Joe and I have been shooting little videos for his current sermon series, “Know Yourself”, which is based on the sacred enneagram. Each week we’re doing a “fitted sheet challenge” which shows a host and an enneagram type, with the featured type folding the fitted sheet in a way that would be stereotypical to their number. For example, the Type One (the Reformer/Perfectionist), was concerned about it being perfect and “doing it right”, having an impossibly-high standard for themselves. Type Nine (the Peacemaker) had a hard time getting started, wanted to defer to someone else or have snacks (or a nap!) and Type Three (the Performer) was more interested in her status, wanting to know who was watching and focused on just getting the job done as fast as possible. We’ve done Types Eight, Two, and Four, so far, as well.
This series has been an entertaining and informative one (you don’t have to know anything about the enneagram!) and very applicable. After all, it is about knowing yourself so that you can better understand why you are the way you are, how to be better and be more compassionate of those who are different than you.
Anyway, that’s not the point of this post. However, if you’d like to listen to the messages, you can find them on the Podcast app (Shoreline Valdosta). Go check it out!
This post is about what is in the background of all those videos…our master bedroom gallery wall.
Up until now, I don’t think I’ve posted anything about our bedroom. You may have seen the wreath I did last December that hung above our bed (hanging it up again soon!), or a random Instagram view of a pillow arrangement, but I think that’s the extent. It’s been a work in progress… (It’s also really hard to get good lighting for photos!)
Our gallery wall was one of the things I was most excited about doing in this house. While I figured it was going to be a temporary dwelling, I didn’t want to make any big changes. Hanging pictures and art was one area where I went big.
I was very intentional about what I wanted to put on this particular wall. It is the only full wall (no window or door, just blank drywall) in our master and I wanted to fill it up.
I call it our gallery wall because it tells our story – mine and Joe’s.
At the center is a large piece we bought at an art auction on a cruise in Alaska. It was our first relatively big purchase together. We loved the European countryside setting and the bold colors. It reminded me of trips I’d taken to Italy and it reminded Joe of his time stationed in Spain, while in the Navy.
Surrounding that frame are photographs of the two of us, of our children, and of the four of us together. There are pictures of the churches we’ve served, and a few other pieces of art. As many races as we have done, we only have a few medals framed: an old one done by Joe’s mom from when he did the Ironman, a Half Ironman he did several years ago that I had framed for Christmas, and the medal from my first Half Marathon that Joe had framed for me. There are the silhouettes I did of Hannah and Joseph back when they were little, and there is artwork they have done.
I love looking at it and, when sleep doesn’t come easy, I find myself going back to those places and times.
The wall is full now, I’d say. I added the last few frames several months ago. Many of these frames were hanging in our last house, so I only had to come up with a layout and add to it here and there.
I chose to do a random or organic layout. I didn’t want to be confined to hanging only what I already had when we moved in, but wanted the option to expand.
Of course, in doing something like this, you do have to be selective. Wall spaces is limited! When you opt for an organic layout like this one, I’d suggest you find a larger anchor piece or two to go in the center and build out from that. Depending on the look you are going for, consider mixing up your frames. I used black, stained wood, and gold. Don’t get too hung up on having everything match. What I like about this one is that it varies so much. I have both black and white and color photographs, drawings, and paintings. On this occasion I stuck to frames-only, but I also love adding three-dimensional objects to a gallery wall.
Honestly, hanging a gallery wall is not hard, but it’s not stress-free either! Deciding what is worthy of displaying in the first place can prove to be a challenge if you’re a little indecisive like me. Not to mention committing to a layout and making sure the spacing is right when it comes to actually nailing into the wall. However, the thing I like about an organic layout and a “fill the wall” approach means there’s margin for error. There is also no need to have a completed, or finished, look as you grow your gallery. Just make sure the look is balanced overall.
There is all kinds of gallery wall inspiration out there and I have seen some fabulous ones. But when it comes to yours, do you, and you’ll love it even more. Tell your story, display your favorite things or memories. The bottom line: choose things that are personal and that make you happy and you won’t get tired of looking at them.
Dusting all those frames on the other hand and keeping them lined up… Hey, nothing is perfect.
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