DIY Gallery Wall with vintage and thrifted items🖤
I looooove me a good gallery wall. The trick to making it interesting, is to add items to the wall, not just frames! I have antlers on there, an industrial piece, wood pieces, etc.
literally anything you like can be art. Just hang it on the wall. Boom. Art.
I’m going for a very English salon walk type look, so it’s crowded and on the darker and moodier side.
There’s a mix of family photos, photos with my partner, random art, and found items. The key is to make it feel collected.
SO TELL ME! Should I wrap onto the next wall?!
#vintage gallery wall #gallerywallinspo #gallerywalltips #gallerywalls #homediyproject
Building an eclectic gallery wall, especially with vintage and thrifted items, can feel a bit intimidating at first. I totally get it! But trust me, it’s one of the most rewarding DIY projects you can tackle, and it truly makes a space feel personal and lived-in. If you're wondering how to create a gallery wall that feels authentically 'you,' here are some of my go-to tips. Sourcing Your Treasures: The Hunt for Vintage & Thrifted Finds The secret to that stunning, collected look? It’s all in the hunt! As someone with "no self control when I go thrifting and estate sale shopping," I can tell you that these places are goldmines. Don't limit yourself to just frames. Keep an eye out for unique small curios, old prints, botanical pressings, quirky signs, and especially vintage mirrors. Different shapes and sizes of mirrors can add incredible depth and light to your eclectic gallery wall. Flea markets, antique malls, online marketplaces, and even yard sales are fantastic places to find those unexpected pieces. Remember, anything can be art if it speaks to you! I've found that having a stash of "stuff left over" from previous adventures is actually a blessing when starting a new section of my art wall. Designing Your Eclectic Layout: How to Arrange Your Art Wall Before you grab the hammer, lay everything out on the floor! This is a game-changer for visualizing your arrangement. Start with your larger, anchor pieces (maybe a big vintage print or a statement mirror) and then build around them. For a truly eclectic gallery wall, don't be afraid to mix orientations (portrait, landscape) and shapes (square frames next to an oval mirror). If you're aiming for that darker, moodier vibe like mine, a tighter, more clustered arrangement often works best. For those who are still a bit intimidated by a gallery wall, using kraft paper templates cut to the size of your pieces and taping them to the wall can help you play with the layout without making any holes. Mixing & Matching for that Collected Feel: Beyond Just Frames The beauty of an eclectic gallery wall is its ability to tell a story. Combine family photos with abstract art, thrifted landscapes, and unexpected objects like antlers or industrial pieces. Integrating different types of items – not just framed pictures – is key. Think textiles, small shelves with tiny sculptures, or even decorative plates. And don't forget those mirror gallery wall ideas! A cluster of different antique mirrors can create a stunning focal point or seamlessly blend into a larger arrangement, reflecting light and adding another layer of visual interest. The goal is to create a visual conversation between all the pieces, making it feel like it's been curated over time. The 'Wrap Around' Effect: Expanding Your Gallery Wall As my OCR mentioned, I'm often asked, "Should I wrap onto the next wall?" My answer is usually a resounding YES! "Wrapping the gallery wall" is an exciting way to expand your creative canvas and make a room feel even more immersive. When extending your art wall, try to maintain a cohesive thread – perhaps a similar color palette, theme, or style of framing – while still allowing for new, surprising additions. Don't let the idea of expanding intimidate you; it's just more space for treasures and stories. An art wall should always be evolving, just like your personal style.
