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Emily A. Clark

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Can You Have Too Many Gallery Walls?

June 12, 2014

Someone commented on one of my many gallery wall pins a few weeks ago, and asked if you can have too many gallery walls in your house:

fd42dca6496edde20b595935297b9304gallery-pin

 

I may be the wrong girl to ask since I’ve never met a gallery wall I didn’t like. But it is a good question—especially for houses with open concept floor plans. A big collection of frames is great for lots of reasons. Mainly, because it’s an easy way to make a big visual impact—on almost any budget.

But, what’s the trick to keeping your walls from looking cluttered?

two gallery walls

living room gallery wall

 

When rooms are open to one another—like our entry and living room, for example—I think you can still do more than one gallery wall. The trick is to make them feel and look completely different so they’re not competing with each other. I’ve grouped my gallery walls by “theme,” by the frame type and by varying the arrangement on the wall.

botanical gallery wall

 

In the entry, I used botanical prints, with all the same frames and hung them on a grid. It’s just “down the wall” from the living room wall gallery around our TV, so you can see them both at the same time:

foyer gallery wall

 

This gallery is a more haphazard, but even though I used different frames, I used (almost) all watercolors:

living room art wall around TV

 

Gallery wall arrangements are also my favorite way to display family photos. I can actually see and enjoy my photos every day that way—and there’s only so many small picture frames you can have sitting around. It doesn’t bother me to have lots of these collections throughout the house because I feel like they tell our story—and they just make me happy.

I used all black and gold frames (in two sizes) and some of my favorite black and white family photos in our master bedroom:

master bedroom family photo wall

 

And, I’ve started a collection of more favorites down the back hallway, where we come and go the most:

family photo wall

 

I even included a beloved stuffed animal that’s been with us so long, he also feels like part of the family:

framing family photos

 

What are your thoughts on how many gallery walls you can have?

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Filed Under: artwork, design tips, our home, Simple Design Ideas Tagged With: art, gallery wall

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cassie says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:27 am

    i have several as well, and i don’t think you can have too many as long as they aren’t contrived and truly made up of things you love and tell about you and your family!

    Reply
  2. Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:32 am

    I’m with you – as long as they each have their own look, I don’t think you can have too many gallery walls.

    Reply
  3. [email protected] Stroll Thru Life says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:57 am

    Oh yours are all so beautiful, I think you have done it right.

    Reply
  4. a perfect gray says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:59 am

    emily! guess where I was yesterday…catawba antiques! was making a fun trip to ikea in charlotte when I found myself needing gas near belmont….I loved it and didn’t get nearly through before closing time. I see you sold the black secretary. makes me wanna do a booth again! donna

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 12, 2014 at 9:10 am

      Yes, that place could take hours! Glad you made it by. My booth is in transition as you saw :)

      Reply
  5. sherry hart says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:00 am

    I agree with you of course….there is nothing prettier than a well curated gallery wall…..

    Reply
  6. Emilu says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Love your tips! I think you’re totally right. And it comes down to personal taste… Too many frames in one room might overwhelm some but be the perfect inspiration for others….

    Reply
  7. Rosalind Ross says

    June 12, 2014 at 9:30 am

    I’m with you Emily! Gallery walls are fab!

    Reply
  8. Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG says

    June 12, 2014 at 10:16 am

    I LOVE gallery walls and planned to have one in our new home…but what I LOVE even more is the grey paint in your livingroom…can you share the name of the color, please???

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 12, 2014 at 10:34 am

      Thanks, Cheryl! It’s Amazing Gray by SW.

      Reply
  9. Jill says

    June 12, 2014 at 10:52 am

    Have you seen my house? Obviously, I don’t think there is a limit! ;)

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 12, 2014 at 11:04 am

      Well, your house is one of my favorites so at least I’m in good company!

      Reply
  10. Dawn says

    June 12, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    I think I asked this question, too! I have three, but need more to support by photo and art habit. I hope there’s no such thing as too many if they are done nicely.

    Reply
  11. Kim says

    June 12, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    I was asking myself the same question the other week. I feel that when I have a gallery wall in a room, I tend to leave the other walls more sparse to keep the clutter down. I noticed others do the same thing. Some people may hang a picture or two on every blank space on every wall while others tend to gravitate towards grouping all their pictures onto one wall. I happened to prefer the latter :)

    Reply
  12. cara says

    June 12, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    sorry if this is already answered in another place but what is the wall color in the mudroom/coat hook area? thanks and i love your house and your style!

    Reply
  13. Cynthia says

    June 12, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    Do you have any recommendations on your favorite places to purchase frames for a gallery? I’m specifically referring to photography of family :)) We have lots of professional photography and I LOVE the photos, but can never seem to find the right frames :) Thank you! Your house is gorgeous!

    Reply
  14. South Shore Decorating Blog says

    June 12, 2014 at 4:05 pm

    I just posted tips on gallery walls the other day…I wish I had linked to this post because yours are perfect!
    Stacy

    Reply
  15. Patty Day says

    June 12, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    When we moved into our new home I wasn’t quite sure how to handle a 19′ x5′ foyer hall running from the front door to the Great Room. I thought I’d hate it1 But, I decided to hang all the large art pieces that my Granddaughter had done for us over the last few years. It worked and is a wonderful “Gallery Hall” showcasing my Granddaughter’s work!

    Reply
  16. [email protected] says

    June 12, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    I love gallery walls too! I have one in our house now, but I’ve been contemplating adding another!

    Reply
  17. Jenny B. says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:58 pm

    I love them all! I have been collecting things for a gallery wall (and also plates for a plate wall), but I have yet to figure out where to put them in our open concept house. I think I need professional help. :) I appreciate seeing the grouping around your TV that’s NOT mounted on the wall. Those wall mounted lamps are a great idea! I am relatively new to your blog, and I need to go back through old posts. I am sure there is tons of inspiration! :)

    Reply
  18. Ashley Urke | Domestic Fashionista says

    June 12, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    I am so glad you have so many gallery walls. I have thought this as well before but it has never kept me from not keeping mine up! Like you said, they make decorating manageable on a budget and are also so easy to change out. I hope they never get old! Your TV gallery wall has always been my favorite! I think every time you show a new photo of it I have to pin it. It is just so beautiful every tme…and I am realizing now that it is the cohesiveness in the watercolors that make it work so well! Such a great thing for me to remember when putting a wall together!

    Reply
  19. Jennifer @ Brave New Home says

    June 13, 2014 at 12:11 am

    I’m also of the camp that you can’t have too many gallery walls. Thanks for sharing your tips and thoughts though. The beauty of gallery walls is that they appear organic but in actuality, the most thoughtful and successful ones have a good bit of thought behind them.

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 13, 2014 at 7:35 am

      So true! Wish I’d thought of that and wrote it in the post :)

      Reply
  20. Katherine @ Grass Stains says

    June 13, 2014 at 12:33 am

    I was hoping your answer would be No, because I have a gallery wall in a few rooms! I love them, because it allows me to showcase several pieces of art or photographs without having to make hard choices of what to exclude, and I also don’t have to spend a huge chunk of money on a single large piece of original art.

    Reply
  21. Bethany @ Dwellings by DeVore says

    June 13, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    I think you said it perfectly! I’m a huge fan of gallery walls!

    Reply
  22. Lisa H. says

    June 13, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    Hooray! I’m happy to know an expert supports my opinion on this subject, and you explained it so beautifully. :)

    Reply
  23. Catherine says

    June 14, 2014 at 8:46 am

    I really love that you not only mix large and small, dark and light frames, but that you throw in a canvas or two! Being a photographer and a military family we move all the time. We just moved from Kansas to Miami and downsized by 2000 square feet! I could part with furniture, but not photos and artwork. This is perfect for my few small walls and TONS of photos! Thank you for the inspsiration!

    Reply
  24. Whitney M says

    June 15, 2014 at 10:00 pm

    Great post! I LOVE gallery walls and worrying about overdoing it. (I’m kind of an art hoarder and come from a family of artists so I have a lot of their artwork!) I just try and balance out the weight from one side of the room to another–gallery wall on one side, large furniture of the other, etc. Thank you for the great tips!

    Reply
  25. Jamie says

    June 16, 2014 at 10:52 am

    I LOVE this… I have a major love for anything gallery wall as well and am in the process of adding one to my bath… Also a mama to five I find that I NEVER run out of material to fill those frames! Love the stuffed animal shot… Probs going to have to add this to one of my walls ;)
    J / http://www.jamiefinkdesigns.com

    Reply
  26. sona says

    June 17, 2014 at 10:16 am

    I just want to know how you keep all those pics straight!!! Mine are all over the place almost every day.

    Reply
  27. NR Designs says

    June 17, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    Loved your post on Gallery Walls. Just curious…….where did you find the botanical prints you have in your foyer. Also, do you have any websites that you would recommend as a DIY project for creating botanical prints? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 18, 2014 at 7:46 am

      My botanical prints came from an old book called Wildflowers of America. (I think there are newer versions on Amazon…).

      Did you see this link in one of my older Sat. 6 posts? I think these are really neat:

      https://emilyaclark.com/2014/04/the-saturday-6-11.html

      Reply
  28. NR Designs says

    June 19, 2014 at 12:13 am

    Thanks Emily! I did remember you having a recent post about a botanical DIY project. So glad you shared it again!

    Reply
  29. mary says

    July 3, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    Emily, I love your style and have followed your blog for a couple of years now. You always have the best tips! I have two very large walls in my living room and really no other space in the main house to hang pictures. I did a gallery wall behind our couch which faces an even bigger wall where the TV is on. I want to also frame the TV wall like you’ve done. Do you think that would be too much?

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      July 4, 2014 at 10:39 am

      Thanks, Mary! If I were doing two gallery walls in the same room, I would probably mix them up–doing one on a grid and the other a little more haphazard so that they don’t look like they’re competing against each other.

      Reply
      • mary says

        July 4, 2014 at 11:12 pm

        That’s what I was thinking too :). Thanks Emily!

        Reply
  30. erin says

    November 17, 2014 at 10:30 pm

    Where did you get your black and gold gallery frames? I love the master wall.

    Reply
    • Alicia Howell says

      July 21, 2016 at 4:23 am

      I was also wondering where you found those gold frames that hang on the striped wall. I have been looking for some just like them. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
      Thank you,
      Alicia

      Reply
      • Emily Clark says

        July 21, 2016 at 8:39 am

        Hi Alicia, They’re the inexpensive plastic frames from Michaels, spray painted gold.

        Reply
  31. kaitlin says

    July 19, 2015 at 11:57 pm

    I have two open walls in my living room and they are across from each other and relatively long, i also live in an apartment. How would it look if i made them both gallery walls? The other wall has the patio and blinds on. I have spent many months contemplating it, and i am just ready to have it decorated. If it would look to clutttered, what else could i do to those walls? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      July 20, 2015 at 9:44 am

      Hi Kaitlin, I’m not sure I’d do two gallery walls opposite from one another. Maybe a gallery on one and then one larger piece of art or a big mirror on the other…

      Reply
    • Angela Gillespie says

      September 20, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      I have a living room and kitchen that are open to each other. In my living room I have a gallery wall and in the space that separates the kitchen from the living room I added ledge shelves that I made for another gallery wall so that I could change the photos and art easily. While the walls are occupying the same space I love how they turned out and I get lots of compliments. To keep the ledge shelves from being too busy I painted them to match the walls.

      Reply
  32. Brittany says

    March 2, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    I noticed you never did more than one gallery per room. What did you do on the wall opposite to the wall gallery with your tv? My living room’s two best options for a gallery, happen to across the room from each other. What is your recommendation for choosing the best out of the two?

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      March 3, 2016 at 7:40 am

      I put a larger piece of furniture on the other side and hung some prints on each side of it. You can see it here:

      https://emilyaclark.com/our-home

      Reply

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