I added a symmetrical gallery wall to our upstairs hallway using inexpensive gold frames. Here’s my process for hanging those frames, plus a round-up of the best picture frames for your next gallery wall project.
Is there a limit to the number of gallery walls that one home should have? Wait, maybe don’t answer that question because I may have too many. I started with a gallery wall of art and photos in our living room, added a special wall of mementos to Rory’s room, hung custom frames in the hallway, and most recently added a full staircase of fun frames, art, and photos on the stairwell going down to our basement.
Today, I’m here to tell you that I added another gallery wall to our home. It’s another black-and-white photo display, but this time the pictures are extra special.
My Photographer Friend, Bridget
If you’ve been a reader for quite a while, then you might remember when I used to co-author this blog with my best friend, Bridget. We started The DIY Playbook back in 2013 together, never thinking it would lead to much, let alone a real career! We had a blast over the years growing this website and our business.
In 2019, Bridget decided to step back from blog life and I think our followers assumed that there must have been some major drama behind the scenes. Surely, our friendship would be over if she was no longer a part of The DIY Playbook!
That couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re still friends! We still see each other often! And we’re both on career paths that we love. Bridget is a successful photographer with a booming business. She specializes in black-and-white personality portraits of kids and her photos are insanely awesome!
I was lucky enough to book a session with her over the summer and I walked away with the cutest photos of Rory and Ellis.
Hallway Gallery Wall – Another One!
I shared the adorable photos with my family and added the pics as my phone’s background, but I wanted to do more to display them.
There’s an empty space of wall leading to our main bedroom that was just begging for some excitement. Right now, the thermostat is the focal point of the wall. Not good. I figured a grid gallery wall would be a great way to add life to this empty spot.
Instead of going with an asymmetrical gallery wall, as I did down the hall, I thought this one would be nice if it was completely symmetrical in a six-frame grid.
Gallery Wall Supplies
I ended up finding these amazing gold frames at a fantastic price. They come in a pack of three, so I bought two of them. They hold an 8×10 photograph, have a bright white mat, and the outside of the frame is gold in a 16×20 size. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of these picture frames at such an affordable price.
Here’s what I would grab before you start making any holes in your walls.
My Best Tips To Hang A Symmetrical Gallery Wall
I’ve shared many resources over the years with my best tips for hanging all sorts of frames. Some people like to wing it and just go for it when it comes to hanging a gallery wall.
But if you’re going for a symmetrical look, you want everything to be spaced perfectly. In that case, pre-planning is key!
Use Rosin Paper
I always keep a huge roll of rosin paper in our basement. It’s great for covering floors during projects to keep them clean, but it’s also crucial for any gallery wall I hang. I measure my wall and then tape rosin paper to the ground with those measurements.
Plan Your Gallery Wall Layout
I knew I wanted to hang my gold picture frames in a symmetrical grid of six, so I laid out all of my frames on the ground.
Spacing is crucial and the worst thing you can do is space your frames too far apart. I would do no more than three inches between frames. Do you hear me? Three inches!
In this case, I ended up spacing my frames 1.5 inches apart. This makes all six frames look like one unified piece and it makes a visual impact. I talk more about this concept in this blog post all about mastering scale and proportion. It’s a great read when hanging any art or photos on your walls.
Trace Your Frames
When your frames are in the proper position, trace them and mark the location of the hanging hardware, directly on the paper. This will be your guide when it comes time to put holes in your walls and it will ensure you make perfect grids.
Level Your Paper
The next step is to tape your big sheet of paper to the wall and level it. Make sure it’s perfectly straight before you move on. Oh, and please don’t hang things too high. This blog post walks you through my best tips to hang wall art at the correct height.
Hammer In Your Nails
Now, follow those guides on your paper and hammer in all the nails for every frame in your gallery wall.
Remove The Paper & Hang Your Frames
Finally, you can remove the paper and hang your frames! As an extra precaution, I like to use this museum wax on the bottom of each corner of the frame. This is especially nice if you have kids because your frames will be extra secure. The museum wax keeps things in place and it’s very easy to apply.
Our New Photo Wall
Here’s a look at my new gallery wall. I adore it! I get to see these smiling faces every time I walk to our bedroom or do laundry. (The laundry room is located right across from this.) Plus, the wall space is no longer painfully bare.
My kids were so excited when I debuted this to them. They felt pretty cool seeing their pictures hung on the wall.
I got these large pictures printed at mpix.com. That’s the printing place that Bridget recommends. It’s inexpensive and the quality has always been great. The hardest part was choosing my six favorite photos.
One of my favorite things about these frames is that I will be able to swap out the photos down the line. My other gallery wall down the hall is professionally framed, so I can’t easily change out the pictures. These frames make it easy to display favorite memories but still have the custom framing look.
My Favorite Large Frames – Symmetrical Gallery
If you’re doing a gallery wall, I usually suggest not going with frames that are smaller than 8×10. Remember, it’s all about scale and if you place a bunch of small frames on a wall, they will look strange compared to a large expanse of space. Larger frames are usually better.
Here’s a roundup of my favorite large frames that would look good in a grid-style gallery wall. Many of these are sold in a pack which makes it easy to create your own symmetrical wall of frames.
My Favorite Gallery Wall Frames
Now, if you’re working on a looser gallery wall with various sizes, you still don’t want to have too many teeny tiny frames. Collage frames and tabletop picture frames are not typically the same.
Here are some of my favorite gallery frames to use for your next project. Most of these come in a variety of frame sizes too.
More Gallery Wall Inspiration
If you have any blank walls in your home, a gallery wall might be just what you need. Here are more posts to inspire your next DIY project.