Have a few prints or art pieces that you want to display, but aren’t sure how to? Don’t worry, you aren’t the first to encounter this problem and you certainly won’t be the last.
Art lovers before and after you have the same dilemma whenever they decide to show off some of their favorite pieces at home.
Home art galleries add a whole new feel to your home. Whether you’re just updating the artwork displayed or you’re putting it up for the first time, deciding how to create your gallery can be a bit difficult.
Sometimes you simply don’t know-how. Other times, you can’t decide on a method.
To help you get started in creating your own home art gallery, here are some great ideas that may fit your vision of a perfect art gallery!
How to Show it Off
#1. Assorted Frames
If your artwork needs to be put in frames, you have a whole new complication to work out. Which frame do you choose? Do they have the frame-style you want in all the sizes you need? It isn’t always as straightforward as it seems.
Using assorted frames is a great way to use old frames and not stress about making sure everything matches. You can choose different sizes and styles and then, to help it look a bit more coordinated and intentional, paint the frames to be the same colors.
Just grab a can of spray paint and set up a temporary workspace outside and you can have your home art gallery ready by this evening!
#2. Clothesline
If you’re looking for something that’s really low budget or you want a minimalistic, almost vintage look, use a clothesline to hang up your favorite prints.
While this method won’t work as well for large pieces of art, it can be a great solution for displaying a bunch of smaller pieces in an organized manner.
#3. Have a Theme
Perhaps your art has a theme already and you want to expand on it. If you have a lot of travel artwork, think about incorporating past tickets from planes, museums, or festivals.
If you have some antique pieces, consider mixing them together with a few modern decors. While modern and antique themes may not sound like they go together, there are ways to mix and match your furniture and art to make it work.
#4. Go Frameless
You don’t necessarily need a frame to display you art. In fact, choosing to forgo frames and pin up your art can give your art gallery a clean, minimalistic look.
#5. Mixed Media
Having an art gallery doesn’t mean you can only display paintings and drawings. Good art galleries incorporate a few other types of media such as photos or signs or other types of knick knacks.
Mixing your media works well no matter how you display your art and can be made to match any type of theme.
#6. Above Furniture
Maybe you have a dresser or small bookshelf that looks a little lonely against the wall. Hanging your art gallery above it is a great way to spruce up the area and draw attention to a once ignored part of your home.
You can even set little trinkets or flowers on the shelf that match the colors in your artwork to help tie it all together.
#7. Floating Shelves
Have you seen those shelves that look like they’re floating? If so, then you can probably already imagine how you can arrange them to display your art.
Floating shelves come in just about any style you can think of, but add a bit of modernity to an otherwise basic way to display or hold things.
With floating shelves, you can stack and arrange your art next to all sorts of knick knacks and trinkets.
Unlike simply hammering in a nail and hanging a frame off of it, floating shelves allow you the freedom to switch up your art whenever you see fit.
You won’t have to worry about your new piece being too large to fit or awkwardly small in the vacated space.
#8. Odd Numbers
When you’re deciding how many pieces to display, always go with an odd number.
The rule of threes is a great tool for learning about the phenomenon of odd numbers but if you just want a quick rundown, here it is: When choosing to display something, an odd number of said things will attract the eye better than an even number.
With this in mind, consider designing an art gallery layout that uses odd numbers. If you have ten pieces to hang, line them up in two rows of five.
Wherever you can, try to take advantage of any odd numbers to help draw attention to your gallery without making it too obvious that’s what you want.
#9. Create a Grid
If you only want to show off your art and you don’t want to add any other trinkets, you might like to create a grid.
All your art pieces will need to be the same size and don’t forget about the odd numbers rule, but using a grid to display your art adds a clean look to a modern home.
Grids work best in hallways or above furniture and are great for displaying art from a single origin.
Perhaps you picked up six or eight paintings from your favorite local artist or you have a dozen photos you want to show off from your last trip to Europe.
No matter the case, a grid gallery is a great way to tie everything together and keep it looking neat.
Make it Yours!
You don’t need to make your home art gallery rival the Met’s. While it’s okay to want it to look nice, you shouldn’t feel stressed about making it look good. In the end, it’s your art gallery and it’s you who should enjoy it the most.
Creating an art gallery is a fantastic way to display your favorite pieces of art and add some color and style to your home.
The best part about art galleries, though, is that they can truly be created exactly how you want them, whether that’s with a vintage look, a clean grid, or a modern arrangement.