We’re back with pics of our hallway that we “wallpapered with frames” for lack of a better description. We think it created some pretty quick dimension and interest that’s sure to be fun for the whole family. Literally. We love that we can work in drawings by Clara, class pictures, and photos of favorite vacations for the whole family to enjoy.
As for how we did it, you saw how I cut out little newspaper templates for all of the frames that we already owned (we actually had a lot of them from various arrangements in our first house, seen here, and even had a few unused ones snagged on sale a while back that were begging for some action). So we just taped up all of our pre-cut templates with a few of the larger ones staggered in the middle (to ground things) and built things out from there, placing most of the smaller frames around the perimeter for some subtle balance. We shifted things around a little, stepped back, went back in and moved stuff around, and stepped back to look at everything again. This happened about ten times with smaller and smaller tweaks until we decided we liked it. But we still wanted to sleep on it and study it one more time the next morning before breaking out the hammer (hence this post about that first phase of the project).
Yesterday we mentioned that The Washington Post scooped us by sharing this shot of our frame-riddled hallway here:
We try to stay as real-time as possible, but we also like to take a ton of after pics and write a big wordy post for ya, so it can take a few days from project completion to post publishing. If only we had a live camera feed going 24/7. Just kidding, my nightmare is to get caught picking a wedgie on camera. It’s why I never auditioned for the Real World (side tangent: John actually sent in an audition tape once when he was 19).
Anyway, so when we woke up the next day and agreed that we still liked the proposed frame placement, it was time to lay out all of our frames on the floor of the dining room in the same arrangement, just to check if some of the actual frames conflicted (since all we were looking at on the wall were their outlines and not their actual styles). Of course we ignored the art since most of it would be switched out anyway.
The frames all looked just fine together, so we decided to bite the bullet and grab the hammer. It was hangin’ time (here’s where a lot of MC Hammer was sung). Since our newspaper templates were still up on the wall, it was actually really easy to hang stuff. We just measured how far down from the edge of the frame that our wire, hook, or other hanging device was and just marked a centered “x” right on each template (the horizontal line is the measured center of the template, and the x below it is the spot where the nail should actually go to catch the wire or hook so the frame hangs in the right place).
Then we just hammered directly into the “x” in the template…
… and pulled the template off the wall to reveal a lone nail waiting for a frame (even though it looks like a jacked up hole, that’s just a tiny bit of paper caught above the nail that we easily removed with a finger flick).
We slowly worked our way around the wall using this method. It probably took an hour or so.
Sadly our old plaster walls don’t work with 3M Command hooks or velcro alone (since that’s always an easy way to create a frame collage without making any holes) but we do plan to add heavy duty Command velcro to the lower frames that may be within Clara’s reach when she starts toddling around. She’s a pretty docile girl who definitely seems to listen when we ask her to be gentle (when petting Burger for example) so our plan is to sweetly request that she be nice to the frames and “look with her eyes” and we might even try the “you can only touch them with one finger” technique that an awesome varsity mom shared with us a few days ago (she said it actually works!). But of course if we think those few low frames ever start to pose a safety hazard, or even just become too high maintenance for the way we live, we’ll definitely just get rid of them until the bean is a little older. Clara first!
But back to our process. After following our templates and hanging every frame we stepped back for a little look-see and frowned. Somehow they seemed a little tighter in the top right corner (which we actually really liked) and a bit too loosey goosey everywhere else…
… so we adjusted some of the frames on the left and added in a few little “filler” items to get the same full look that we had on the top right corner going on everywhere else.
So yes, there are probably ten extra holes in the walls hiding behind those frames from fine tuning them an inch one way or the other. Our bad. But they’re all out of sight so we’re at peace with it. They can just be our little secret. Oops, I just told The Interweb.
Once everything was hung we scavenger hunted the house to find things to display (since many of the existing items in the frames were horizontal images that were now hanging vertically or the frames were completely empty to begin with since we hadn’t used a few of them yet). Which puts the cost of the entire frame wall plus all of the “art” that you see (since that was also already owned) at 100% f-r-e-e. Except for this cool $16 frame from Target that we splurged on because we adored it’s “special capabilities” to store and easily showcase lots of kid art. We love that we don’t have to take it off the walls to change things out. Come on Clara, don’t you feel like drawing mommy a picture or two?
So this is our current arrangement with all of the just-for-now stuff that we found around the house. First here’s the view from the kitchen (which is why we placed the console table there, so it looks centered through the doorway:
And here are a bunch of other angles:
From an old Banana Republic ad with a llama (or is it an alpaca?) carrying sweaters…
… to a vintage milk cap that we found at our first house glued to a small square canvas…
….and a white paper key that I cut out of card stock (which I hope to replace with a DIYed ceramic-looking one)…
… it’s definitely a smorgasbord. And there are probably way too many photostrips, but they’ll do for now.
We’re actually planning a post later with more detailed shots of various items and directions for making your own stuff, like an arrowhead shadowbox for example. Or a long skinny wooden pinboard (still have to make that, for now we have a placeholder piece of card stock with a photostrip taped to it). We also thought it would be fun to take a picture of the wall every few months just to see what comes and goes (new Clara art? updated family pics?) and what always stays (the sketch of our first house’s lot? a favorite photobooth strip of the whole fam?).
We anticipate that at least 25% of the wall will be changing pretty regularly as new things steal our hearts – like a particularly good (or bad) fortune cookie fortune and Will Bower’s first birthday invitation. You know, the important stuff. We definitely feel like this gallery will be the most personal, eclectic, and fun display spot in the house. So while I’ve already asked for some awesome art prints for my birthday (which is this Saturday- woot!) we also want to frame everyday objects that hold meaning to us. From Clara scribbles to little love notes and even particularly funny greeting cards with chihuahuas on the front.
In short: We are so in love with the whole hallway frame gallery. It took a spot that was just a way to get from A to B and made it feel like a bonafide destination. We both keep finding ourselves being drawn to that wall like magnets, just standing there gazing at all the frames. Even Clara loves to stare at it. Ah gallery wall. How can you make us so happy? We’re nerds.
And surprise. We’re so enamored that we’re planning to “wallpaper” the other two walls on the other side of the hallway with frames too.
Here’s the pile that we grabbed from Ikea (feast your eyes on that pretty shattered fireplace tile).
Should be good times.
Psst- We announced this week’s giveaway winners. Click here to see if you’re one of them.
MrsLee says
LOVE the gallery! By the way, I saw this on House of Turquoise this morning and instantly thought of your living room!
http://www.houseofturquoise.com/2011/03/kendall-wilkinson.html
Love the pillows, gorgeous. Thought you would enjoy :)
YoungHouseLove says
That is easily one of my favorite blogs ever. So full of gorgeous eye candy in all of my favorite colors!
xo,
s
Jessie says
Your wall looks amazing!
Megan says
On the topic of the low hanging frames…as the mom of a 14 month old…I know in our house those low frames would be ripped off the wall in about two seconds! Just something to think about as Clara gets more mobile! Look awesome though!
YoungHouseLove says
Check out the post for our Clara-safe plan. Love that girl (and our frame wall) too much to take chances. Haha.
xo,
s
Loren says
The final busier version definitely looks way better. You guys did a fantastic job.
Also thanks for posting your ‘oops’ version. I don’t think I’ve ever hung a picture correctly the first time. Every hanging object in our apartment has an ‘Oops’ hole behind it too.
Anna says
this looks so good. I have a gallery wall going up our stairs, but with black frames, seeing yours makes me want to take them all down and spray paint them white!
Beth says
AWESOME!!!! I love how you did this so on-the-fly.
Elizabeth says
I love it, I love it, I love it!!!
Melissa says
Happy early birthday!
Nicole Y. says
Do you guys add velcro to the bottom of all your frames? Living in CA we’re always in earthquake mode so we need things to be secured. A few months back my husband and I tried our first frame collage above the fireplace and it was scary how loose the frames hung on the wall- as we hammered the previously hung pictures would come crashing down! Any tips? Or do we just need more practice?
YoungHouseLove says
We don’t do the velcro thing (except we do plan to secure the bottom frames so Clara can’t pull them off the wall) but maybe try removing all the other frames when you hammer so nothing else falls. Then hanging them all up once all the nails are in. If you mark stuff beforehand it might not be so bad. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Carolyn @ Lovin' Losing says
It looks great!! Good job! :)
Rupa Kale says
Wow ask and ye shall receive!! I just started (finally after having twins 5 months ago) to work on the dining room picture project. I wanted to create a picture wall of our favorite pictures that span 4 generations in our traditional dining room. I had seen something on Martha Stewart a while ago and really loved it but this one takes the cake.
I have traditional dining room with mahogany furniture. I bought a bunch of mahogany frames to see if it would work and it was overkill so I had to take a step back. I’m at a loss on frames to get that won’t make the space “stuffy”.
http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Dining-Rooms/Traditional-Dining-Room/detail.esi?oid=20252842
I need to look at it again with this project in mind. Beautiful.
Katie @ Epistle says
Oooh, love it! I normally like wood toned frames but this makes me love white ones. It looks uncluttered and airy. This may sound crazy, but I think they give a sort of texture to the space…not like “You have textured walls…” but a sense of movement/layers. Hope that doesn’t sound crazy.
I also like that you didn’t have everything piece of art planned out before you started. It took me forever to get my gallery wall up because I wanted it all planned out before I put it up. I think being a bit more relaxed about it is a good thing. Here is how mine turned out:
http://kdbyers.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-hang-gallery-wall-using-what-you.html
YoungHouseLove says
So pretty!
xo,
s
Jessie says
Hi Sherry,
Looks great! What is the paint color on the walls?
Thanks!
Jessie
YoungHouseLove says
That’s Moonshine by Benjamin Moore color matched to Olympic No-VOC paint. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tammy says
I am so going to track down that Banana Republic ad to frame and hang in my knitting/craft room – thanks for more great ideas. I do hope you agree that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and don’t think that all of us copying your style is creepy or stalker-y. :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! Everyone needs an alpaca on the wall!
xo,
s
Sara @ House Bella says
I love it! I am planning a gallery wall (with white frames, too) for our dining room, but am having an uber hard time tracking inexpensive frames. I don’t live near any stores (Target is 2 hours away, for example) and though I love IKEA frames they are 5 hours away. Do you have any suggestions for online sources?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I’ve never tried ordering frames online. Does anyone else have suggestions for Sara? Maybe you can find a Michael’s or a Walmart or somewhere with frames and see how those prices compare to shipping and stuff? Good luck!
xo,
s
Tamisha says
I’m planning one for the dining room. I’m a cheapo, so I’m picking up frames at thrift stores bit by bit and will unify them all with paint.
YoungHouseLove says
Great idea!
xo,
s
Laragh Dooley says
Wow, I love this so much, I may have to try it in my own hallway!
Holly Hanna says
I have a similar thing going on in my hallway, but I just filled each frame with a mirror. I’m a picture frame designer so it was a free (and fitting) project for me!
I hope I’m not crossing any boundaries by posting this here… For those in the Boston area who want to do something like this: about twice a year my company has a warehouse clearance. Frames go for a buck a piece! It’s quality stuff too, we sell to Target, Kohl’s, etc. Maybe next time we have one I’ll let John and Sherry know and they can spread the word so we can have picture-frame-hallway-world-domination!!!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Definitely let us know! We love a deal, and we love spreading the word about a deal even more. Haha.
xo,
s
Hayley says
I love it! And I can’t believe that key is just paper – I never would have thought of that and yet it looks magazine worthy. Oh, hang on, it’s already been in the paper!
Not sure about doing both other walls though, I’d live with it a bit first. It might feel a bit claustrophobic walking down there with frames on either side that you don’t want to bump into. You know how you can normally walk in a straight line, until you’re walking somewhere narrow and high, and then you think you’re going to fall over? I’d be fine walking down that hallway until I realised there were loads of frames I could knock off, then I’d suddenly become really unsteady and bump into a wall!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that actually sounds like something I would do. Luckily it’s a super wide hallway (over 5 feet wide) so we think it can take it. Haha. We’ve been living with those busy paper templates for few days and even though they’re bright and crazy it doesn’t feel too bonkers to walk through “the vortex” of the hallway. Haha.
xo,
s
Nikki T says
Love this! It looks great!
You guys are so crafty :)
Kristen says
I’m in love with that wall! You guys did a fantastic job creating that gallery wall! Love it!
Laura says
That looks great! Isn’t it amazing how homey some frames on the wall can make a place feel? Or maybe it’s just me since we’re still in our first “yes you really own it and can put holes in the walls” place.
I’m curious to see how it’ll look with both sides of the hallway done. I’d be afraid it would be too claustrophobic, but I’m sure I’m projecting – our hallway is very narrow.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah since ours is super wide with wide doorways (over 5 feet wide) we think it should be able to “take it.” Haha.
xo,
s
Lisa in Seattle says
Laura, we’re in the same boat – our first “own” place and a very narrow hallway – with no natural light anywhere, just one of those crappy little round globe lights. I am dying for a gallery wall but worry about how to get enough light in there and not make it too claustrophobic.
Let’s not talk about the popcorn ceiling.
Ami says
Love it! It looks great. You guys are so patient, whenever I do a “frame wall” I just start hammering and hope for the best haha. PS whenever I look at all your white frames I get tempted to change mine to white… I currently have all black frames, but white looks so clean and polished!!
MicheleLouise says
I wonder if the reason it looked “loosey-goosey” after you put up the frames is because the newspaper is so busy, and then the frames are so simple and clean? Maybe the color/pattern made them feel like they needed more negative space between them? Just a theory. I like how it turned out in the end!
YoungHouseLove says
Totally! We think the pattern hid the subtle difference in spacing!
xo,
s
Jana says
It looks great! Right now we have pictures around the house that are unhung and in random frames. I’m looking forward to changing that. :) Thanks for the newspaper idea.
Georgia Rowe says
And yet again you have filled me with inspiration, and something else to do with my week off work in April!!
I love this idea, and love it even more now you have decided to do the whole hallway! eeeeeeeeeee :o)
Gonna whip out my ikea store card and do some shopping i think! uh-ohhhh
x
Kate B. says
lovelovelovelovelovelove :)
Cristina says
you have to frame your Washington Post article as well! ;-)
Laura K says
Love it – looks beautiful. My hubby and I have been toying with a similar idea, but we don’t have monochromatic frames at present. Can you talk about how you feel about mixing and matching materials (wood, metallic, etc.)? Would you absolutely not do it – or are there ways to work around this – aside from spray painting the frames – to tie them together visually? Hellllppp! Your neighbor to the west – Laura in Goochland
YoungHouseLove says
We love mixing and matching and have seen a ton of spaces with that effect that look amazing! As long as you line up some of the edges of the frames and space them pretty regularly so something about it looks a little planned, it definitely can be awesome!
xo,
s
ALittleBite says
I want to mix and match frames too. One gallery I’ve used for inspiration is from Modern Family, on their staircase. You can sort of see it here: http://www.designwithchristine.com/2010/04/modern-family-part-ii-claire-and-phils.html
and here:
http://recklessbliss.blogspot.com/2010/02/modern-family-update-all-new-pictures.html
YoungHouseLove says
Love that show. Love that frame arrangement. Good luck and send pics!
xo,
s
Lori @ Richmond, BABY! says
Love, love, love it! It looks so great. And oh my goodness, your wedgie comment had me giggling…
But, most importantly, have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHERRY!
Kim at Yellow Brick Home says
Love, love, love!! And I can’t wait until the whole hall is layered with SO much art.
Hannah Jacklyn says
My roommates and I have a similar gallery wall display in our hallway, it rotates and changes with our moods- we call it the wall of weird art, though not everything up there is weird. There are prints by local artists, reproductions of fine art paintings we love, some framed scraps of wall paper, and then the odder stuff, like a brain scan from when one of my roommates participated in a medical study. We framed the print out they gave her and now it is among the things on display. There are also the random highlighter and sharpie drawings I sometimes make when I am bored at work. Bored secretary art is kind of like child art, right?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, totally. I do the same thing with highlighters and sharpies in my day planner…
xo,
s
Melissa says
It’s fabulous!
I have been collecting frames to do the same thing on a side wall of my kitchen and I’m SO antsy to get them hanging…but I am stymied by seeking the perfect wall color first. *HUGE SIGH*
Kathy says
That “Desiderata” poem was SO popular in the 70’s…your handyman must be either a former or new-wave hippie!! What a sweet guy!
Liz says
Love it so much! Especially the Banana Republic ad! (I’m the girl who made “art” out of the Gap coupons). Anthropologie catalogs make great frame-ables too!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh good tip! I’ll have to check those out. Still love the Gap coupon art so much!
xo,
s
Ashley says
Thanks for the mydeco.com tip. I love it!! I just made my first moodboard and I’m halfway done with the real thing! http://gogreeno.blogspot.com
danielle says
i love this! i have been wanting to do a picture wall in my hallway as well. my hall is a little longer and a bathroom on the other side – i don’t know if i have room for a table to sort of add another element to the wall. or i was thinking of sort of doing board and batten on the bottom and pics on the top…would you think it would look a little crazy just doing a full top to bottom picture wall like this without something like a table to break it up..
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’ll look really cool! Maybe try taping up templates to be sure, but floor to ceiling frames without a table should be great!
xo,
s
Ivette says
Thank you so much for the hints and ideas, I’ve actually been wanting to work on a gallery wall(s) on our staircase, I’m totally gonna use the template idea. BTW I was so excited to read about your book deal. You guys really deserve it after all your hard work, and great ideas. Kudos to you and the family! I’m sure it will be a great read.
Anne says
Wow! What an awesome job you did! Usually I find this kind of look too cluttered for my personal taste, but yours really appeals to me.
Have a great weekend!
MLS says
Love this! Thanks for showing all the how-to’s.
maggie says
Love it! it looks amazing!
Bethany says
I looks AMAZING!
lisa says
I. LOVE. IT. I’m going to be moving to a new apartment in the next couple of months (first apartment with no roommates or significant other), and I plan to make it all mine. Definitely going to incorporate something like this. :) You guys rock.
jodi says
j’adore!
Kristen says
It looks fantastic! I did this same thing in my small hallway – only on one side, because we’re still in an apartment – I used the side with the old thermostat that sticks out, since we automatically lean away from it. I love changing out the photos and trinkets as new and exciting things happen in our lives. I HIGHLY recommend photographing the whole collection – we’ve only had ours up since November and I’ve changed out almost all the pictures at least twice! I can’t wait to do it all again when I have a much better-sized hallway.
This might be one of my favorite things you’ve ever done – I can’t wait to see the detail post!
Kayla says
This is the perfect thing for our back door (most used) entry way in our house. Plan to center the dresser in the doorway, and then do the frames similar to yours, since the dresser will be off-center on the wall. Love love love.
Jamie Rae says
Oh, I am so in love with this wall and so on board with doing the other two walls. This makes me want to run to Ikea and grab as many frames as my husband will allow. This is the perfect way to make a house feel like a loved home; so warm, comfy, and inviting. Thanks for sharing!
Sanja says
Great job, the hallway has so much more character now! And the photo before the last one felt like the end of an X files episode :D
Brenna says
Love it!!
carolinaheartstrings says
It looks fantastic from all angles. Congrats again on the Washington Post!!!!!
Carrie says
My mom did a picture gallery in our family room back in the early 90’s. I remember people saying how crowded it was and they didn’t like it- but she and I loved it! When I first starting seeing picture galleries in magazines I told her she was so ahead of her time! A visionary my mother is. :)