DIY Gallery Wall Under $20
One thing that continues to keep me sane are all the mini projects I have in my pipeline to make this house into a home. This week I tackled the beginnings of our gallery wall!
I think I've mentioned this in previous posts but I love family photos and I love having them displayed in some sort of "gallery" fashion. I tend to go for black and white photographs as they feel more "classic" and almost like a memory. So once I figured out that I wanted to create an entry hallway through our living room I thought it would be lovely to create a feature gallery wall of black and white photographs and I was able to get it started for just under $20!
Supplies Needed:
- Dollar Tree Photo Frames in the size of your choice ($1 x 8 = $8.00)
- White Poster Board (2 for $1.00)
- Photo Prints in the size of your choice (they only need to be smaller than the frame if you're creating a matte) - (8 Walmart 5" x 7" Prints at $10.52)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Utility or Precision Knife
Total cost of supplies purchased = $19.52
Today's DIY features frames from the handy Dollar Tree, because I don't know about you but frames are expensive and with a gallery wall, the more frames the better...so things can really add up. And on top of that I wanted matte frames which are even more pricey. So I love going to the dollar tree for frames; they have such a variety of styles and sizes and with a little extra time and creativity you can turn a dollar frame into something really special.
Eventually I plan on adding more framed photos to grow the gallery but to start it off I decided that 8 was the magic number. I also needed white poster board to create my frame mattes and (of course!) Dollar Tree came through with them at 2 for $1. The poster boards are 22" x 28" in size so I only needed 2 to create the all 8 mattes!
Creating Frame Mattes
Creating mattes for frames is an easy task but it is TEDIOUS! The thing about decorating on a budget is that you're paying in sweat and time rather than bucks. But I find that it's worth it and if you're a creative person like myself, then you'll actually enjoy the process and appreciate the end results even more! Alright, enough blabbing, here's a break down on how I created these matted frames.
Step 1
The Dollar Tree poster boards have a shiny side and a matte side. When creating the mattes I prefer the matte to be the side showing through the frame but choose whichever side you desire. Make sure the side that won't be showing is facing up. You will be marking this side with measurements! I then take the backing of the frame and use it as a template.
Step 2
As I stated before the 22" x 28" poster board produces 4 perfect 11" x 14" mattes. Once I have all possible mattes drawn out it's time to cut them out.
Step 3
Once those are cut it's time to figure out the measurements for the negative space of the matte. Take one of the poster board cut outs and place your photo in the center to use as a guideline. Make sure both your photo and the poster board are the same orientation (portrait vs. landscape). Now calculate the difference between the length of the poster board and length of the photo. The 11" side of my board corresponds with the 5" side of my photo so the difference is 6". Divide that number by 2 since you want the same amount of negative space on either side...using my example that would give use 3" on both sides. Now listen up, this is important: add a minimum of 1/4" per side to this measurement! Don't be like me the first time I tried to make mattes years ago and cut out an opening that has the exact same measurements as the photo! This gives us a final measurement of 3.25" per side. Repeat the same process but this time to figure out the amount of negative space between the width of the poster and the width of the photo...you also need to add a minimum of 1/4" to this final number as well. For my example the final measurement for the width would be 3.75".
Step 4
Once you get both measurements it's time to measure out the opening for where your chosen photo with be displayed. Using a ruler and working from the outer edge of the poster board you want find and mark the measurements from step 3. So from the edge of the 11" sides of the poster board I measured 3.25" in and on the 14" sides I measured in 3.75". Use the same straight edged ruler and following your markings, trace lines that extend from edge to edge. A rectangle will form (It could be a square depending on your frame/photo but in this example it's a rectangle) in the center and that is the portion of poster board that needs to be removed to create the frame matte.
Step 5
Using a utility or precision knife carefully cut along the lines of that inner rectangle. I would suggest placing a piece of scrap cardboard under the poster board to help steady the knife as well as protect your working surface. Be sure to take your time here because crooked cuts will show and ruin the effect!
Step 6
Gently remove the cutout from the center and flip the remaining board over to the displayed side. You know have a matte for your photo frame!
Now for the fun! Place the mattes and photos in their frames and and figure out your gallery wall layout! It's so helpful to clear a space on the floor and lay everything out exactly how you want it on the wall. Measure the distance between the photos as well as the overall length and height of the whole layout to ensure you place all the frames on your wall just right. The key is patience and attention to detail. Measure everything twice and take your time!
What a difference hanging these up made to the entry of our home. I just smile of the thought of having guests and neighbors over and them be greeted by a wall of happy memories that show them more about who we are! I look forward to filling ours up with future memories for trips taken, experiences had, and more family memories. This DIY also goes to show that you can make a grand statement on a small budget! I hope you're inspired to get started on a gallery wall of your own...happy crafting!
xo
Janine
Janine
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