Gallery Wall Tips

Not sure how to get started with hanging your favorite paintings, pictures, and wall décor? All you need to do is become fearless with push pins. Here’s why: There was a time when I would ask my husband to hold a picture against a wall so I could see if I liked it in a particular spot. But I can’t make a decision in 30 seconds and that’s about how long it takes for him to raise his eyebrows with the silent question “Is it going here or what?” Push pins don’t get exasperated. I’ve started using them like nobody’s business because I have found that they are an essential tool to help me design a gallery wall. If you are interested in installing a gallery wall, but are not sure how to get started, here are some quick tips and links to other posts for inspiration. Click here on The Secrets to Creating a Gallery Wall and then click on 5 Tips for Gorgeous Gallery Walls to see gallery walls that other people have created. Simply beautiful!

Gallery Wall Tips

Let go of your fear. One of the main reasons that I was reluctant to hang pictures was due to the nail-in-the-wall commitment. It felt so permanent because of the hassle involved in filling the hole and touching up paint if you changed your mind. Push pins leave a tiny hole in the wall that’s barely noticeable and can be filled with light weight DAP that doesn’t need to be painted. You are probably thinking that a push pin can’t hold the same weight as a nail. You would be shocked at how much a push pin can hold. See the faux deer head in the photo above? It is hanging on one push pin. I know, right?
Do your research. If you have a Pinterest account, search “gallery wall” and thousands of photos will pop up (you can Google as well). Find a design that you like and figure out what it is about the image that you are drawn to. Once you start saving a bunch of images, it should be obvious that they all have something in common and a theme will emerge. It could be a color, a layout, a style of art, all black and white photos, etc.
Once you have decided on your theme, start collecting pieces of artwork. Hopefully, you already have a few of the pieces in your home that can be used to build upon. Shop online and on foot for other pieces to round out the gallery wall. One of the best places for inexpensive artwork, are consignment stores, thrift shops, flea markets. Some of my favorite pieces have been found this way.
Once you have assembled enough pieces to layout your gallery wall, gather a handful of push pins and start hanging the artwork. I’ve found it very helpful to use a layout as a guide for where to position pieces. As important, is balancing color (if your theme has lots of different colors). Don’t be afraid to move pieces around until you have found a layout that you like.
Consider incorporating 3D objects, such as this adorable faux deer head (found at home goods stores and online). You can also use pretty plates!

I adore the deer head, but he didn’t always look like that…