Let's say that you move into a new rental unit, and you're faced with an immense stretch of white wall. It can be daunting to know what to do with that expanse, especially if you're on a tight budget. Designer Sarah Dorsey recently tackled this issue head on, and with a bit of ingenuity and some basic materials, she created a floating gallery that filled the visual space while still feeling light, fresh, and airy.
The primary component of the floating gallery is Ikea's Diginet curtain wire system, coupled with Riktig curtain clips. Using screen molding, Sarah and her husband David custom-built the picture frames, which they attached to the Riktig clips with eye hooks and thin-gauge wire. Sarah added the floating art to the frames with the aid of a grommet kit and a bit more wire. Using lightweight materials and frames without glass prevented the line from sagging, giving the gallery a more polished look.
While the floating gallery idea is the one that stopped me in my tracks, I also appreciate a lot of the creative art choices that Sarah used. In particular, I'm fond of the Damien Hirst-esque dot piece that she made with watercolors and a hole punch, and I love the black-and-white photograph of her dog, to which she added a touch of bright yellow. The map of places that she and her husband have visited is also a sweet idea that's well-suited to this month's "escape" theme.
This wall solution is great for renters who like the gallery look but don't want to put so many holes in their walls. It also helps add dimension and offers a light, airy feeling that doesn't dominate the visual space, all for under $60.
For a complete how-to and more photos, visit Sarah M. Dorsey Designs.
MORE GALLERY WALLS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• How to Add Art to a Gallery Wall
• Enhancing Gallery-Style Art Walls
• 9 Gallery Walls Done Right
• How To: Create a Gallery Wall
(Images: Sarah M. Dorsey Designs)
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I love this idea. Living in earthquake country, I'm always looking for clever, good-looking ways to hang photos and frames. This is perfect (provided the rail stands up to shaking) since the frames are unlikely to fall, and if they do, they don't have any glass in them to shatter and create hazards on the floor.
Totally stealing this idea.
Love this. Make it easy to change it up when you're ready. Nice!
Wow, I love gallery walls--have a few myself but this idea just rocks. I'll have to go back and read the complete post for the 'how-to'.
I too live in earthquake country so this may just be a better alternative than hanging directly on walls. Great post.
This is really quite nice and I can see doing it myself. I'm not sure I like the glassless frames though - I imagine the pictures flutter and don't stay aligned sometimes, which would aggravate my OCD. I'll have to figure out how to do it with something to hold the pics in place better, I think.
Love those lamps! Where did she find them?
I also love the idea of framing a piece of fabric or bright, bold textile. It gives the eye a break from all the photos, and looks especially nice if paired with all black and white prints! This Maharam textile from Etsy would be awesome in a frame:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/104312824/maharam-pattern-9297-peacock
Kind of reminds me of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" !
@weatherman - it appears that each picture has two wires hanging it to the source. Can't make those pics tilt :-).
I always hang my bigger pics with two nails, even if there is only one wire on the back. Much more stable.
Hmmm. This might also work for my hard-as-rock plaster walls.
Even if they won't tilt, I'm not sure my OCD side could handle the free floating paper print flapping in the breeze, but there's no question it's an incredibly cool look. Maybe if you hung canvas prints or even paper prints sandwiched between glass?
@MDCOUG - The lamps were originally a translucent black (which was removed with paint stripper) purchased at Target about a year ago, and the lampshades are covered in Waverly Lovely Lattice in Lagoon.
@HERAHERE, @Mark Tisdale The frames and prints hung with two wires have no movement, but definitely a more free form feel. I would think that canvases would be light enough; however, I think the glass would be too heavy, unless used sparingly mixed with canvases :)
Looks great. How do they keep the pictures from swaying in the wind, as it were. Are they anchored at all to the wall?
Love the citrus yellow and aqua thing they have going on.
@DULCIBELLA Thank you! The frames are hung directly from the curtain wire with two eye screws and thin wire, so no direct connection between the frame and the wall. I keep the windows open during the day and haven't noticed them moving, I live near the ocean so there is a gentle breeze (perhaps in stronger breezes it would move some). The two wires at the top helps prevent movement.
OMG where is that sofa table from?!
@VEGGIESHO, We made the sofa table, here is the link: http://sarahmdorseydesigns.blogspot.com/2012/07/sofa-table-happiness.html
This is interesting and I love the lampshades.
So clever! Love the look.
OMG thank you! This is truly amazing, perfect color and everything.