Gallery Wall thoughts and an insta-peek

Hola! There is lots going on here at Shelter! All good stuff, of course....As you know, I'm finishing up my own home too. My goal is to have it photographed after the holidays. Most designers use their home as a design laboratory of sorts. I am often moving furniture around and changing things out. I have a gallery wall hung in my living room but plan to tweak it later today with a fat glass of Apothic wine near by. I set some of my art on the floor (last image) this morning in preparation. (this is not the layout) 

In the meantime I wanted to share a few gallery walls that work and why. The top one is in the Kate Spade Soho store. They have done a nice job laying it out. Choosing a focal or keystone piece of art is an important first step. Next, place the art around that "keystone" in a cascading design. Be sure not to hang one piece in the center. Notice that no two frames are perfectly aligned on top in this example. For more on this gallery wall visit A.T. Another important tip to follow is the 57" rule. Hang a focal piece or number of pieces at or around gallery height, which is 57" on center, off the floor. I have done that with my own wall and have spaced my artwork around it, at least three inches apart. I also have the challenge of grouping the art around the t.v. (which is not my first choice but I have limited places to put it) Finally, be sure to visually balance your layout. I tackle this process organically but in the past I have taped pieces of craft paper to the wall too. Simply cut out pieces of paper that match the various sizes of art you plan to hang. This saves you from accidentally creating too many nail holes in the wall. It also allows you to move around various layouts, step back and choose your favorite.

This wall (above) feels nicely balanced to me. I also like that each piece has space to breathe.

Here is a peek at some of the art I am working with. I like to mix vintage with newer pieces. Some are originals and a couple have been created by my children. Try to gather an interesting mix of pieces and frames types. I also combine various mediums. Painted pictures, prints, photography and sketches all work beautifully together. Poppy, my kitty, wanted to join in on the fun!