Friday, February 3, 2012

Vintage Inspiration Friday # 75 A Gallery Wall

I think I'm finished with this little "project"!
(and what might this project be?, you ask)
a gallery wall...

and I've realized that putting one together,
is a little harder than it might seem.












I started with this shabby rectangle mirror. I've had it for ages,
and toyed with selling it, but it never seemed to make it to the booth.
I've tried using it here at the house before, but it never did work out.




So, when I realized I had a good 4x4 space to play with,
what do you think I dragged out...
yep, my shabby, chippy, old mirror.



I think I've tried about 20 different elements before I finally decided on this,
 the finished product, and that was about an hour ago.

(that's why I had so many nail holes...trial and error)



I've Googled and checked on Pinterest for "gallery walls",
but most were of photographs or paintings,
not many were a mix of objects AND art.




I found I had to stay with the golds and creams to make it work,
I had a lot of beautiful prints that were within the subject matter,
but they were either the wrong size, color, or shape.




It was harder to find the balance in all that, than I imagined.




My advice for creating a gallery wall would be to gather all your possible elements first, trying to keep color and subject matter complimentary. Find your larger pieces to anchor your arrangement, then you can build around it.(them). On this light wall and with this shabby white frame, I found darker pieces, or ones with too much color just didn't look right; they were too "jarring" and very distracting. I wanted this space to flow.




Plus I tried to stick with "vintage".
That's the feel I am going for; vintage and a little bit French.




hmmm...looks like there's some extra space at the bottom.
I'm sure it won't be empty for long!

More bathroom photos coming up...
and just so you know I'm not a fibber,
the Sunburst Mirror post took a back seat, 
once the paint fumes took over!

Let's see what was happening last week.


Andrea from the Opulent Cottage showed us how Victoria Magazine
inspired her to create a winter themed potting bench.


Mary Alice from Chateau Chic, has a wonderful garden theme
 going with some Springy inspiration in her study. 



Eileen from Cottage Beach House shares a window display
 she did for an antique store, 
where her coffee filter rose Valentine Heart takes center stage.
Eileen will be doing a tutorial post on making this coffee filter heart,
be sure and check back on her blog for it!


Nita of Mod Vintage Life has a beautiful home and some fab ideas.
Check out her use of silver casserole servers that she has turned into
amazing spice racks...calling all magazines!! 


And Andrea from Town and Prairie
has a frozen winterscape of her garden elements.
just beautiful!!


Hope you'll join in for the party today,
so many of you do vintage related posts,
I'd love for you to come link up!

Please be sure that you have a visible link within your post,
and I'd love for you to join Common Ground as a follower.


Also, would you like to share the fun with this image for your sidebar,
and invite everyone to join in for the Valentine Party coming up?

the rest of the bathroom next post!

I'm joining in for these great parties:

Creative Things Thursday at the Vintage Farmhouse
French Inspiration at the French Cupboard
Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnnas
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Potpourri Friday at 2805
French Inspiration at The French Cupboard

xoxo,







65 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting! I love the idea of a mirror gallery!!! The spice rack is pretty cool, too!

    Thanks for sharing!

    Sarah
    www.dumpedanddiscovered.com

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  2. Hi Debra, Wonderful features last week. How did I miss the Spice Rack!? Love your wall too! XO Cindy

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  3. Hi Debra,
    I love your features. The Spice Rack is amazing! What a great idea. Your bathroom really came out great. I hope you are able to share this beautiful post at our linky party. Hope you can join us.

    Paula

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  4. Hi Debra,

    You are so right, it is challenging to create a wall gallery - but I think yours came out fabulous! Thank you for your little advice on how you did yours - I'm going to need it once we're finished painting and I can get to decorating our walls, once and for all! :)

    Thank you once again for hosting - the features are always lovely!


    XO's,
    Jessie

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  5. I think you did a wonderful job with your gallery wall! I noticed right away how well it flowed together. I think it's even more interesting by mixing artwork with other objects the way you did.

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  6. That is a really pretty gallery wall. Very feminine! Love it! Thank you for hosting and for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  7. Your gallery wall looks wonderful! Great job!

    ~Trisha

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  8. Hi Debra~~
    All linked up!! Thanks for hosting. Just advertised on my new post. Hope you have a wonderful day:)

    ~Cheryl

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  9. Your gallery wall looks beautiful!! What charming pieces you have used.....

    Thanks so much for hosting!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  10. Hi Debra, your gallery wall turned out beautiful too! I think you chose just the right pieces, and mixed them up very well. LOVE it!

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  11. Debra that is one pretty looking gallery wall, I love it!! Thanks so much for hosting! Martina

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  12. The gallery wall is amazing! I wish I had an extra wall :) Thank you so much for showing my vignette, it was so much fun to put together!
    xo, Andrea

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  13. It was worth the wait Debra. I redid the foyer this fall with paintings and prints and it was the hardest thing I did. Now I'm ready for a change:)
    x
    C

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  14. Your wall gallery looks great Debra. Thanks for hosting and have a wonderful weekend, Gail

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  15. Reading your post got me traveling in the Way Back Machine to Home Interior parties. Those gals were the best at gallery walls. I remember one trick (which I never mastered) was using straight pins for smaller holes rather than nails. All I ever succeeded in doing was bending the pins trying to get 'em to go in the wall!
    It looks lovely girl.
    XOXO
    Deb

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  16. Your gallery wall flows baby! I love all the elements. Worth the work you put into it. Gorgeous gorgeous!

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  17. Love the gallery wall, Debra.

    Thanks for hosting!

    Barb ♥

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  18. Hello Debra, Your gallery wall looks wonderful! It is worth all your effort. Thank you for hosting,
    Kathy

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  19. Love your gallery wall. I've ocassionally been very reluctant to part with some great mirrors, and they have very happy homes on various walls in my home too. Thanks for hosting.

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  20. Love your gallery wall, Debra! Great features! Thanks for hosting!...hugs...Debbie

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  21. Hi Debra, I think that your gallery wall turned out lovely. I know what you mean about it being har. I have a 20 ft. wall in my family room and I have had a difficult time figuring out what to do with it. Done for now, but still not ure if it looks great. I love the neutral tones of your pieces. Thanks so much for hosting. I am putting the Valentine button on my sidebar.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  22. Debra,
    Charming look you have going on here.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  23. i do adore
    you new gallery wall
    with all its charming pictures
    and nobbins

    and your Valentine themed header
    is darling

    thanks for hosting-all linked up!

    alison

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  24. Hi Debra,
    I love your gallery wall, it looks so lovely. And you are right, they are harder to do than one would think.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  25. Your wall looks great Debra. Nice features this week. Thanks for hosting.

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  26. Debra,
    First of all your gallery wall in the bathroom is absolutely beautiful. Everything works wonderfully together.
    I want to also thank you for hosting this party each week. As a newbie to blogging, VIF has helped me meet so many other talented women.
    Lastly, thank you so much for featuring my blog this week. Wow, I feel so honored to be chosen. Okay, this has gone on long enough, but I do appreciate you!
    Mary Alice

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  27. Hi Debra,

    Linking up to your party! I have enjoyed viewing the gorgeous photos of the wall gallery! Lovely! Nice stopping by :)

    Kindly, Lorraine

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  28. I love the detailing on those frames, Debra! Thanks for hosting!

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  29. Thanks for hosting. I think one mirror was metal, sure like the look.
    Rob

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  30. Debra, your gallery wall is precious. I like the collection you put together. It looks great!

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  31. Debra, thank you again for featuring my garden vignette and wow! The gallery wall is amazing! Everything looks like it was made to be together. A perfect fit all the way around. andrea@townandprairie

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  32. Hi Debra, first of all I love the creamy white colors in your bathroom, and your gallery wall is absolutely beautiful. Great features also.
    Hugs~~~ Daphne

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  33. I love your wall Debra, it's an eclectic gallery wall!

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  34. Debra, your wall looks great. I like the mix. Thanks for hosting.

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  35. Very pretty, Debra. I love the patina on the individual pieces and a great overall look.

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  36. Hi Debra, Your gallery wall looks fabulous. It is hard to put different art together but you did a wonderful job. Thanks for hosting. Hugs, Sherry

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  37. your gallery is so pretty, debra:) thanks so much for hosting!

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  38. I adore your gallery wall! Thanks for hosting this lovely party! There is so much inspiration!

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  39. I'm loving your mirrored gallery, it's fabulous! Wish I could collect antique and vintage mirrors, but I don' have walls left, lol. Thanks for hosting and having me. Happy Valentines.
    FABBY

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  40. Hi Debra,
    That is a great wall. I know what you mean about putting it together. They are harder to do than you think. I did one in our guest room and had to do it several times. Yours came out great! :)

    ~Liz

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  41. Debra, Debra, Debra......

    The gallery wall looks gorgeous! I love what you did with it. Not only do I love the mirror, that little gold frame print is stunning. I love little things like that. And the Scroll cherubs at the top...the sconce...I love it. It looks perfect for that space!

    You truly amaze me with your creativity and your decorating ideas are spot on... you have class & style woman! Hope you have a lovely Friday!! xo

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  42. Thank you for hosting! Always fun to come over to your place! Little Bit from DecorateWithaLittleBit.com

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  43. Gorgeous grouping on that wall... and in a powder room too! Nita's spice racks are amazing. Happy (almost) Friday!
    Mary

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  44. Thanks for hosting the party! I'm a new blogger and now a new follower!

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  45. Wow, I'm in love with the spice racks!! And your gallery wall is just fabulous!! Thanks for hosting!

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  46. I just LOVE your gallery wall Debra! It looks so beautiful and perfectly vintage-y. :-) Thanks so much for hosting us!
    Vanessa

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  47. Love the mirror gallery!
    Thank you for hosting!
    Kerry at HouseTalkN

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  48. I think you did a lovely job! It will always be a work in progress.. you find something new and change out something old... that's the real beauty of a collage wall...

    thanks for letting me link up! Happy Friday!!

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  49. Well Debra, you got it perfect. I LOVE it! Coveting the mirror :)
    hugs from here...

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  50. Hi Debra-

    Your gallery wall is wonderful!
    Thank you for hosting-
    I joined in!

    Laura
    White Spray Paint

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  51. Your gallery wall is gorgeous, Debra! It may be difficult, but you make it look easy!

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  52. It looks wonderful Debra!
    I think the old scone adds a great touch!!
    Thanks so much for hosting...love having all this vintage goodness to relax with over the weekend!!

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  53. I can imagine how challenging it was to get your wall gallery elements "just so" but I think you nailed it - literally, eh? LOL! Looks wonderful and adds interest to your bathroom space. Your features are so pretty this week too. Each one is lovely. Thanks for hosting, Debra, and please stop by Cottage and Creek and enter my first Choose Joy Giveaway. Thanks and have a blessed weekend.
    Lynn
    Email: Lynn@nsytes.com
    www.cottageandcreek.com

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  54. The idea of a gallery wall is nice -- I don't have enough stuff. Maybe I need to start looking!

    Thanks for hosting.

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  55. Thank you for hosting.That spice rack is so cool.What a great idea!

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  56. Thanks for hosting! Drop by for a visit sometime! Love the gallery wall!

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  57. Debra, dear- your wall looks fantastic, and so gorgeous. I love you made it in all creams, and as you said, flowing- so the different items kind of belong together as a family,- and all your pieces are beautiful,- you are so clever in decorating, my friend.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  58. Ohh I love the wall- it looks beautiful!!! Thanks so much for hosting!!

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  59. Love your wall. Thanks so much for hosting. I am happy to be joining the party this week.
    Laura

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  60. love your collage wall of beautiful things!

    Karen

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  61. YOur gallery wall looks fabulous Debra! Everything is just the perfect fit in that space, I love it!
    Thanks for the party, I'm coming in fashionably late tonight :)
    t.xoxooxoxo

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  62. Hi Debra, You did a great job on the gallery wall, Perfect composition & Balance.... at least that sounds good, Right... I really Love that top central wreath looking Treasure the ones that look like Cupid~ Not easy to get good photos either when your dealing with Mirrors~ Top Job Lady~ Have a wonderful weekend,
    Now I off to visiting everyone, I think it will be a LONG computer night~
    xox
    Cheryl

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  63. Love your gallery wall! You did a great job picking the pieces and balancing their placement on the wall. Thanks for hosting VIF.

    Lori

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  64. Thanks for the feature! I always enjoy your blog so much. I'm late getting to see this because I've been out of the house a lot. I'm missing out on my daily blog reads.

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