DIY Eclectic Gallery Wall

I absolutely adore the look of this eclectic gallery wall in my new apartment.  It's the first thing you see when you come in through the front door and just perfect for the space.  The shelves, knick-knacks and wall hangings balance each other out nicely.  Putting this mix together was pretty simple, and I was able to get everything hung and styled one evening after work.  If you want to re-create this look in your own space, keep reading!


You will need:


- Two shelves of different sizes.  I bummed these off of my parents since they were lying around in their basement.  If you aren't lucky enough to score shelves this way, I'm sure you could find some at Goodwill.  At the very least, Target would have them new.
- Knick-knacks for the shelves.  I used a couple of picture frames, figurines, and a mug used as a vase with some flowers.  Don't worry about having everything be matchy-matchy.  If you have things you've collected over the years, they'll add character and you'll have a story to tell if someone asks about it.
- Frames/mirrors/letters/wall hangings to go around the shelves.  Again, use things you have that are special to you.  You can always buy small items to fill in any holes if everything doesn't look quite right laid out.  Open frames are my favorite for this.

How to get the look:

I started by laying the shelves out on the ground in the position I wanted.  The staggered look creates visual interest and allows for things to hang nicely around the shelves.  You can also accommodate items of varying size this way.


Then, I started playing with the arrangement of my wall hangings.  The biggest tip I can give is to imagine that you have a large rectangle you need to fill on the wall.  You don't necessarily have to cover every last inch inside the shape, as long as you have defined the four outer corners.  That will make the gallery look complete and most visually appealing.  Notice with mine, my four corners are completed with the letter, shelf, framed print, and open frame.


Once you have your arrangement ready to go, start by hanging the first shelf.  Luckily for this OCD girl, my shelves hang on a nifty little piece that has a level built in.  However, if you don't have this, just use a piece of painter's tape and a regular level to make sure they hang straight.  As far as picking the initial placement on the wall for the shelf, I really just eyeballed it based on how much room I needed around it.  Also, I knew that since this particular wall wasn't super wide, I would be filling most of the space.  If you have a larger wall, you can always use painter's tape again to mark out your imaginary rectangle and make sure it's centered. 

After the first shelf is hung, add the second one.  From there, I added the pieces that would create the corners so that I could make sure everything was a consistent height.  This was really only three things (framed print, open frame, and letter) since the shelf itself made the bottom right corner.


With your space defined, it's super easy to add in the rest.  I recommend hanging everything first and then decorating the shelves.  You wouldn't want something to fall off of the shelf from the hammering (yes, speaking from experience here). 


I love the versatility of this gallery wall.  It is so easy to switch things up and change the photos, knick-knacks and anything else if you get tired of the look.  You can even add things in for holidays or different seasons.


If you decide to create your own eclectic gallery wall, I'd love to know about how you do it, and what some of your favorite things are to include in it!


xoxo,
Amanda