Build a gallery of pictures that gives your wall character and inspiration: tips for the perfect display at home
Have you ever wished your walls could speak? That every time you stepped into a room, you felt that little wave of inspiration and good cheer? Putting together a gallery wall at home is one of the loveliest ways to breathe character into a space, and learning how to create a gallery wall is far easier than you might think. I am almost obsessed with shifting pictures around the house (my husband would say it is practically a workout!), but over the years I have learnt that the right wall arrangement can completely transform how you feel.
Here are my tried-and-tested tips for putting together a gallery that will delight you anew every single day.
Forget the rules and embrace the “ZokiArt” mix
The biggest mistake when putting together a gallery is being too uniform. The secret is variety! Forget matching sets and mix different styles instead. Pair bold abstract canvases with your favourite illustrations. If the whole thing looks a touch “wild”, you are on the right track. Contrast is what catches the eye and makes a wall interesting.
Art needs room to breathe
Even though we want to create a rich wall, we mustn’t “cram” the pictures together. Every piece needs its own bit of peace to tell its story. My advice is to keep roughly 5 to 10 cm of space between the frames. That way the gallery will work as a connected whole, yet never feel overcrowded.
Eye level is the golden rule
I often see beautiful pictures hung almost up against the ceiling. Please don’t hang art for giants! The centre of your gallery should sit at eye level, which is roughly 150 cm from the floor. We want to enjoy art in a relaxed way, not end up with a sore neck from looking at it.
A game of “musical chairs” with your pictures
Your walls aren’t “set in concrete”, and nothing has to be permanent. The charm of a gallery wall is that it is alive. I personally adore moving pictures between rooms – the one from the living room goes into the hallway, and the one from the bedroom into the dining room. It is like a complete home makeover, only it is entirely free! Don’t be afraid of change; once you refresh a space with a new arrangement, the whole room takes on fresh energy.
My little “oops” trick for holes in the wall
Mistakes happen, take my word for it. If you happen to move a nail and a little hole is left behind in the wall, don’t panic. I have a simple trick: I stick a tiny white sticker (or a small piece of masking tape) over the hole, gently paint over it with white paint using a brush and – zokiart magic – the hole vanishes, as if it had never been there.
In closing
Art in the home should make you smile, not cause you stress. Let your gallery be a reflection of you, your travels, your passions and your style. Which wall in your home is calling out most loudly for an artistic makeover? For more ideas, do take a look here
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