GALLERY WALLS
Wise ways to mix, match artwork
Chances are, if you’ve watched any of our shows, read one of our books or pored over a C+J editorial in a newspaper or magazine, you’ve probably heard us waxing lyrical about gallery walls.
But what, precisely, are they? Why do you need one? And, perhaps most importantly, if you decide you need one, how can you deliver results that work chez vous?
In simple terms, a gallery wall is a display of images that — whilst different — serves aspects in common: matching frames, for example, complimentary subjects, or perhaps a colourway that immediately connects everything.
But the gallery wall’s typical esthetics are far from being a fixed feast. Those conceived even a decade past tended to work within a strict perimeter, ostensibly formed by the invisible outline of the pieces contained therein.
These days, however, gallery walls tend to be less uniform, and certainly less symmetrical. Here’s how to create something that complements your scheme.
COHESIVE COLOUR PALETTES WORK WELL
Keep pieces connected in so far as depth of tone and intensity of subjects are concerned. Maybe you have a selection of black and white photography dotted around your home? Think safety in numbers, harvest them all and arrange where they can be better enjoyed as a “singular” collective.
DON’T WE ALL NEED A HERO?
A hero piece, below your gallery, will embolden your efforts. Think large and in charge for optimal scene setting. A credenza would work well, as would a book case or a chunky wall shelf.
Anything that draws the eye (in the same way a pedestal in a gallery would support and display an art piece above) will strengthen your vision. But take a tip: set your credenza or shelf off centre so it doesn’t fight to become your project’s focus.
If uncertain about how to display pieces, arrange on the floor, and position — and move around — until you’re happy. This avoids machine gunning (with nails and screws) the wall as you play around with layouts.
Snap a pic of your efforts, measure the project’s broadest and tallest points and use tape to recreate the same outline on the wall. Refer to the photographic layout as you recreate the image vertically.
ADD PERSONAL MEMENTOES
It’s your project, so a little self-indulgence goes a long way as you conspire the vi sion. But don’t overthink it — maybe a favourite magazine cover, framed, could be enough to take you back to your halcyon days?
Or perhaps a concert ticket from an important gig (suspended in a shadow box?) could reignite a memory each time it’s surveyed. You’re triggering emotion. Isn’t that what art is meant to do?
SCALE IS PARAMOUNT
Results achieved will look somehow more confident if you intersperse larger pieces with smaller pieces. Balance, we find, seems better (and more considered) if scale is interrupted as the beholder’s eye travels around, and across, the gallery. Minus the hyperbole? Mix and match, sweetie. Mix and match.
HORIZONTAL VERSUS VERTICAL
Changing orientation from artwork to artwork is everything, doing this will make visuals seem eminently more interesting. So think about arranging portrait and landscape items together, all, of course, as part of the bigger picture.
Find artwork such as the ones showcased in today’s photography from Homesense, Winners or Marshalls. Regimented balance (or the old fashioned grid system gallery wall) is less important these days than it was for decorators 10 or 20 years ago.
COMBINE COLOURS, BUT GO EASY
To avoid perceived chaos, two or three colour tones (of either frames or subjects) are generally best. If you have too much going on at one time, it can throw your efforts and make everything feel a little“muddled.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Layer in 3D items to buck your own trend. A sconce, perhaps, or a 3D sculpture (whose raised surface will be a surprise amongst all the flatter framed art pieces) will fire imagination and stop everything from being too flat. Considering the different depths of each piece (and how far it projects from the wall) makes great decorative sense.
Displaying art — or family photos — as a gallery wall is also a reliable way to tame an irregularly shaped area, or a wall that stretches between floors, especially if you use a common thread to link both areas.
It’s also a sure-fire way to be individual as no two gallery walls are the same. So frame up what matters most, and make your bare walls come alive with an identikit of who you are. And the things you love.