Products used:
Large 16 X 20 champagne wood picture frames (I kept the white border in these large frames and used 11 X 14 artwork)
Medium 11 X 14 gold picture frame (I did not use the border in this and used 11 X 14 artwork)
Similar decorative throw pillow and lumbar pillow
How to create a budget-friendly art gallery wall
$8 Art Work and How to Print
Do you have a black wall you need to spruce up? One of the cheapest ways to add a beautiful statement to any space is to find art you like on Etsy. Click here for the $8 vintage artwork I used in this space!
You pay to purchase the downloads of these prints and then you can print the artwork. If your art is going to be 8 x 10 or less in size, the cheapest way to print higher quality art is by going to Staples or another office store and emailing them the files and having them print the files on higher quality paper. You can ask them to print on a higher-weighted paper (thicker and nicer than printer paper) and they can show you examples of what options they have. Professional print shops will print your art at a higher quality than an at-home printer and can cost just cents per print. I printed three prints for my daughter's room for around $2 total.
However, for this project, I wanted to print much larger artwork. The 4 larger prints would be 11 X 14 and the smallest would be 8 X 10. When I went to Staples, they couldn't print that large of artwork on matte paper, they are only meant to print posters on that large of paper (which would have a sheen finish, not what you want for art). So I looked into other options and I came across mpix.com 's service to print art. I have used mpix several times to print high-quality family photos and they are always amazing quality. So I decided to print through them, you can get 25% your first project with them which would make all these 5 prints that I used about $35. When I received my prints in the mail, I was blown away by the quality. The details of the paint looked 3D as if they truly were paintings. So I highly recommend the Etsy company that made the prints and mpix to print them!
The Picture Frames
I was really picky about the picture frames I used in this project. I wanted some gold but I didn't want them to be too modern/bright gold frames or too old of frames. I looked at several thrift stores in hopes of getting lucky and finding some cheap frames that would work but I didn't have luck and lugging around two kids to thrift stores is not that enjoyable...But if you are a thrifter this would be a great option. I ended up finding most of the frames I used online and got them all with a buy-one-get-one-free deal. I used these two large 16 X 20 frames (I kept the borders in on these to use 11 X 14 prints), this 11 X 14 frame, another 11 X 14 frame I found from Homegoods, and an 8 X 10 frame from Homegoods. Also, frames sometimes annoyingly come with price tag stickers on the glass. A good hack is to use citrus spray or lemon essential oil to get the sticky residue off very quickly.
My Gallery Wall Template
I used this template to position my frames and I made sure that the middle of this collage would land at about eye level.
I also measured to find the center of my wall and made sure the center of the collage lined up to this point. You can lay out your gallery on the wall by taping together pieces of construction paper or printer paper that are the measurements of the frames you will be using. This will give you a visual of what the frames will look like and allows you to ensure they are centered and the spacing is correct. You will want to put nails where the frames will actually hang from so look at the back of the frames and locate where the hanging brackets are. Measure where the brackets are positioned relative to the top of the frame or sides. Then, you can mark that on the paper you hung where your nails need to be located. You will also need to use a leveler to ensure your frames are straight.
Finishing Touches
I always love adding beautiful and simple seating below a gallery wall so that the space feels complete and warm with texture. I used this upholstered bench and this faux olive tree (both favorites of mine) to really transform this whole space.
I hope these tips help you spruce up a blank wall in your house to make it really feel like HOME!
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