and unwelcoming. Which is a big no-no when it comes to my #MakeYouSmileStyle approach to decorating! I used a gallery wall to add life and warmth to this light and airy space. I went for a mix and match gallery wall in this room because I wanted the space to have an eclectic and vibrant feel. You can read more about different styles of gallery walls in this post and video I made a few years ago! An eclectic gallery wall mixes up the ebb and flow of a wall by featuring an array of different elements: from framed prints to canvas paintings to wall objects and sculptural pieces. Switching up the pace in this way makes the gallery wall an interesting feature of the space that can command the attention of the room. As the room was devoid of color before this eclectic and vibrant gallery wall is a great way to inject life and visual interest into the space. A structured, linear or symmetrical gallery wall wouldn’t work so well in this space because it would lack the unexpected visual ‘punch’ the room needs.
On the flip side, when you’re looking to hang a gallery wall in a dark room a more structured approach can work wonders. A fine case in point is this navy room with a (super cute!) gallery wall featuring framed charcoal-like dog illustrations. Here I hung a collection of similar dog artworks as a group. Together they tell a sweet design story – you immediately know the owner of the space is an animal lover! – but they also temper the richness of the wall thanks to their simple white frames and monochrome palette. Keeping each piece consistent in palette and style still allows the beautiful wall color a chance to shine while still adding a sense of personality. I love this gallery wall! Which of the two gallery walls is your favorite? Do you have any gallery walls in your home?
23 Comments
I need that corgi picture now!
@Garrett – Right? Such a cute one!
Giving me all the vibes for my new place Will. Hide my credit card 🙈🙈
@Dustin – Hahaha! Treat yo self! 😉
Okaaaaaaay. I’m just gonna say it….I’m moving into the shiplap living room and theees nothing you can do about it LMAO 😉
@Rachael – Tee hee! Then, I guess we’re going to be roomies! 🙂
Great ideas, Will. And that blue wall is gorgeous!
@Derek – Thank you so much. I love the blue wall space, too!
Another super cute post will!! Love the floral
art best I think xoxo
@Kim – Great choice! 🙂
So pretty! pinning this as I speak!
@QH – Awwww yay! Thank you!
I love the black and white against the navy. We recently painted our dining room navy and I lightened up the art for more contrast.
Shelley
@Shelley – That sounds so nice, Shelley! Thanks for stopping by. Happy Friday!
I looooove a good gallery wall! All of these look so cute Will, thanks for sharing!
Happy Thursday!
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.com
@Michael – Me tooooo! One of my fave design elements. Have a great weekend!
Hi Will, I have a gallery wall of brightly coloured holiday photos, but both the wall and frames are off white. The off white frames on a similar coloured wall look lost/as though they are floating on the wall. Do you think painting the frames black would help solidify their place on the wall?
@Ashleigh – Absolutely! Painting the frames black will instantly give you that visual punch and contrast. Love the sound of all your colourful holiday photos!
I always say that this is the easiest way to give some power to the room. I really love your ideas! 🙂
@Basement – I agree! Thank you.
I seriously cannot get over the dog illustration wall. I’ve always wanted to do a gallery wall but I can’t make up my mind on the theme!
-Didier
http://www.didieryhc.com
@Didier – I’ll have to come help you style and hang one!
I love the idea of using black and white images for the dark wall gallery. And the framed dog drawings are just the cutest idea I’ve ever seen. Well done!