It’s no secret that we love a gallery wall at Fenton & Fenton. Gallery walls provide the opportunity to put treasured artworks, curiosities, illustrations or photographs on display. Achieving one that feels carefully curated does require a little planning and consideration. Here, our Head of Styling, Trade & Retail, Amber Phillips, shares her tips.
COLLECT, COLLECT, COLLECT
Start collecting artworks, prints and interesting curiosities that you love. Consider the vibe you want to create. Is it moody, playful, energetic or evocative? Colour always comes into play as the ultimate connector.
FIND COMMON GROUND
The first step is finding a common thread that will make your display feel like it is curated, not just collected. Colour is where we almost always start. This doesn’t mean every piece needs to be pink, it just needs to incorporate some pink to create cohesion.
MIX YOUR MEDIUMS, STYLES & SIZES
Aim to create interest and a little tension within your scheme. We like to mix up mediums, styles and sizes, often starting with a larger hero piece to anchor the collection. Consider painting, photographs, illustrations, ceramics, woven textiles and more. Don’t be afraid to mix styles and subject.
ANCHOR YOUR COLLECTION
We generally start with something large and in charge to anchor a collection and build around this. This doesn’t need to be centred, but a starting point to create focus. And, you can always start a gallery wall with just a few artworks and build on your collection over time.
EVEN OR ODD?
Decide if odd or even numbers work best. More often than not, collections work best when grouped in an uneven number. A good place to start is with just three pieces. Even numbers however can work well in regimented groups of the same-sized artwork.
FRAME YOUR ARTWORK
Have your artwork professionally framed. You don’t have to use the same type of frame for every item in your gallery wall and you don’t need to frame every piece either. A mix of styles, finishes, sizes, textures and colours is ok, especially if a colour palette is the thread pulling your collection together.
CURATE YOUR PLACEMENT
Measure your wall space prior to hanging your collection, then lay it all out on the floor. Play around with the spacing and arrangement. Shuffle, re-jig and edit until it feels just right. Stand back, take photographs of the possible curations and allow a bit of breathing space in between the frames, ensuring a similar space between all artworks so it feels cohesive.
HANG IT
Gallery walls work well when positioned above pieces of furniture, such as sofas, consoles, dining tables or beds. But they also work well around doors, kitchen cabinets and in hall or entrance way. You’ll need nails, picture hooks, 3M tape and a hammer or drill. Draw lightly on walls with a pencil where the top corners of the frames will be and measure and mark where the nail or hook needs to be placed, using a spirit level to make sure everything is straight. If this is all too daunting, hire a professional hanger to install the curation for you.
EDIT IT
It’s ok to change things up over time and add to your collection or edit your curation. People get scared about re-hanging artwork, but our advice is don’t be! Keep editing until it feels just right.
DECORATE IT
The final step is then adding a few little statement accessories or room heroes to complement your gallery wall. Think cushions, vases, sculptures and any kind of room accent that helps personalise your home and make it uniquely yours.
Need help buying art or creating a gallery wall?
Whether you are buying your very first piece of artwork or adding to a curated collection, our art and styling team are on hand to guide your art decisions.
We offer complimentary instore and virtual Art Consults.
Visit Fenton & Fenton or The Fenton & Fenton Gallery for endless inspiration and an ever-evolving and dynamic collection of available works.
