The Girl in the Red Shoes

  • Home
  • About
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Shop My Instagram
  • Breastfeeding Diaries
  • Contact

Uncategorized | November 22, 2011

How to Make a Gallery Wall

I’m finally ready to share my gallery wall with you! It’s still a work in progress, but for now I LOVE it!
First, here it is BEFORE:
Photobucket
Nothing really wrong with it…but I never really loved it.
Photobucket
I didn’t like that large black frame with all the wedding photos in it…and I was sick of black frames. Our house is filled with black frames. Plus this gallery didn’t really use the space properly. 
Photobucket
So, to begin I took all of the frames down and nails out. I have been gathering frames up for a long time to use on this project. I then made a paper template to fit the size of each frame I was planning to use. I thought this would take forever but really it was surprisingly fast!
Photobucket
The paper templates made it is SO easy to move the “frames” around and play with the layout. I just used painters tape and experimented with different layouts until I found one that I liked. I had two goals: 1. to try to cover up all of the previously existing nails holes with a new frame so I wouldn’t have to patch and re-paint and 2. to keep the “R” where it originally was. It was a pain to put up and I didn’t want to mess with it again!
Photobucket
I also numbered each frame and then put the corresponding number on the template so that I wouldn’t confuse which frame belonged where. Then, once I had decided on my layout I placed the template against the frame and used a pen to mark where the nail should go. I did each frame one by one, making sure to tape it back on the wall in the correct place. Then I simply put a nail over each mark. SO easy and it requires zero guess work and measuring!
Photobucket
Then I hung the frames! You can see I used some old frames mixed with some new. 
Photobucket
Seeing this picture makes me sort of like the mix of black with white frames. The wall looked like this for several days while I tried to decide if I liked the “mix” or if I wanted to stick to my original plan and paint all of the frames white. My mom voted to keep the mix. My husband didn’t care. So I figured I might as well paint everything white…it is an easy switch back to black if I change my mind down the road.
Photobucket
And here it is! I added two frames into the layout last minute. And I kept the “R” black…but am still on the fence about what color it should be. I kind of like it in black.
Photobucket
Here is the view from the kitchen entry. (please ignore my dark hallway with zero natural light)
Photobucket
And the view from our front door.
Photobucket
One of my favorite wedding photos didn’t fit in the mat I purchased so I improvised by backing it in burlap!
Photobucket
I’ve always wanted to display this photo of baby Wrigley, taken by our wedding photographers the year after our wedding. And I just had to use the cat print on the top right. I purchased it after Pancake died because it looked so much like him and Henry. I’m so glad it finally has a place on our wall! And that old postcard is from Long Beach, where I grew up. It was my mom’s (and so was the frame!) and I told her I really liked it so she gave it to me. She’s the best.
Photobucket
Erin and I found that ampersand at Hobby Lobby. It was painted rusty red and had a base to stand it upright…so we talked the husband in to sawing it off for us and then we painted it white and roughed it up a bit. It can be seen in the annual photos she took of us for this gallery wall and for our Christmas cards!
Photobucket
I love the mix of photos and non-photos. This is just a greeting card my mom and I found that I fell in love with one day while shopping.
Photobucket
Top left and bottom right photos were taken by Erin and I love them! The bottom right is also backed in burlap.
Photobucket
I’m so happy with how it turned out. Now I want to make another one going up the stairs….eventually I’ll get to it!
p.s. I’m just know noticing there are a ton of photos of Wrigley on this wall. No, we are not crazy dog people….he’s just so photogenic and we don’t have kids, so why not?

« Chevron Pillows
Happy Thanksgiving! »

Comments

  1. Ashley says

    November 22, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    i adore your final masterpiece! i sooo want to this one day! good work, lady 🙂

    p.s. your doggy is too cute!!

  2. Katie says

    November 22, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    Julie it looks fantastic! You can never have too many pictures of your dog. that's how we see it anyways haha

    I had an idea while looking at it..I do like the black R since it stands out but you could also spraypaint it a blue color to match the blue "mrandmrs" color in that frame? Then you'd have some color on the wall! just an idea. I love it how it is though too!!

  3. Ashley says

    November 22, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Oh I love it!!! I was trying to decide on frame color for mine as well, so I am glad you posted the mix, and I definately like it all one color, but love the black R, the and sign would look cute black too!! Thanks soo much for sharing!!! I'm still collecting frames for mine but the wall I am using is HUGE! lol

  4. Corinne says

    November 22, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Your wall looks great! thanks for giving the step-by-step, it definitely looks "doable" now.

    I love all the photos of Wrigley! He's a part of your fam, it's only fair he's included!

  5. Holly says

    November 22, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    This looks fabulous! I love the white frames too. Thanks for sharing your tips. I so need to do this now 🙂

  6. Noe says

    November 22, 2011 at 2:39 pm

    Great job Julie! I love the way it looks, and I wish I could find that same ampersand. And that greeting card almost brought me tears… Perfectly Done!

  7. Lacey says

    November 22, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    It looks amazing!!! You did such a good job! I love it!!

  8. Sara Elizabeth says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    WOW!! I LOVE it!!! You did an AWESOME job!! I need you and Erin to come here and help me!!

  9. erin vancura says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    i LOVE IT!!! and i LOVE the backing with burlap, genius!!

  10. Katie says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:27 pm

    This is just lovely! I'm obsessed… and am going to attempt to replicate asap 🙂 Fabulous!

  11. Lyndsay & Co. says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    Looks so good! I did the same thing with the wall that our tv is on in our living room, and I LOVE it! Such a cute and sassy way to spice up any wall! 🙂 Happy Tuesday!

  12. Natalie says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    It looks amazing! I have been wanting to do a gallery wall for a while now, I'm just not sure where I am going to do it.

  13. Carolyn says

    November 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    Love the gallery wall! I need to update ours in our living room, and this is motivating me! 🙂

    I love all the white frames. Mine are all black right now… but maybe this makes me want to paint them! GAH! haha

  14. Table4One says

    November 22, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    I am loving your wall!!! I have a huge wall behind my loveseat that I am hoping to fill with something like that! Thanks for the inspiration!

  15. natasha {schue love} says

    November 22, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    LOVE it! And I don't think there is anything wrong with having a ton of pics of Wrigley {says the girl who has a TON of photos of Wilson!} 🙂

  16. Married...with a Pup says

    November 22, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    Seriously looks soooo good!!! I love the white frames against your paint color! Love it!

  17. Jesica says

    November 22, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Looks beautiful! I've been struggling with a gallery wall for my stairwell and now having seen your finished product I think I definitely need to make it happen!

  18. Caiti says

    November 22, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    Love it!! I'm working on gathering frames to do something similar to my living room wall.

  19. Katie says

    November 22, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    I love it! Love the mix of photos and art! I like the all white or mixed colors, too! You did a great job. We've been working on ours forever, b/c we aren't organized at all and just freehand it. We finally finished one set of stairs almost a month ago, and three totes of frames still sit in my living room waiting to be hung! Sigh! Love your finished product – a great collection!

  20. Linda says

    November 22, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    I think there will be ALOT of people completing a gallery wall now! Thanks for all the tips and it looks amazing!

  21. Amanda says

    November 22, 2011 at 7:44 pm

    This turned out great! Can you come decorate my house pleaseeee?!

  22. Kristen @ All In My Twenties says

    November 22, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    IN LOVE!! So cute!! It turned out really well!! I just did this is my bedroom a couple weeks ago!!

  23. Vicky says

    November 22, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    Looks amazing! This is what I hope to accomplish on our stair wall during the Holiday break. Gave me some good ideas 🙂

  24. Aimee L says

    November 22, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    Cute idea!

    I love the names of your kitties…I, too, had a kitty named Henry! Unfortunately he passed away earlier this year. I'm glad to hear you still have YOUR Henry! 🙂

  25. The Benningtons says

    November 22, 2011 at 9:04 pm

    How funny that this was your post today! I want to do a gallery wall and have been looking around for "instructions" – thank you for spelling it out for me, friend! Your wall looks simply amazing (of course!)

  26. Whitney says

    November 22, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    Way cute!! I am obsessed and It turned out so fantastic.

  27. bev says

    November 22, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    The wall looks great, nice work!

  28. Jen says

    November 23, 2011 at 12:14 am

    It look so great! Very nice job.

  29. dancing my way through life says

    November 23, 2011 at 3:12 am

    You gallery wall looks great!!! That's a great idea of using the paper to lay it out.

  30. megan says

    November 23, 2011 at 4:04 am

    Looks so good, Julie! I do like the little pops of black. And I was just thinking earlier today if I was one of those crazy dog ladies because I want to get like paintings of Brady and put them around the house ha!

  31. Tammy @ Lemons, Avocados, and the Bay says

    November 23, 2011 at 7:21 am

    Looks fantastic. I also really like how you used lighter frames to brighten up hallway 🙂

  32. Emily says

    November 23, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    This looks AMAZING! I'm totally using the template idea next time I do my hallway… 🙂

  33. Stephanie says

    November 24, 2011 at 5:28 am

    Oh my GOSH! You are GOOOOOOOD girlfriend!! Way to go! Looks AH-MAZING!!

    Love the ampersand! Oh-and of course the bajillion photos of Wrigley!…he just might be THE most photogenic dog…like EVER!

    xoxo

  34. Michael and Sarah May says

    November 27, 2011 at 10:47 pm

    I LOVE the gallery wall. If you want to change the "R" color you could always paint it red!!! Or charcoal.

  35. Amy Powell says

    December 4, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    that looks so great! love it!

  36. Kiki says

    November 12, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    You did a fabulous job. I love it. Might have to re vamp the one at our house!
    XOXO

Lately on Instagram

Fall leaves forever and ever. Fall leaves forever and ever.
All their personalities captured in one photo. All their personalities captured in one photo.
Raising her to love the fall as much as her mama. Raising her to love the fall as much as her mama.
My porch is really feeling fall and I AM HERE FOR My porch is really feeling fall and I AM HERE FOR IT.
A simple gift idea for teachers for Halloween! A simple gift idea for teachers for Halloween!
That one is my baby. That one is my baby.
Finally a vitamin I feel good about giving to my k Finally a vitamin I feel good about giving to my kids that they actually enjoy taking! Use code REDSHOES to save $5 on your @renzosvitamins purchase. AD Find them here: https://offer.renzosvitamins.com/REDSHOES
Soccer mom life is good. Mini van and all. Soccer mom life is good. Mini van and all.

Copyright © The Girl in the Red Shoes 2023 · Design by Alpine Lane