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Art and Beauty

How to Hang a Gallery Photo Wall

By 05/08/2012January 28th, 201742 Comments

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My client has 3 floors in her home and this gorgeous staircase which had been empty of artwork for a long time. So she called me to help her create a gallery wall.

Nothing really beats IKEA frames for the price and she needed a lot of frames. I suggested that once they were all installed, she could get a few of them custom framed similar to these frames from the Ralph Lauren Flagship store in New York.

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First we took out the paper in the frames, that was the easy part.

Then we taped them onto the walls until we felt that they looked right.

I love her floors! Beautiful, medium brown oak!

My pal Kent Southwell who is a professional art installer (and he has his own framing shop) came to hang everything with his handy staircase ladder!

I was scared of that ladder but he assured me that it was perfectly sturdy.

And here are the installed frames, don’t they look fabulous?

Now the big job of filling them, but with a space this large, it’s easier to plan which photo goes in which frame! See more of her beautiful house in this post.

Come and see me this Mothers Day weekend, I will be at the Pure Painters Booth at the EPIC show at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Look for their colourful booth!

I will be there:

Saturday, May 12 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm and Sunday, May 13 from 11: 30 – 3:00 pm.

Look forward to seeing you!! xo Maria

Related posts:

How to Hang Art on a Staircase Wall

Do you Keep the White Elephant: Yay or Nay

8 Reasons Not to Miss out on Pinterest 

Download my eBook, to learn what you didn’t get in Colour Theory. How to Choose Paint Colours: It’s All in the Undertones. Now available in Apple version for IPAD.

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me.

To make sure the undertones in your home are right, get some large samples!

If you would like to learn to how choose the right colours for your home or for your clients, become a True Colour Expert.

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42 Comments

  • Julie says:

    Is it just me, or is everyone still getting the distorted elongated photos? I’m really interested in reading this post but it is almost impossible….sorry Maria….love to read your blog, but it’s no fun without photos!

    • Bert says:

      Yes, I’m getting the distorted elongated pictures as well. Really difficult to get a sense of how it really looks.

    • Corinne says:

      I use Firefox and don’t have this issue. Everything looks just fine.

    • Lee says:

      Try downloading the Mozilla Firefox browser (it’s free). I’ve never had a problem with photos on Maria’s blog. I still keep IE on my computer just in case I have an issue with Firefox on a specific site, but that is rare to never.

    • courtney says:

      yes. very annoying!!

  • Grace@ Sense and Simplicity says:

    Her gallery wall looks fantastic. That’s a lot of frames to fill though. I hope she is a photographer or doesn’t mind taking apart books or has old calendars she can cut up or something. I hope we get to see it when it if filled with art.

  • Karen says:

    Maria – I am new to your blog and do enjoy it. I am dissappointed that you have not fixed the issue with the pictures on your blog. They are always long and drawn out. This post is a perfect axample with this problem, I can’t see the gallery wall or the placement!

  • Rebecca says:

    Why are all your images stretched? I’ve not been able to enjoy the pics since you switched over to your new site. 🙁

    • Maria Killam says:

      Hi Rebecca, Do you have Windows Explorer, that seems to be the browser having issues although I’m clear the problem is at my end.

  • It already looks great! It looks in the pictures like there might be glare. If there’s a lot, your client might want to replace the glass with either non-glare or the even pricier museum glass. I personally love the museum glass. Of course, I would like the priciest option. 🙂

  • LOVE IT! One of my favorite things to do is to hang art or photo groupings in my clients homes! Everyone will want to walk up and down and up and down that stairwell 🙂

  • Marlo says:

    It looks great! Makes you want to sit on the stairs and take it all in.

    By the way, I’ve never had a problem with distorted images; I’m using a Mac with Safari.

  • Terri Davis says:

    Maria,
    Just wanted to let you know I view your posts on Firefox and have no trouble viewing pictures. Always enjoy your posts.

    Terri Davis

  • Gayle Ann Berg says:

    I’m a great admirer of your wonderful talent, and loved your first e-book. It has proved to be an extremely valuable tool for me. When will your second e-book be available?

    I’m sorry to say that my images are distorted, also.

  • Hi Maria – First the business end – I use a Mac and don’t have any problems with the images, it must be Explorer.

    Secondly – I WANT this house. I need this staircase and I have to borrow the art installer’s ladder 🙂

    Took a look at the fabulous living room too. What a beautiful environment inside and out!!

  • coni tan says:

    Hi Maria,
    I also use Firefox and never have trouble with your photos. I also have a Mac
    Looking forward to following the decorating of your new home – so happy for you to have found a perfect spot for you.

  • Anon says:

    I love, love the iron scrolls on the banister.

    I don’t have any image problems on Chrome or on my iphone.

  • springergirl says:

    I am also having problems with images, the photos from a source come thru fine, but the ones you take come thru distorted.
    Is annoying, as I so look forward to the pics of your new home project. Distortion has been going on for quite a while.

  • sandra says:

    I’m having problems with distorted images…from your photos – not “source”
    looking forward to when the problem is resolved –

  • Karena says:

    Wow Maria this is the perfect solution for your client!! Gorgeous stairwell. I don’t have any problem with your images; I do use Firefox!

    I have a feature Interview on my site with Tina from The Enchanted Home…I hope you will visit

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

  • Julie says:

    Hi again Maria…I think if your blog is not compatible with Internet Explorer a lot of readers will be excluded! Like Springergirl, for me there is no problem with photos from a source, it is the photos you have taken yourself. I too am looking forward to the photos of your new house! (Downloading another browser is not an option, as this is my work computer!)

    • Maria Killam says:

      Hi Everyone,
      My Web developer does not know how to fix the problem because none of us can see it at our end, I am pulling my hair out in frustration!!!
      Maria

  • Pam says:

    Just wanted to defend Maria! I have followed this blog for almost a year now. I view your posts on my iphone (Apple, Safari), my laptop (Windows, Google Chrome), and our desktop (Window, Internet Explorer). I have NEVER had a problem with any of the images posted. I don’t think it’s Maria’s website. Perhaps some of you need to install updates or adjust your screen resolution? I know that’s usually the issue when I have have trouble with images. JMHO

  • Nancy B says:

    Maria, I use Goggle chrome and your website looks wonderful. Then I opened explorer and the pictures were distorted. Have you tried looking at explorer on a computer than is not used for your blog..a friends or internet cafe perhaps? Then you might be able to replicate the problem.

  • Barbara says:

    Love it Maria! I already emailed your post to two clients this morning who I am trying to break out of the scattered small photo syndrome!

  • Paula Van Hoogen says:

    Maria, when I saw the first photo, I thought Ralph had come to your client’s home! Wow does he ever still look great! What a waistline! Ahem….I do love your arrangement. Will all the photos be printed now to accomodate each frame? How wonderful that what you love to do takes you to places you love to be in!!!

  • Oh my gosh I know you are so frustrated with this photo issue! That is awful! I use Safari on my Mac and it looks great. Love how you just took the paper out of the frames. Brilliant!! Such a great idea especially when you have so many on a curvy staircase. Must get one of those staircase ladders!!

  • Cyndia Montgomery says:

    Wow, Maria! Your guy makes it look so easy! I’m slapping my head in disgust that I never thought of using the paper frame inserts to mock up the wall.

    I just made a quick call to my computer guru about the photo problem (which I don’t have) that others have complained about. He assures me that the problem is not from your end, Maria. Anyone that is experiencing difficulty seeing photos needs to adjust their monitor settings to a higher resolution. That should do the trick.

  • Nancy B says:

    Another thought…I have version 8 of explorer. Could you or others have an older version of Internet Explorer? Could the problem be with the newer version? Just a thought

  • Valerie Turpen says:

    Solution for distorted elongated photos:

    The user needs to upgrade their too old version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer!!! This is a free upgrade. It is a security risk at home or at work to have an old out of date web browser. Once you upgrade to the latest version of IE there is a compatibly view adjuster in the address bar.

    Or, I would highly recommend that you get the very best free web browser available: Google Chrome!! It is soooo much better then IE, and never crashes!

  • Julie says:

    Sorry…me again! I would agree with Cyndia Montgomery except that we are only having trouble with specific photos, not all. In fact, I kinda think it is only photos from your new camera.

    Love, love your blog…in fact I am dealing with pinky beige right now!

  • CairoGirl says:

    Hi Maria,
    I’m wondering what you think of hanging art vs hanging family photos…or possible mixing both? Would this space be suitable for family photos?
    Thanks
    L

    • Maria Killam says:

      This is exactly what my client wants to do, fill them up with family photos! And they should be coordinated in some way, one of her daughters was big into horses when she was young so one section might be all the horse stuff, it looks better when there’s a relationship between the photos, also on a wall like this better to have close-ups rather than large family group photos that would be hard to see. Maria

  • Gayle Ann Berg says:

    Thank you very much for the computer tips. Hopefully, I can get rid of my picture distortion problem.

    But I follow 200+ blogs and this is the only one where I have a problem??

  • Ella says:

    I use Explorer and haven’t had any problems with distorted images…

    Maria, gorgeous solution for the client. I hope you can update us when the frames are all filled!

  • carol ann says:

    after I saw the last post and the pictures were ok I thought go back to the picture hanging post… the pictures were normal… loved the pictures of the paper before frames
    now that I think of it I did say yes to adding internet explorer 9 yesterday… maybe that was it all along…
    have a great weekend…

  • Melissa says:

    I love the gallery hallway – I love the wall color even more! Any advise as to what BM color would be similiar to this one? I need a very soft green, not too limey or too brown. This one looks perfect – at least in the pictures!

    • Maria Killam says:

      I think it was HC-28 Shelbourne Buff which in this house looks nothing like that colour. A more accurate green yellow might be Straw Hat. Maria

  • D. D. says:

    Looks like The Vegtable Soup approach!
    YIKES!

  • D.G. says:

    Maybe the kick in the pants I needed to do my own “rogue’s gallery” wall, winding up my 3-story ;( stairwell. SO tired of the many little disorganized framed photos from decades past. Have a hodgepodge of them on the 3rd floor ugly shelves, (aka: the black hole) where no one goes. (I hate my house.)

  • Anne says:

    I’m devouring your blog since I found it a couple of weeks ago. One question that occurs to me is: Is it ok to just leave a wall blank? When would a blank wall be the right thing to do?

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