How to Perfect Salon-style Gallery Wall Hanging Like a Pro
This style of gallery wall hanging takes its name from the salons of the 19th century. The era where dozens of artwork could stay squeezed together against the wall as a part of academic competition.
When you look at it from a more modern perspective, salon-style hanging complements boho-chic style effortlessly. But at the same time, it’s also fairly easy to mess up.
After all, hanging more than one wall art will require careful consideration of a few factors that make or break the design. That includes proportions, frame styles, spacing, composition, and color palettes.
That’s why I’m here to let you know what makes a great salon hanging gallery wall. Let’s turn your large wall attractive without having to turn to big bucks’ worth of artwork.
#1 Choosing the style or theme
If you’re lucky enough to not have a collection put together yet, the best place to start is the style. This is going to involve you laying down artwork on the floor and seeing how well they could all fit together.
Think of your art as puzzle pieces laid out before you. With the, you can visualize your options clearly before grabbing for the hammer and nails.
Barring the need to be aesthetically pleasing, there are no strict rules when it comes to choosing the type of art. The important thing is that you love each and every piece of artwork you have. It’s great if you already have an idea about what you want.
But if not, then here’s a couple of suggestions to get you started down the right path.
Black and white
You don’t need to worry about colors clashing inside the room with a black-and-white theme. Since they’re neutrals, they can work with anything. But the interior styles they’re most suited for are minimalist and industrial chic.
When in doubt, go for graphic, punchy, black-and-white artwork that varies in medium and texture.
Portraits
If you want to channel the classic air of the 19th century, then the traditional portraits are a good choice. But if you’re after an arrangement with a more updated feel, go for contemporary portraits.
Monochrome
You can make a statement using color. Specifically, by using different hues of one color. You may want to refer to a color theory guide to figure out the right hue fitting for your own room.
When you have that figured out, collect works that share the same color and put them all together by adding pieces in neutral tones.
This way, you can have a wall that’s not overwhelming. Instead, it offers up carefully considered pops of color.
#2 Picking your frame
You can go with no-frames if you’re planning to group one-panel canvas art into a gallery wall. Or for a cleaner and more streamlined wall, go with artwork bordered by thin frames, or frames with 2–3 different finishes.
But if you want something that’s more old-time-y, then thick frames are your go-to. But don’t crowd them together and stick them too close to each other. Disperse them and organize them throughout the cluster.
On that note, you should know that these look best on dark-colored walls.
#3 Deciding on composition and alignment
Deciding on the alignment and the composition can be a bit challenging. It’s going to be fun and frustrating at the same time. What you need to do is trace each art piece on large pieces of paper.
Cut them out, and tape them to the wall to see how well your composition plans will fare. Don’t forget to label each template, so you know which artwork it’s supposed to represent.
But if you find that sticking them on the wall doesn’t work, then just use floating shelves. You can’t go wrong there.
Try Out Gallery Walls!
One thing you can be sure of is that there’s a piece of wall art for every wall. Sometimes gallery walls are not the right choice, and sometimes they’re downright undeniably perfect. Only you can tell for sure what your interior design really needs, and what will complete it. Don’t be afraid to try it out.
