In recent years, gallery walls have become a popular way to display art and photos in your home. However, there is speculation that they may be going out of style soon. Some interior designers and decor enthusiasts across the DIY community believe that the popularity of gallery walls featuring canvas prints, frames and all types of bric-a-brac peaked in 2017 and will start to decline in 2022.
So should you stick with gallery walls or ditch them for good? In this blog post, we will explore all the most important questions about gallery walls and help you decide whether to keep yours.
Let’s get started!
What is a gallery wall?
In a nutshell, a gallery wall is a grouping of art or photographs on a wall. They can be hung in any pattern or style that you like, forming neat classic grids or spreading across your wall in freestyle. Gallery walls have been a very popular way to display canvas prints, frames, postcards and other cherished objects because arrangements like these add visual interest to a room and make it look more polished.
There are several reasons why gallery walls are so popular. First of all, they immediately create a focal point in a room – and having one is essential for a successful design scheme. They also add character and a sense of style to a room, and they can be used to showcase collections or artwork. Finally, gallery walls are a great way to customize your space and make it feel like your own.
Gallery walls have been famous in interior design for quite some time now. They first became popular back in the early 2000s, but there is some speculation that they may be going out of style in 2022.
Some people believe that this is because gallery walls are often too formal or stuffy. Additionally, many people now prefer to hang their art and photos individually rather than in clusters so that every print gets the maximum attention.
Disadvantages of gallery walls
Mentioned below are some disadvantages of gallery walls.
1. They are (almost) omnipresent
One of the major disadvantages of gallery walls is that they are omnipresent. You will find them in almost every home and even in some offices. This makes it challenging to create a unique look for your space. It can be difficult to come up with an original gallery wall design that stands out from the rest. And let’s face it, sometimes people just copy gallery walls from social media and use the same types of artwork, photos, and knick-knacks. The result can be… underwhelming, to say the least.
2. It’s difficult to create them
Yes, designing a full-fledged gallery wall can be difficult. You’ll need to find the right features and then figure out how to hang them in a way that looks good. You’ll also need to think about how to fix all the prints on the wall and unless you aren’t a confident DIYer this might be quite a problem. No one wants to end up with a wall spoiled with holes in wrong places, right?
3. Gallery walls usually lose their appeal after the room’s renovation
It’s sad but true – gallery walls tend to lose their appeal after the room’s renovation (and usually people revamp their homes at least once every 5-7 years). This is because the room’s new style will likely clash with the old style of the gallery wall. And you’ll then need to take everything down and hide all those cherished pictures in the attic… not exciting, we know.
4. They can be expensive
Generally speaking, gallery walls don’t come cheap. If you use expensive artwork or print a lot of photos, your gallery wall will likely cost a lot of money. Of course, one workable saving strategy is using discount printing services, but how do you know which one is good and which one is cutting corners? Well, for us CanvasDiscount.com seemed a safe choice – they have been around for years and have sold more than 10 000 000 canvas prints across the US. And they offer great discounts too, helping you dress up your walls even on a tight budget.
Make Sure Your Gallery Wall Looks Fresh in 2022 and Beyond
All in all, are gallery walls worth it? Yes – if you know how to avoid the most common mistakes. Read on to learn how to make sure that your gallery wall remains fresh, original, and simply awesome for years and years.
Print on quality materials
The first step to creating a long-lasting gallery wall is to use high-quality materials. Print your photos or artwork on lab-quality photo paper or canvas, and make sure that the framed prints are designed in gallery style with cardboard mats and oblique cut to achieve the best visual performance.
Arrange your prints carefully
At a first glance, a gallery wall may seem just an eclectic arrangement of just about everything that can be fixed on the wall. But nothing could be further from the truth – in fact, any successful gallery wall is a result of long-term thinking and countless experiments.
Your gallery wall should have a theme – be it travels, happy occasions, your hobbies, nature and so on. It should also have at least a couple of central elements that set the mood and define the whole arrangement. Be careful not to overcrowd your wall with decor features. It’s essential to give every print enough breathing space and to place the most central prints at eye level.
Use a variety of print formats
Don’t just stick to prints. Mix in photos, paintings, postcards, frames, and other formats to create a more exciting and unusual gallery wall. And don’t forget that these days you can fix almost anything on a vertical surface using either a double-sided tape or special hanging strips for heavier objects.
The Bottom Line
Some people believe that gallery walls are going out of style. But we say – only ordinary, half-baked gallery walls are over. A well-though-out gallery wall created from high-end prints will always be a great way to display your photos, art, and other memorabilia.