Looking to learn how to set up a curated and charming gallery wall? Look no further, this post will guide you on exactly what you need to know.
When I moved into my new home and began to decorate my main living room wall, the inspiration images I pulled together that I felt most drawn to were always curated thrifted + vintage gallery walls. Something about an interesting art wall has always felt more special to me because typically behind each work of art there is a story. You can get to know a lot about me by my art wall.
I have been collecting second-hard artwork for probably over 10 years. Shopping for thrifted treasures is quite possibly my favorite weekend ritual. So, I had plenty of art pieces when I decided to create a thrifted gallery wall in my home. However, if you are starting from scratch, I am going to show you how you can build your own gorgeous thrifted gallery wall and share some inspiration so that you can create your own at home, too.
Related Reading: Best Thrift + Consignment Home Decor Shops in Houston, Tx.
Why decorating your home with thrifted artwork matters:
In 2018 alone, Americans threw out more than 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Every time I read statistics like this, it breaks my heart.
Not only that, curating a gallery wall is a form of art.
According to the National Library of Medictine, Art therapy is used most commonly to treat mental illnesses and can aid in controlling manifestations correlated with psychosocially challenging behaviours, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing the quality of life.
Whether you are curating a gallery wall or creating your very own art DIY, you are engaging in a very healing process.
Tips and Tricks for Curating a Thrifted Gallery Wall
Here’s what you need to know before you shop
🖤 You will need to choose a theme and/or color palette. My personal theme is always ‘art that makes me happy’ but I have a set few colors that I like to keep my artwork in. I also typically stick with gold or soft wood frames so the art wall stays cohesive.
DIY Gallery Wall Theme Ideas:
Here are some other gallery wall ideas that you could easily assemble from thrift store finds:
Coastal chic: beach scenes or sailboat paintings in white frames for a sunroom
French country: vintage-style herb, fruit, and vegetable illustrations in distressed wood frames for a kitchen or dinette
Masculine decor: waterfowl oil paintings for a library or office
Contemporary: gold mirrors for an entryway
Boho: songbird paintings and prints for a nursery or guest room
Eclectic traveler: oil paintings of cityscapes for a bedroom or office
Romantic decor: florals, greenery, birds, roses, nude women
The best part of possibilities and combinations are truly endless when creating a gallery wall! You can even grab a done-for-you gallery wall art set and just thrift the frames, this would help things go much faster.
🖤 You will want to measure the space you have in mind. This will help you to have a good idea of the art you need to fill the intended space. I also think it is important to choose a hanging style so you can be on the look out for specific frames and sizes.
I created a guide for you to help identify what layout might be best for your style and your home.
🖤 When thrifting, shopping for frames is just as important as shopping for art. In fact, many times, I have purchased an art piece simply because the frame was gorgeous and I knew if I can was going to by that frame at a frame store, it would be more expensive. So if you find a good deal on a frame, grab it!
I tend to keep frames I love around just incase I find a piece of art and need a frame for it. I have also been known to repaint over old paintings in beautiful frames to fit my overall theme of the art wall or room.
🖤 Don’t limit yourself to traditional art. On this art wall specifically I have collected and used art from so many different sources. But I always thrift my frames!
A few ways to curate art for your art wall:
create your own painting on an old thrifted frame
rip out pages from thrifted art books
maps or menus from travels
paintings/drawings from your children
frame wrapping paper or wallpaper (I sometimes use this in place of a mat)
use magazine cut outs
I love to print out old masterpieces from Wikiart.org (I got this tip from TikTok and it has been so helpful)
Shop art at auctions, on Etsy or hit up your local estate sales.
🖤 You should try to keep things mixed versus matched. I like to make sure that I have a good mix of different art styles. For example, I have a tapestry, paintings, prints, photos, digital artwork, etc. Do your best to use various mediums so your art wall has dimension.
You can also have mixed mattings. I especially love the look of oval mat boards.
🖤 You don’t have to limit the wall to art only. One of my favorite pieces on my art wall is a small gold mirror I thrifted at the Brooklyn Flea Market. It was 5$. I found this similar ornate gold 12” mirror for only $20.
I also recently added a gold plug-in wall mounted light that looks so good right next to my art. This is incredibly functional because we needed some brighter light in the dark corner of this room. Not only does it help give us adequate reading light, it also blends perfectly into the aesthetic of my thrifted art wall.
I framed the ends of my art wall with non art items. For example, my light bookends one side, while a thrifted ornate gold mirror adorns the other side.
How to Create the Perfect Thrifted Gallery Wall – What You’ll Need:
Frames – My first stop is ALWAYS Goodwill and a few other thrift stores to look for frames – you can find some affordable and beautiful one-of-a-kind options!
Art – You can source art from anywhere.
A quirky item or two
The ability to not take yourself or this project too seriously. ;)
SHOP A FEW OF MY FAVORITE ONLINE THRIFTED ART WALL PICKS:
