Things you will need:
drill
hammer
level
painter’s tape
drywall screws and anchors
picture wire
Hanging a gallery wall can turn an ordinary boring space into a glamorous feature wall that highlights your family and their interests. With everyone headed over for the holidays here is your chance to show people what you and your family have been up to this year. Ditch the multiple page holiday letters and really show off all the cool things you and your family have accomplished this year. A gallery wall is a great place to display your photos from that fabulous vacation, or those adorable school pictures. Highlight sports accomplishments by putting ribbons and medals in shadow boxes. Frame those old love letters from grandma and grandpa that you found in the attic. Keep the artwork relevant to you and you will love the look. Feel free to change out pieces to add a little holiday spirit.
Step 1: Gather your family photos and arrange them in frames of various sizes and colors of your choosing. I like to keep things simple. All family photos are placed in black frames. Personally I like to choose frames that incorporate different sized photos in each for a photo collage look. However, it is nice to highlight important (wedding) photos in a large 8x10 single photo frame.
Step 2: Gather any non -photo pieces you would like to display. Have fun, you can chose almost anything. A mirror, signs, letters, paintings, shadow boxes or 3D architectural pieces will complement your family photos and give interest to your wall. You can even incorporate shelves to show off trophies or scupltures.
Step 3: Play with the placement of your pictures. Lay out your selections on the floor so that you can arrange and rearrange until you find the perfect placement for your pieces. To make it easier for hanging try rolling out a large piece of butcher paper cut to size and the outline each piece once you have found your perfect arrangement. Or you can just lay everything out on the floor; making sure to keep everything a few inches apart when it comes time to hang for a less structured more organic look. There are no rules to creating a gallery wall. It is all about personal preference; if you like perfect lines create a grid pattern, and if organized chaos is more your thing, mix small pieces with large in a more random pattern.
Step 4: Turn each piece over. Add picture wire to any frames that need it, making sure to use the correct wire for weight. A mirror will require a more heavy-duty wire than a small photo. For those that have predrilled holes for screws, tear off a piece of painter's tape to match the artwork. Poke holes in the tape where the pre drilled holes are, then when you hang the artwork make sure the tape is level and drill into those holes.
Step 5: When you are ready to hang your pieces on the wall make sure to predrill holes for the drywall anchors, hammer them in, then drill in your screws. Hang the picture, mirror or 3D architectural piece making sure it is level as you go. Once you have completed hanging all your work step back and make sure it looks exactly the way you want it to look. Feel free to add or edit. Remember a gallery wall should be a fun and interesting feature of your home that highlights your interests. If you don’t like something, remove it, nothing a little spackle and paint can't fix!