A home makeover with gallery walls

Gallery walls have become increasingly popular in homes, mainly because they are an exceptional way of bringing life into a space. They also give people an opportunity to display photos and artwork all in one place.

Many interior designers concur that gallery walls are an ideal way to bring in whatever your room might need, whether it's colour, pattern or personality.

To create a gallery wall, you need to consider some factors in order to get the most of your photo display.

Mr Tobias Ocholla, an interior designer in Homa Bay Town, says when creating a gallery wall, the first step is to pick out the pieces you want to display. "The beauty about a gallery wall is that you can display different things at a go," says Mr Ocholla.

THEMES

Many people choose to have a theme for their gallery walls to avoid colour and art clash. Mr Ocholla advises that there should be at least one thing that pulls your gallery wall together. This can be the colour or artwork confined in the theme they create.

"Sometimes all pieces have the same colour or they are just abstract. You could just choose an overall colour scheme and make sure it is spread out throughout the gallery wall," explains Mr Ocholla.

To create harmony in the theme, it is advisable to use same sized frames by placing them evenly along the wall.

Once an art work or a photo to be displayed is identified, mark where they will be placed on the wall.

For instance, you can cut out paper that is the size of each frame you want to use and then move them around on your wall to see where each looks best. This can be done by making small marks using a pen or a painter's tape at each corner.

Mr Ocholla says there is need to create cohesiveness on frames used in a gallery.

He says leaving the same amount of space between frames so that the installation doesn't appear overcrowded or messy is rewarding.

"Two inches is a good starting point. Too much space (more than five inches) or uneven space between frames can make the arrangement come out as haphazard," advises Mr Ocholla.

COLOUR

When most colour in a room is on a gallery wall, it's imperative to have pieces such as furniture and accessories that tie the colours of the wall to the rest of the room, otherwise, one runs the risk of having a wall feeling visually isolated from the rest of the space. This can leave your room looking disjointed.

When assembling your images, it's wise to take the wall colour as a base and then choose the colour of your art accordingly.

Hanging images in a room is a serious task. According to photo expert George Odiwuor, collectors should not be afraid of mixing genres or periods when the photos were taken.

Mr Odiwuor advises: "One can for instance take an incredible 17th-century portrait and pair it with contemporary paintings as long as they have one theme in terms of message, colour and frame."

Pairing or grouping works of direct ages and times together in a hang can bring out visual or thematic links, creating beautiful memories. For instance, a hotel at the shore of a lake can have portraits of boats and fishermen as its theme influenced by the common activity in the area.

The height in which a portrait is hanged on a wall is of significance to its safety. For instance, excess heat is a phenomenon that can affect a portrait hanged above a radiator. Similarly, light can fade fragile or unprotected works.

"Beware of direct sunlight, and never hang a drawing or a water-colour near a window," warns Mr Odiwuor.

To reduce the damage caused by harsh weather to portraits on a wall, special glazes can be applied to glass to prevent ultra violet light from causing fading in them.

Similarly, seals can be applied to frames to create artificial environments, protecting artworks from humidity or fluctuations in temperature.