About a hundred years ago I wrote a post about Gallery Wall Inspiration. But, then, I never actually made my own gallery wall. I wanted to buy things to fill the gallery wall. I couldn’t find the right things to fill it with. They had to be the right price, the right texture, the right colors. I decided today that if I wait around for all of the “right” things to magically drop into my lap, I will probably never have a gallery wall. So I decided that I would shop the house and get started on Phase 1 of the Gallery Wall. I mean, a gallery is meant to be changed out consistently. So, what’s on the gallery wall today can be switched out slowly as I find the pieces I want to add. And in the meantime, the things that are up, on the wall, *are* the right things.
I think part of the paralysis in getting started on this was figuring out a lay out that I wanted. I decided today to pull out a white curtain and plop it in the front yard as a blank canvas to work with. Then, the fun began. I started searching the basement, closets and my craft piles for things to include in the great gallery wall. Here’s what I came up with:
I knew I wanted to include those big sketches of my kiddos and I knew they would be the centerpiece. They are an easy jumping off place because they are large (20×20) and the simple black and white frame and coloring made it easy to pick other pieces.
You might remember the two sketches of Cape Cod that are in the center that I recently found at a Flea Market. I love that they are actually real deal sketches that a human hand drew (unlike the one’s of my kids that are actually computer generated). They have a little bit of a story behind them and that’s important to me.
I found the two black ad white framed photos of my kids at the bottom left when I was raiding the basement. How have I not had these two hanging in the house? Bad mommy points.
At this point I was starting to feel like this was going to be an all black and white gallery wall, which is fine, but not really what I wanted to go for. I found that little shelf that looks totally out of place in a closet. It looks out of proportion with the rest of the stuff, but that’s because the plan is to put something on the shelf to help fill in some of that vertical space. What will go there, I have not decided. We’ll leave that as a mystery.
So, now, the little smidgen of wood was looking out of place, when I remembered the 70’s inspired art I made a few weeks ago. Perfect place to add a little more wood tone to the black and white. And I few pops of color, too!
When I was rummaging through the basement, I found the little post card size painting that I bought on my honeymoon, 13 years ago! It has never been framed or hung. I’ll need to grab a frame for it, but I’m so excited to be including it.
And lastly I found those two empty frames at the top. They were in the basement. I don’t know if there is some picture frame fairy that visits my basement, but I have no recollection of ever buying those frames. I haven’t decided exactly what to put in them yet, but I’m leaning toward some vacation shots. Maybe something like this:
I like the muted blues and greens in each of these. Sometimes it pays to not know how to use your camera. Just kidding, no it doesn’t. Not ever.
There are a few to do’s before this project is complete:
1. Choose prints for the empty frames
2. Buy a frame for the honeymoon painting
3. Figure out how to hang the 70’s inspired art
4. Hang the stuff on the wall
Wish me luck that I can find the time to pull it together for an update next week!