How to Build a Simple Gallery Wall
Millions of people use Pinterest, pinning and lusting over beautiful spaces that are airy and perfectly decorated. The reality is that most people don't live in those kind of spaces that they can make 100% their own.
Let's be real, it's hard to live in a white-walled dorm room made up of cinderblocks and NOT want to decorate the walls. After living in dorms and dorm-like apartments all throughout college, I created Print (Em) to be one more solution for those that live in rentals, dorms, or any other situation that does not allows nailing or painting the walls.
You can buy my gallery wall frame set (here), but here are a few of my favorites tips for building the perfect gallery wall:
1. Size matters // You know what I mean! Mess around with shape and size. Try frames that are the same shape (like square), but in different sizes. Our try similar sized frames, but different shapes. If all of your frames are the same size, try playing around with image size within the frame.
2. Color // No rules here, just a few suggestions! Consider if you want your frames or your prints to colorful. If color is your middle name however, make that gallery wall as colorful as you can. If all of your images are black and white, consider adding one color shot to spice it up a bit. You can even make your gallery wall one color scheme, this is the fun part so play around with what you like.
3. Find Images // I started creating gallery walls for my dorms because I had a huge online folder of images that needed some love. Do you have one too? Start there. Using, or at least looking at those images will guide you in the right direction because these are images that reflect your aesthetic. Find your favorite images and then supplement with images from artists or photographers you admire. You can look on Pinterest or Flickr for images, or even find great prints on Etsy. *Pro tip* Don't just lift the JPEG if an artist has that print available for a relatively low fee. Owning the real thing feels better anyways!
4. Print those images // Believe it or not there are still people out there that will print photographs for you, both online and offline. For example I print photographs when people order my frames, but there are resources like Nations Photo Lab and ProDPI that will print up your images and send them to you.
5. Keep your eyes open // You never know when you'll find something that's perfect for your space. It could be a vintage postcard at a flea market or your bus ticket from your trip across the country. Anything can become part of your gallery wall, but the best way to craft it is to be open to new ideas and go out and find them!