Creating a Gallery Wall

Monday, November 5, 2012

You've been wondering about my family room right? Remember when I carefully diagrammed my plans here? And how I fixed my bookshelves here?

Well, here's the gallery wall finally finished.

I had planned to put it between the two windows, but later I realized that one of my favorite features in a gallery wall is when the pictures go from the ceiling all the way to the floor, and that the couch was in the way of that between the windows.

I had six new white frames that I bought at Ikea a few month ago, and then I painted six more frames that have been around for years. I used the leftover ASCP from the piano paint project. Then I added in some pale pink frames that I've had since Maddie and Katie were little girls.

Instead of following any of the effort intense tutorials from the internet for hanging a gallery wall I just played with my frames on the floor under the wall where I wanted to hang them. When they looked how I liked I pulled in my step stool and started nailing.

There actually are some benefits to being so far from a perfectionist.

Ewwww, you can see my kitchen floor there. See why I'm so desperate to pull it up? Anyhow, this was just my first configuration. I did loosely measure (with a piece of string) how high my wall is and then marked it on my floor with a sock.

After all my frames were hung I started looking for things to put in them. I used several black and white drawings from The Graphics Fairy. In fact, I used so many of her images that I think a happy linky button is in order:

Hers is a truly lovely blog.

Here is a close up of the a beehive graphic that I chose because we recently set up two beehives up on our hill.

I also pilfered a few photos from a book I have on Degas. Pretty ballerinas.

It took me a couple of days to fill all the frames (actually one is still empty) and I imagine I'll change things out fairly often. My last step was to use earthquake putty to secure the backs of the frames to the wall so they would stay straight. I figured straightening 21 cattywampus frames each day might put me over the edge.

So here is the room from a little further back.

Remember the before?

Progress!

And speaking of progress here is the evolution of Marc's Oakland Temple painting:

That was a few weeks ago. Here it is now:

And it still isn't done! Marc is such a Renaissance man.

Okay, so back to me...the final things I hoped to do in the family room are 1. make curtains 2. make throw pillow covers and 3. make a slipcover for the ottoman. Since Christmas is two months away I think my funding for fabric will be diverted to holiday revelry, but I'm still super happy with what I've accomplished!

I'd love to see links to your room makeovers in the comments.

4 Responses to “Creating a Gallery Wall”

NatureGirlNovember 5, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Looks great! Come fix my family room!!
Karen The Graphics FairyNovember 8, 2012 at 8:43 PM
Very nice Shelley! It looks great!
DianaNovember 10, 2012 at 5:57 PM
How I love what you've done! And the process by which you did it. Using a sock on the floor is brilliant. Whatever works, I say. Plus -- and this will come as no surprise -- I like the way the little frame I gave you looks with all the other treasures. You are a great designer.
UnknownNovember 11, 2012 at 12:07 AM
Your family room is becoming magazine article worthy! You never cease to amaze me with your creativity. Great job!

Now you say something!

Barnaclebutt