A Gallery Wall

I had one of those Saturdays… you know the kind?  The kind where you end up working even though you didn’t plan on it and you’re constantly running (and running behind)?

Needless to say, there wasn’t much time to play “house” this weekend.  Yesterday left me drained and needing some R&R, but by the afternoon I was getting antsy and decided to turn my attention to the back wall of our living room.

This wall has never gotten the love it deserves.  When we first moved in and started testing paint colors, it was a hodgepodge of art and furniture.

Then we started treating it like an office area and it became a place to display our diplomas and art.

While out shopping one day, I came across this canvas with all our living room colors in it.  The diplomas came down and the flowers went up!

Shortly thereafter, Stephen needed the desk for his studio and I decided the floral canvas looked better on a different wall.  I brought in a folding table covered in a drop cloth and hung this thrift store owl print and another art piece just in time for Halloween.

The folding table couldn’t stay there for long, so for the past few months, these two frames have been hanging all alone.

I’ve been trying to hang more of our artwork and photos lately instead of letting them gather dust, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to use what I had.  I knew I wanted an eclectic gallery wall, so I didn’t worry if my frames didn’t match or whether the photos were up to date.  I just started laying frames out on the floor and switching them around until I liked what I saw.

After transferring the art from the floor to the wall, here is the finished result!

Not bad for zero dollars and 30 minutes worth of work, huh?

On the right side, there’s an Old Time photo of Stephen and me in Eureka Springs, a little black and white shot of my dad, his mom, and sister, a photo of our dog Molly as a puppy, and a colorful piece of art we received at our wedding.

Above the owl is a frame we got on our honeymoon with one of my favorite little sayings in it, a photo of Stephen and me from college, and a candleholder-turned-mirror.  Below the owl, I hung the matching mirror, my favorite of my bridal portraits (sassy!), and a little owl I drew and placed in another honeymoon frame.

Lastly, on the left side is a snapshot of our cutie-pie kitty Tina, a woven placemat I found at a thrift store for $1, and our little gold H.

I added a retro leather stool and my DIY felt poppy pillow below the arrangement.

I love that little pop of red!

For a 30-minute solution to our blank wall, I am happy with how this gallery turned out. I’ve started realizing lately that I tend to leave walls or rooms completely unfinished when I have long-term plans for them, when what I really should be doing is using what I have to make them feel like home for now.

Long-term, we’d love to build a set of wall-to-wall bookcases along this back wall, with concealed storage on the bottom half and open shelving on the top.  I know this project won’t be in the cards for several months, so why not use what I have to make an interesting focal point in the meantime?

After this little project, I think I’m on a roll!  I’ve been digging up all kinds of art pieces I’d forgotten about, and my goal is to find a home for everything I love and get rid of what I don’t.  Maybe it’s time for you to do the same?  In the name of spring cleaning – on your mark, get set, go!

Linking to the Inspired Room’s Gallery Wall Party!