Gallery Wall Goals - How To Create The Ultimate Girl Power Gallery Wall

Who run the world? I think we all know the answer to that. But sometimes even the most driven of us need a little extra motivation to get things done, especially if you work from home or are freelance, where the procrastination struggle is real. One super easy and super stylish way to give yourself a creativity boost is to surround yourself with positivity in the form of a kickass girl power gallery wall. And tea. Never underestimate the motivational properties of a good cup of Tetley’s tea.

So channelling my inner girl boss, I created this inspirational wall using some of my favourite art finds on Etsy. But getting your gallery wall right is not as straightforward as it might first look. There are a few rules you need to bear in mind, and things to consider before you get started.

Here are my tips on framing and creating #gallerywallgoals

Pick a theme or colour palette

If you’re starting from scratch it’s a good idea to decide on a theme before you start buying as this will hold your gallery wall together. Also think about sticking to a limited colour palette or tones to pull everything together. Equally the eclectic look works too, just depends what look you are going for. Obviously this gallery is guided by the power of the girl and I’ve stuck to a palette of pink, red, black and white.

Buy what you love, not just because you need to fill space

Whether you are choosing pieces for your gallery wall in one go, or building it up over time, it’s really important that you go for things that you love. Choose the things that evoke feelings in you whenever you look at them. It’s likely that you are you are going to be looking at this everyday and if you just smash and grab, the chances are you’ll soon grow bored of it.

Now you’ve chosen your prints, what’s next? Next you need to think about your frames. In my humble opinion, how you choose to frame your prints can make or break how they look. Whether your art cost £3 or £300, your choice of frame can make all the difference.

Again, a theme is a good idea

One option is to go matchy matchy and choose the same style and colour of frame but in different sizes. This works really well with all white, or all black frames for example. It results in a sleeker, more composed gallery wall. Alternatively you can mix it up with different style frames from simple black to ornate baroque. But even here I’d stick to a maximum of two colours…black and gold for example. Otherwise it’s too much of a headache to look at.

Consider mounts

Most artwork looks better with a mount. The border makes your artwork stand out and gives them more of a bespoke edge. I like to buy greetings cards for a few pounds because it’s a really affordable way of tapping into some beautifully skilled artists. Framing them up with the addition of a mount always makes them look more special. These Jade Fisher cards are a perfect example of this. (The You Rock card is also available in a larger print size)

Get the professionals in for your special pieces

I’d say anything that cost more than £75 is worth getting framed professionally because they will be able to show you how to bring the very best out of your artwork.

Go for longevity

Make sure your mounts are acid free to preserve the prints for longer. When it comes to the cover, many places are offering acrylic inserts instead of glass now. These tend to be cheaper and you can’t really tell the difference once they are up on the wall, however it’s worth bearing in mind that they scratch easier so be careful when you are inserting your print.

So you’ve chosen your prints and you’re happy with your frames…it’s time to get this show on the road. But hold your horses as there are just a couple more things to think about before you start banging holes in your wall. These are my last few tips and then you’re all set.

Pick your spot for maximum impact

The great thing about gallery walls is that they can work in so many different spots in your house and you can make them as big or as small as you like. Because this one was all about motivation and inspiration, I chose to hang it above my home office desk, but it would work equally well in a girls bedroom or even a small bathroom/powder room, so you can feel inspired, even when you’re on the loo.

Consider your layout

Lay it all out on the floor first to work out where you want to place it. So if it’s above a desk like mine, consider having a central anchor piece and have the other pieces satellite off it. However if it’s a larger wall then it makes sense to go right the way across it. If you’re doing this, it’s easier to work from right to left. Mark the edges of your space up to act as a guide and work within that. You could also create an image template using pieces of paper cut to size and sticking them to your chosen wall. Whichever method you prefer, once you’ve settled on your layout, take a photo of it on your phone.

Don’t have it too uniform

Unless you are going for a linear grid look, make sure your frame placement isn’t too uniform. Set each frame a few inches higher or lower than the one next to it. It adds interest. Having said that, I do like to keep the same distance gap between each frame as you go across. Stick to around 2-3 inches between each one as it’s easier on the eye that way.

Make sure you have the right materials

Make sure you have the correct items for hanging your art. Check the weight of your framed prints and make sure you have strong enough picture hooks or Command Strips (if that’s your jam) for the job. You don’t want to get it all up only to see it come crashing down again a couple of hours later because you’ve used the wrong nails.

If you make a mistake, don’t panic!

If you’ve miscalculated something and realise once you start hanging, don’t panic! You might even prefer it this way. But if you don’t, it’s easily resolved. And the beauty of a gallery wall is that the chances are the next piece of art will cover up the hole left by your little slip. Even if it doesn’t a quick bit of polyfilla and a touch of paint will cover it up no worries.

Level it up

Once your wall is up, use a spirit level to straiten everything out. My own house has wonky Victorian walls and even my best efforts to get things straight from the outset will often be foiled by my stubborn, old walls.

So there you have it. Now it’s time to create your own #gallerywallgoals I’d love to see the results so please tag me in your pics when you post them!

Art Selection - ‘You Rock’ Friendship Card and Strong Woman card from Jade Fisher; Liberte, Egalite, Sororite print from Black and Beech; Girl Power print from The Print Design Studio; Be Kind print from Margo in Margate; Queen print from Eddie & The Giant Peach; You Go Girl print from Tilde Hilde Studio.

J x

This is the final instalment of three paid for blogposts in collaboration with Etsy, about buying, styling and displaying art. I selected the edit of pieces I wanted to use and as always all opinions are my own.