A great article by Vicky Sanderson
September 1/23
I've never met a gallery wall I didn't like. That's because I love images
that tell a story - and a gallery-style grouping of framed art,
photographs, and memorabilia never fails to tell a tale, whether it's
through shared history of old family photos, or an unexpected taste
for, say, black and white architectural photography.
But like any compelling narrative, a well-executed gallery wall
requires a structure. This one starts with picking prints, and includes
choosing the size, shape, configuration, matting, and finish of frames,
as well as the arithmetic involved with hanging pieces on the wall.
A new ready-to-hang line removes all that bother, and make highlypersonalized
gallery walls easy, accessible, and significantly more
affordable than a conventional custom job.
Loveyourwalls.ca is the creation of Elevator Digital, a printing and
framing business already known for making, framing, and hanging
commercial and residential art and photography, some of which is
shipped securely around the world.
Over the past 25 years, owners Kevin and Michele Viner have created
hundreds of custom gallery walls. They saw that no matter the size and
shape of their space, people want to use it to tell stories of cherished
people, places, and objects.
(There's an interesting history of the gallery wall on the Saatchia Art
blog, and more gallery wall ideas on aroundthehouse.ca.)
From start to finish, hassles and potential stumbling blocks are
identified and eliminated. Photos are easily downloaded to the site by
using the guidelines for several set gallery configurations, each of
which indicates how much wall space it requires.
Options include a space-saving set of three photos in a 26-inch high
by32-inch wide space, and two stacked rows of three 12- by 12-inch
photos in 21- by 21-inch frames, which needs 50 inches in height and
76 inches across.
At $1245, The Sixer is the priciest kit. An eight-piece collection comes
in differently-sized frames and needs 40- by 65- inches. Photo sizes
top out at 12- by 12 inches to ensure clarity of image.
Jpegs, heic, and png files from phone or desktop can all be used,
although the larger the file, the better. Frames can be white, black, or
natural wood - all in a matte satin finish. An acrylic surface for
photos that's virtually indistinguishable from glass makes pieces safer
to ship.
After submitting photos, a digital proof that shows crops is sent to the
client by email. They have 36 hours to respond. After that, production
begins.
The wall is shipped in five to seven business days via Canada Post or
Purolator. Prices for each kit includes shipping.
Along with the framed photos comes a lilfe-size template that tapes to
the wall to position framed prints and place hangers. It's a super
simple process, but an online video goes through the steps.
Another practical note for hardware nerds like me - the hooks and
nails that are included are WallBuddies, a favourite of those who hang
photos, in part because they are both very sturdy and very "forgiving".
That means that even if the nail moves a hair when hammered into the
paper template, the hardware has some up or down play.
While there's plenty of enthusiasm from established homeowners for
a one-stop- gallery-wall, their gift certificates are gaining as a way to
recognize celebrations like weddings, the arrival of babies, and family
reunions.
Knowing how long a gallery wall will stick around and how much
meaning they can have, savvy real-estate agents are also beginning to
offer them as closing gifts to clients, as are corporations looking for
customizable gifts and tributes.
I suppose that's a sign that there are lots of others like me who relish a
good tale, well-told in pictures.
Vicky Sanderson is the editor of Around the House. Check her out on
Instagram @athwithvicky Twitter ATHwithVicky and