In Defense of Gallery Walls.
As someone who is trying to make her house a home on a pretty fixed budget (shoutout to Tampa for being 2022’s hottest housing market) I have to balance buying new things with using what décor I already have. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a fan of gallery walls for quite some time (eight years and three houses, to be exact) but I’m not sure I ever appreciated them fully until now.
Are Gallery Walls Out of Style?
Let’s break it down. Blank walls are daunting and art is expensive. I’ve found that over the years I’ve collected tons of frames so being able to use them to add color and character to our walls feels really resourceful. Plus, I personally find gallery walls interesting since they’re so unique. When you can fill a gallery wall with various memories or meaningful items it’s a lot more enjoyable than looking at a random piece of art (in my opinion). Plus between having photographs printed, using digital or low cost art prints from Etsy, or using random items like greeting cards, wallpaper, or even your kids art work you can probably fill up a wall pretty quickly for very little cost.
My Favorite Items to Feature in a Gallery Wall.
Decorating a gallery wall can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Here are a few of my favorite items to feature.
- Personal family photos
- Art prints from Etsy
- Kids artwork
- Framed wrapping paper
- A blueprint or drawing of your house
- A special greeting card
- A framed memory (we have $1 that my dad sent to Ken after losing a bet)
- A ticket stub from a memorable concert or sporting event
- A framed plane ticket from a favorite trip
- Kids handprints or footprints
- Anything you want!
What are your thoughts on gallery walls? Are they timeless or a trend that we’re already over? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Now does anyone have any suggestions for the 45 other blank walls in my house?
