My Gallery Wall

Alright, alright, let's take a break from all that office/guest bedroom talk and talk about gallery walls!  Gallery walls have been really popular for the last few years.  Some people hate them and some people don't.  I personally love them because they give the creator a chance to assemble a unique, wall-sized collage made up of photos and objects that may or may not have meaning.  Also, there are so many ways to assemble gallery walls (just look at pinterest), there's not really a right or wrong way to do it.  For me, I wanted to assemble my gallery wall the organic way-without any pattern or planned layout.

The only underlying theme of my wall is that all the frames are wood or a wood-like material and there are gold accents sprinkled throughout the wall.  

Over the last few months of living in my home, I've slowly added pictures and mirrors here and there as I find them.  The most difficult part of this gallery wall has been trying to find different picture frames made of wood or have that wood feel.  Because I don't want any 2 frames on this wall to be the same, I've been looking in stores like Target, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby every now and then to see if I can find anything different.

At first, I started with only 2 pictures, but the 2 pictures quickly grew to 2 rows:

As you can tell from the picture above, I moved the monogram from the first row to the third so that it would fit better.  One of the reasons why I've been so comfortable with this laid-back way of assembling a gallery wall is because I've been using Command Strips.  If I'm not happy with the way a frame is positioned, I can easily and quickly move it without leaving a hole in my wall.  

I definitely want to add a couple more frames below the clock and maybe a whole new row?  I'll stop adding frames when I feel like the wall is complete.  For now, I love how my gallery wall is coming along.  The gallery wall makes a statement and is a conversation starter since it's the first wall my guests see when they come into my home.  I also like how the gallery wall adds height to my living room by drawing your eyes up towards the ceiling.  

Here are some of my tips for assembling a gallery wall (the slow way): 

1. Use Command Strips
2. Try to stay in a general layout (No matter how many frames I add to my gallery wall, I've been able to achieve the finished or almost finished look by staying within the general outlines of a rectangle)
   
   
3. Choose pictures and items that you love!  
4. Use a level

What do you think about gallery walls?  If you've assembled one I would definitely like to take a peak!

Budget Buys

Here are some budget-friendly purchases I've made for my home this week!

1.  I bought a pouf!  You know, one of those cylindrical, soft accent pieces you can use as a makeshift seat, footrest, or just decor?  I specifically got this one from Target.  The original price listed at Target.com is $54.99, but there were 2 that I saw on clearance in stores for $38.48 each.  

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2.  I started a gallery wall in my living room and found wall frames on sale at Hobby Lobby and Michaels for 40% off.  I want all my frames on this wall to have a natural wood feel, but still be different from one another.  I want to add another row of pictures onto this wall, but I'm actually having a pretty tough time finding wall frames with the right look, at the right price.  

I don't really own a horse (see 2nd row)...

3.  A set of 3 starburst mirrors from Target's Threshold Line.  I scattered these mirrors through my growing gallery wall.  The original price was $24.99 (which is still the price at Target.com), but the mirrors are actually on clearance at both stores in my town.  I was able to score this set for $17.99!  Woot Woot!

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I just love being able to take advantage of great deals, especially when it comes to home decor items or furniture.  My goal is to have my house ballin' on a budget.  Have you found any good deals?  If so, let me know!