A few simple tricks for creating a perfect gallery wall.


Once your frames are cut out, lay the paper pieces over the frames and mark where to put the nail holes. I also wrote a short description of what the frame was so I could visualize it a little better as I planned.


Once I had all of my paper pieces up, I realized I still needed several more smaller frames to fill in the gaps. And I decided to move around a few of them. This was the part when I was SO GLAD I went through the tracing/cutting process of the paper. I would have hated to nail in those frames only to discover I didn’t really 100% love it.

Once I was happy with the frame placement, I recruited Robert, as I usually do (this man deserves an award for putting up with me), to hammer in my nail hole placements. (Okay, I honestly could have done this step but he insisted on helping me because he’s just awesome like that.)



For the last step, I made sure to space out my S initials so that I didn’t end up with any too close together. I paid attention to textures too.


After watching me tweak this thing for a week, even Lola got frustrated with me I think. And then I took about fifty photos of the wall as I marveled over it.

What do you think? Any tweaking I still need to do? Believe me, I’ll do it.***Update: You can check out the full stairwell gallery wall here!
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I LOVE how it turned out!! I am pinning so I can re-visit once I gather all my frames for my gallery wall!! Thanks for sharing the tips. 🙂
Yay! Thanks for pinning 🙂 It took me about 4 months to collect the frames with frequent trips to thrift stores, but part of the fun is the hunt. Let me know when you do one. I’d love to see!
Love the ceiling fan.. Where was it bought? You did a fantastic job. And love all your great finds
Thank you, Carrie! Our ceiling fan is called Harbor Breeze Twin Breeze. I wrote all about it in my post today along with several other ceiling fan favorites: https://www.blesserhouse.com/2015/07/10-stylish-non-boring-ceiling-fans.html I get lots of questions about it.
Great tutorial and I love your wall. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me.
Thanks! It was a great link party this week (then again…it is every week). 🙂
Brilliant way to organise it and I love your frames too – must have a go at this. Thank you for sharing Lauren:)
Thank you, Amber! I can’t wait to finish it with the lower wall. I’ll be sure to update as it progresses. Please let me know if you do give it a go too. 🙂
This looks fabulous! I want to do a gallery wall on the stairs to my finished basement. You have just given me the courage to do it! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I’m so glad it helped!
The wall looks fab!!. Great post Lauren. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Michelle!
Fabulous gallery wall and wonderful tutorial! Pinning!
~ Ashley
Thanks, Ashley! And thank you so much for pinning!!!
I <3 your wall and great technique! Pinned:)
Hey, some of your image map links are broken in your social media photo button thingy:(
Oh no! Fixing now! Thanks for letting me know.
Love it! I think we have similar tastes in style! I followed you so I could keep up!
Kristin
http://Www.thehedgehoglife.blogspot.com
Awesome! I just started following you too. I’m diving into your blog right now. Loving it! I’m so jealous of your “Fauxplace”. We’re working on a project similar to something like that.
I absolutely love it. I’m one for “winging it,” so I love the paper set up idea. Now to choose between a million photos to put up 🙂
Thanks! Glad it could help. Choosing the photos was the hardest part for me too but it’s fun to look through all of the fun memories. 🙂
Your gallery wall looks great and I you gave some great tips! Your project will be featured this coming Monday night at The Scoop. Thank you for linking up!
Yay! Thank you so so much! You just made my day. 🙂
A lovely personality it is, too! The extra work and patience paid off. I totally agree about spacing things out – and would not change a thing in your final composition. 🙂
Thanks, Revi!
Great wall. I love the frames and finishes. Great tutorial.
Thank you, Katie. I love it too. 🙂
Love this!!!
Thanks!
Great tips! Love how your wall turned out…saw it featured at Stone Gable Blog 🙂
Thank you! (Woo hoo! Insert happy feature booty dance.)
Oh my goodness, this is GENIUS! You have just saved my future frustration and swiss cheese looking wall. Having a gallery wall going up my stairs is on my DIY list, but I was loathing starting it. This is such a great idea! Sharing today at The Handmade Hangout at Redouxinteriors and pinning. Thanks!
Yaaaaay! Thanks so much! Gallery walls are tricky enough but it’s really challenging on stairs. I’m so glad this could help you.
Your wall looks great! I’m still working on mines and have been FOREVER…lol. I keep changing my mind.
It was definitely hard deciding on a plan. 🙂 Thanks for the love, Erlene!
I love it and a fabulous tutorial. Can’t wait to feature this next week. Thanks for linking to Inspire Me.
Yay! Thanks so much, Marty!
Perfect! By far, one of the best I have seen.
That’s a huge compliment, Tasha! Thanks so much!
You never cease to amaze! this is brilliant..and I want a cowboy handyman lol. Guess I am going to have to buy the hubby a hat lol. I cant wait to see what you bring this week!! see you tonight!!
Jess @liverandomlysimple
It´s so beautiful! I like it so much!
Thank you for share it.
This is a great gallery!!
Any recommendations to where to get the oval frames from? Walmart and Target dont carry oval frames :/
Thank you! Most of my oval frames came from a few trips to the thrift store, but I’ve seen oval frames in Hobby Lobby and Michael’s before. You might have some luck there. 🙂
super brilliant! Did you have to use any levels? How did you make sure none of the photos were crooked? Again lovely job 🙂
Thanks, Tyra! To be honest, we just eyeballed it. Maybe we just got lucky in the level department but you could definitely use one if you wanted to double check everything. I think if you had a grid formation for a gallery wall, you’d need to.
Hi Lauren, I love your gallery wall! Just wondered if you did a post on how you did the distressing of the frames? I had a look but couldn’t see anything? Vicky
Hi Vicky! Thanks so much! Here is the post for how I distressed the frames: https://www.blesserhouse.com/2014/06/4-thrifted-frames-1-easy-distress.html Hope that helps. 🙂
Great tutorial, thanks! I’m also wondering where you found the curtains that are next to your staircase (the beige and grayish curtains)… I have been searching for months for the right curtains and I really like those!
Thanks, Sarah! Those curtains are from Kirkland’s. They’re the Taupe Gatehill ones.
Lauren, so glad that you reiterated how taking a little bit of extra time with the prep saves tons of time with the installation! What I love about this way of hanging is that you can do it yourself without having to have another set of eyes standing back to see if the frames are evenly spaced, or, more importantly that the holes are even for those frames that have 2 hooks!
Love your work, and how you make it all seem so simple to do!
Thank you Taylor! It really is worth the extra work. I’m all for saving time but sometimes those extra steps pay off in spades. 🙂
I LOVE this! Definitely replicating something similar.
Can I ask how did you attach your pictures to the wall? It looks like they are not in the frames and are separate….
Thanks
Hannah (UK)
Thank you, Hannah! Yes, I decided to take the glass out of the frames since some didn’t even have glass at the thrift store. I just attached the pictures straight to the wall with Command strips.
That’s great thank you. Although have no idea what a command strip is?? Must be called something else over here 🙂
Thanks
Basically, it’s heavy-duty poster tape. I believe you could find them on Amazon. Just search Command Mounting Squares and you should be able to see them.
I do this! We move a lot so I’ve gotten in the habit of folding those papers and sticking them inside the back of my frame for the next move. It saves me so so so much time. And for the larger frames I use newspaper. Seriously, this is a lifesaver technique! And your wall looks awesome!
Thank you, Stella! Frames definitely help a ton with keeping up with the keepsakes. I thought this was going to be so complicated to create, but this technique helped so much.
Great wall and cute dog!
Thanks! She uses her cuteness to her advantage quite a bit. 😉
Turned out great! Question…. What did you use to hang the photos that aren’t in frames? The ones that have frames around them?
Thanks!
Oh I use 3M mounting strips. They’re great! And I like that the frames don’t have glass in the front to eliminate glare and gives me the option to change them out really easily if I need to. Although I never do because I love this wall. 🙂
I am new to your blog, love it!!! Can you share how you got those awesome wood circle on the fireplace ?
So glad you’re enjoying it, CC! Are you talking about the log ends in our fireplace box? You can see more about that in this post: https://www.blesserhouse.com/2014/09/diy-faux-fireplace-for-under-600-big.html
I love your wall!! I’m doing it too!! In fact my – initial is S too!! Where did you find them all? I love the small square onewhere did you find that one?
Ooh! I’d love to see if you try it too! I found all of our initials mostly at Hobby Lobby (during 50% off sales), Michaels, and Kirkland’s. The small square burlap one is from Kirkland’s, but I got it over a year ago, so they might not carry it anymore.
I love love love this beautiful gallery wall. Wondering how you put the square pictures in the round/oval frames, but it appears you can see the wall color behind them as if there is glass on both sides????? Love that look, but have no idea how to accomplish it. Would love to know how you did it.
Thank you, Heather! I actually just put the pictures directly on the wall with no glass. I used Scotch Mounting Strips and they’ve held up there for over a year now.
love your gallery wall but also loving the “greige” paint color, do you mind sharing the name of it?
Thank you, Stephanie! The wall color is Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige.
I really want to do this! Looks great! What size are your largest frames??
Thanks, Vanessa! The largest frames are 20×24.
Love your wall! What color paint did you use for the darker frames? Thanks!
Thanks, Mona! For the darker frames, I just spray painted them Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze.
This looks to be a stairwell where you could do pictures on the other side as well. Did you choose to do that ? Why or why not ?
Hi Jacki! Yes, it is a stairwell. I’m currently working on the upstairs portion of the stairwell now. It’s in the brainstorming phase. 🙂 We just finished the playroom that the upstairs opens up to, so I wanted to have that part done first.
Any interest in helping me decorate my house?? I LOVE everything you have done in your home!
Aw thank you, Heather! One of these days I’m hoping to launch design services. Somehow we keep finding projects to do. Haha!
Speaking of dvd storage, I fit about 400 of them in sleeves, and created a binder alphabetically with all the titles…they all fit under my tv in a cabinet. best decision ever. the cases are in a tote in the shed…the hubby didn’t want to part with them, but we haven’t wanted/needed them for years!
Ooh! I like that idea!
How large is the big oval frame? Is the picture an 8×10?
What color is the wall paint?
It’s Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige
This is amazing! Thank you so much for this fabulous tip. I am definitely going to try this as we attempt to decorate our stairway!
I am in the middle of unpacking all my frames, photos and getting walls ready to display my treasured memories – so this was the perfect article for me! I am in the middle of distressing some old and inexpensive frames and will head out to find some cheap paper to tape to the walls. Great ideas and love all your photos!! Thanks.
What sizes of frames do you have in this wall gallery? I am collecting frames to make one for my stairs. Thanks!
Hi, Mandy! I do not know the sizes of each frame. However, The largest of these are 16×20. The smallest of these are 5×7. I hope this helps.