Wall Art: What’s Your Style ?
May 12, 2010
Have you ever felt the frustration of a blank wall staring at you and you’re at a loss how to decorate it ? Me to! Where oh where do you begin? I’m staring at the blank wall in our living room with the same dilemma.
I’ve shopped my house and pulled all sorts of different artwork, frames, and artifacts together. Now, I am in the process of displaying it all in a cohesive way. I’ve been gathering inspiration and carefully observing different styles. Meanwhile, I thought I’d pose these questions to all of you:
1) Do you prefer a wall display that is balanced
through symmetry and/or repetition ?
Style Court
Apartment Therapy
Kishani Perera
via Decorpad
Better Homes and Gardens
Southern Accents
Ballard Designs
Veranda
Southern Accents
Southern Living
2) Or does a salon style gallery wall appeal
to you ?
House Beautiful
Domino
Southern Accents
House Beautiful
Coastal Living
Steven Gambrel
DIY Ideas
Nate Berkus/Elle Decor
Pottery Barn
Charlotte Moss/House and Garden
Cottage Living
Better Homes and Gardens
Apartment Therapy
Pottery Barn
I’ve done symmetrical frame displays in my office and daughter’s room, but for my living room, I’m truly liking the appeal of a gallery or salon wall that looks collected over time.
And I do love this idea by Better Homes & Gardens to tape paper to the wall to test proportion and spacing before you start pounding holes !
Better Homes and Gardens
Have you made a statement with art on a wall in your home ? Do you prefer a symmetrical grid like display, or a more asymmetrical and whimsical salon style gallery ? Got a link to a fabulous wall art display? Do share, I could use more inspiration while I tackle this project !
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Tags: salon wall, wall art, wall gallery
I’m mixed like you – I like a symmetrical collection of somethings and a gallery look for others! Great pics! Love the ones you picked out!
Sorry none to share…yet. But I am amassing for a salon style gallery wall in my bedroom. I think they’re much more interesting, whimsical, surprising even! It will be great to see what you do…you pretty well always get it right!!
I’m a balance and symmetry person, generally. My husband loves a salon style gallery wall. It’s kind of interesting to go from room to room in our house and see both of those influences. The one place I have a collected-over-time look going is on the wall where I display a collection of crosses–those ARE in fact collected over time, and it’s fun to add to them. But even there, I keep the arrangement pretty balanced around a large central mirror. I never just add one to one side of the mirror–always wait ’til I have two to add so I can have one for each side. Maybe I’m TOO much into symmetry!
Good luck with your wall!
Good question! As much as I admire people who can do that “collected” look, I make it look like my 2 year old duct taped a bunch of stuff to the wall. :s I think I must be a balance and symmetry girl. ;) Years ago, I saw Martha Stewart visit on Oprah and she used the kraft paper example. I thought that was the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen. I use newspaper when I don’t have kraft paper on hand. :)
Yes! I love symmetry and I also love the “collected” look where the art seems to fill the wall but I have not tried it yet. We are trying to get a house so I hope that I can give it a try at our new place but I am also afraid it will look like an elementary school art hallway with random things taped to the walls. I think that I need to get over that fear and be free!
While I like the look of symmetry, I can’t hang anything straight and even to save my life. I LOVE the causalness of gallery style…the randomness appeals to me.
I am definitely trying the paper trick when we move and I have to face the overwhelming task of hanging pictures again! Hubs tends to just get mad at me and start hanging things up.
I neeeed symmetry, but I do not like a grid. I like a salon-style, but mostly on walls that you pass by, like a stairwell or hall. For a wall that can be viewed from a distance, its got to be somewhat balanced to satisfy my physical need for symmetry. Sorry, no examples to share with the class, I don’t actually practice my fickle ways in real life, just in my head or vicariously through you.
I have both-for my formal spaces (living room, dining room) it’s all very symmetrical, in an upper hallway and in my family room I’ve gone “wild”. (Not really-it’s more sheer laziness-didn’t want to wait for my husband to help me make it look “neat”, so I just randomly placed things!) I like both looks. My mother in law has a lot of “stuff” and the gallery look all over her home-and while I think it’s kind of cool, I also feel sort of claustrophobic sometimes. But then again, that may just be a whole ‘nother story!
Thanks for putting these all together! I’m also currently working on a wall space, so your post couldn’t come at a more perfect time for me. I like both, however, I really like it when the frames don’t match but seem to form a perfect circle/square/rectangle on the outside. Does that make sense? You have the wild because frames (and sizes) don’t match, but you also have the symmetry element because looking at the whole still gives the appearance of clean lines. Good luck! I can’t wait to see what you decide on!
I am definitely a symetric girl! I wish I could switch it up a bit, but I always bring back the symetry! Have a great day!
Salon style looks so unorganized and somewhat “messy” to me. Mind mind is very logical and orderly so it makes sense that I would like a gallery that is symmetrical. But I think it is possible to do a combination of both.
Thank you for this post! I am currently dealing with my master bedroom, which has high ceilings and tons of pale-blue gray wall and I have NO CLUE what to do with it. I found this post very inspiring and think I will get creative this very weekend!
I really like both! I am planning on doing a balanced display, much like the very first picture in my bedroom, but I have a gallery style display going up my stairs.
I’ve done both in various rooms and can’t say as I have a favorite style. I’ve used both in different rooms. My most recent display wall is in the guest room. Here is a picture of how I hung the frames.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4542900677_af30a7f4be.jpg
This is a very interesting question, Kate. I’ve always thought that everyone approaches displaying artwork, the same way I do. Accidental – on purpose, meaning, the mini art centres evolve over time, as a result of travel, etsy purchases, souvenirs, inspiration boards, etc. They are not thought through, but rather spontaneously fit the mood of the space, like a diy dried leaves artwork in the hallway, B&W framed old family pictures, the collection of small water colors my mother-in-law created, some beautiful pics depicting our great family moments, or beautiful stand-alone large oil painting as a main focal point in the living room. Turns out, there is another way too, deliberate, measured, symmetrical – gotta try this some time. Thank you for sharing.
for hanging, symmetry all the way!
I like the clean cut lines of the symmetrical. I think it looks more chic, where as the other look is definitely more vintage or farmhouse look. So I guess the question would be… what style are you trying to go for? Classy chic, or vintage farmhouse?
I like symmetry for a lot of things, but for photo collections, I really like the gallery look. However, I definitely need my frames and photos to match. The only gallery photo that really appealed to me in your collection, was the final one from PB. The frames complimented each other well, and didn’t look haphazard like it some of the others.
Salon style for sure! I love the pic from pottery barn!
I like both, and have done both in our home – it just depends on the feel that you are going for in the space. Thanks for putting this together – a lot of very inspiring images from both sides of the coin!
I love the looks of both…but in my home the salon style works a little better… first I’m just not that good with precision and second, I’m just too eclectic for all that order… but I sure do love looking at pictures of both. Thanks for another great post.
Generally I like symetry especially with a grouping of the same style of images. I do adore that hallway wall by Gambrel. Come to my site to see my latest art…
Karena
Art by Karena
You need to check out my friend Sandra’s blog
http://sawdustandpaperscraps.blogspot.com/2010/04/picture-frames-walls.html
Her wall is truly “centsational” and she did it all by herself, it’s amazing, and just like what you’ve shown.
Balance and symmetry here! Must have clean lines, balance… need balance in my chaotic life! lol
I actually really love them both. If I had more artwork, I would love to do salon style in my dining room/library.
I always lay my wall art out on the floor below where it will be hung in order to get a better idea of how it will look on the wall. That way I can move it around a dozen times if I like and not have made any holes in my wall. I’ll even take pics if I’m really unsure!
Thanks for including the chalkboard art wall in my husband’s office as one of your inspirations!! Don’t I feel honored! Janell
Wow! All of these fantastic pictures will help me with my gallery wall! Thanks for posting all of them!
Most of my walls are covered with pictures of my girls. I love the Salon Style (didn’t know it had a name, LOL). I keep my frames in black wood and then I can add to it as I need or want to. I have a problem taking old picutes down, to cute to remember how they were and what they have become. I guess I am just a symmetrical person.
Ooo! I have a salon wall. (I just found out from another blogger friend that that’s what it’s called.) I do like the symmetrical ones too, though.
I like a combination of both- hang multiple pictures on a wall in a cluster but make the outside edges line up into a giant rectangle and the interior edges can be staggered and mismatched. That way it’s clean and nice from far away but up close it feels more informal. The Apartment Therapy example is kind of what I mean but it’s too perfect- there are too many frames that are all the same size.
Love the BH&G idea!
I prefer symmetry myself. I am also a big believer in “less is more” and leaving blank spaces for the eye to “rest” rather than filling up the entire wall..looking at those filled-to-the-max walls makes me jumpy for some reason!
I’m an anal organizer myself, but I love the look of a salon style gallery wall. It appears so personaland they’re easy to add to. The wall can grow with memories over time.
Though I like the second look, it would drive me crazy! I’m all about the symmetry!
I didn’t know it had a name, but gallery style seems far more open and playful to me (as long as you feel ‘open and playful’ is a good thing). Symmetry can seem a little lifeless, and really irritating if any frames are slightly off.
A very useful post – how on earth did you gather all the photos?
oooh I like both but feel that the symetrical look is much more clean and soothing… and the stylistic more interesting… possibly more of a conversation piece. I have been holding onto the link to this wall collage for a while now from two little dicky birds: http://twolittledickybirds.blogspot.com/2010/03/love-love-love-this-i-think-i-must.html- I love the different colors and the use of just pretty frames without any inserts. And this one from Young House Love: http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/04/nursery-progress-adding-some-art/
Maybe some more inspiration for you!!
Eek! This is my current biggest obsession! I talk about it nonstop. :) It’s salon style all the way for me. You’ve posted some of my favorites here and I’ll have to save the rest for my collection.
I can love and appreciate asymmetry in other peoples homes. But for me and my crazy, chaotic life, I like the balance, order and harmony of symmetry.
I’ve always considered myself someone who has to have everything balanced–preferably in threes. But after looking at some of the gallery style inspiration shots, I think I could pull off that look in my living room without going to OCD over it all.
Thanks for sharing!!
I think I’ve got too much symmetry happening right now. I want to morph into the salon style wall in my living room…maybe this weekend. Who knows! :-)
I am more of a symmetrical kind of gal. But I don’t like too much. I like a few pieces of art on the wall more than a whole wall covered in art. But that’s just me. :)
I know you will come up with the perfect solution for your wall!
Depends on the room, but I’m loving the salon style right now. I’m planning on using it in both the office and along the stairway in my home.
must…have…symmetry…
Can’t LIVE without symmetry lol
I definately prefer the symmetrical look. It seems more chic and… intentional, but in a good way. It looks great to mix shapes though – like the pics with the differently shaped mirrors in the center of the display. The one by Ballard Designs is gorgeous! Hmm… do I have a big enough wall in my living room to do that look???
I definitely like the latter. The gallery style. And I don’t know if it’s fabulous or not, but you can actually check out my own gallery wall that I just happened to post about recently: http://www.foobella.com/2010/05/wide-open-spaces.html
=)
I like the look of symentary and the mix and mash of an art wall they both appeal to me in different settings.
Great ideas i have just finished hanging some unique fabricart work !love it.
I’m in the process of discovering a finished wall for myself. So far this is all I have: http://www.domesticdaiquiri.com/?p=165 It can go either way at this point, and I’m considering putting smaller frames inside the current ones. But first, I need to collect more frames. One trip out and I only found the three, so I’ll have to commit to another jaunt or two! :)
I would love any ideas you have for me to finish off my wall!
Normally a very symmetrical kind of person, I asked an artist friend to help us hang the pictures gallery style in our old living room (altho I didn’t know that’s what it was called at the time) because there was no way we could put such an odd assortment of frame sizes in a symmetrical format. I ended up LOVING what she did. And wishing she could come visit and help in our new living room!!!
i like the idea of it all being symmetrical and even and level because im a perfectionist, but in reality im drawn to the gallery style. because i know that i wouldnt have to worry about one side matching the other :) and that equals less stress for me! i especially love the DIY Ideas one, with the yellow sofa.