How to successfully install an eclectic gallery wall:

1. Measure the size of the wall – length and height – be sure to take into account any furniture that may be below, if applicable.

2. If you have access to a drawing program, like AutoCAD, you can draw your wall to scale and then input some generic sizes of art – until you like the overall pattern or design you’ve created. If you don’t have access to a drawing program, you can simply use sheets of paper in the sizes you like and arrange either on the floor or with painters tape on the wall itself, until you have a design you like.

a. If you are planning to use a professional framing company, you can make your art any size you prefer, but if you are planning to frame yourself with retail frames, you’ll want to estimate your art in some standard sizes: 8x10, 11x17, 16x20, 18x24, 24x36, etc.

3. It helps to start with one larger piece as the anchor art. In our case, we used the large oval art to act as center to our random collage on either side.

4. Repeat unifying factors: bronze frames, square shapes, small vs. large, colorful art, sketches, colorful mats, framed vs. canvas, etc. If you look at our example – we repeated these elements on both sides until it felt balanced.

a. Balance is something that does not have to mean symmetrical.

b. You just need to make sure one side doesn’t feel lighter or heavier than the other side.

c. Know that if it feels good for you, then it is a success!

5. In this example, we used an art rod system from Pottery Barn and it added a great metal and rustic feel to our gallery, but without it, the gallery is still dynamic.

As long as you compile pieces you love, you should have an eclectic gallery wall you’ll enjoy looking at for a long time!