I knew I wanted to create a gallery wall after we renovated our home. It would be a place to hang our most-prized framed possessions and pay homage to the past. I felt there’d be no better place to hang those framed items than on the long blank moody wall between our two guest bedrooms. The contrast would make our art leap off the wall and add some pizzazz. Figuring out where to hang the gallery wall was only half the battle.
I quickly discovered that putting together a gallery wall and making it fit was the other half of the battle. Composing a layout within the limited space was easier said than done. In fact, it was a daunting challenge. I wanted to hang both new and vintage frames, which were in various shapes and sizes, and make them look oh-so-great together.
To start, I didn’t want to pound a bunch of holes in the newly painted wall. So, I measured the amount of space I had to work with. Then I used 2 tape measures to box off the length and height on the floor. (Yes, I could’ve used painter’s tape, but I didn’t.) Next I placed the 3 largest pieces that I planned to hang at eye level on the floor. Eventually those 3 pieces will become focal points. Once that was established, it was time to construct the rest of our gallery wall. I laid out all our framed possessions. I paid close attention to the spacing between each piece. I played around with all the pieces until all of the art looked great together.
Which one is the masterpiece? Paul will tell you it’s the Crosby, Stills, and Nash painting. Contradictory, I’d say it’s the framed crewel embroidery. I’m a storyteller. So, let me tell you a story in a way for me to combine my passion for storytelling with my passion for designing.
Nine years ago, when I arrived at Andy’s home, I wheeled my luggage to a partially finished bedroom. There weren’t any baseboards or closet doors. My oldest son was in the middle of remodeling what he called “mom’s room.” At the time, there wasn’t much in it: a double bed frame with mattress and box spring, a small nightstand, a lamp, and this framed crewel embroidery. It was leaning against the bottom of a wall on the wall-to-wall carpeting. I believe Andy intended to hang the treasured needlepoint on the wall, but never had a chance to. (My wonderful son left this earth in 2014, when he was 33, during Spring fishing season. The boat capsized and his body sunk to the bottom of Lake Erie. Andy’s body was found 22-days later.)
