Chase and I made a gallery wall in my office, over the chalkboard wall.
I love it.
The entire room feels so alive now.
It really pulls together the whole boho home thing we're trying to do.
But it easily could have been a hot mess. When we were planning this, I found there were a few critical steps that made the project so successful.
1. Keep The Chalkboard Accent To 1/2 A Wall
You don't want too much chalkboard in a room. The room is already dark and even half a wall makes it even darker. If you decide to paint a wall, try to use half a wall, either above some existing trim or by adding trim to the wall yourself.
I did my chalkboard about a year ago, so I don't remember the exact brand. I would recommend sticking to a wall paint brand instead of using craft paint. Prestige would be a good option.
You also want to get a gallon of chalkboard paint. Even if there's a ton left over, you want to have it to make touchups over time.
2. Apply The Chalkboard Paint Carefully
You want a steady hand. Make sure you cover up anything you don't want slick, black paint on. You also want to be careful about where you use painters tape. It will absolutely peel the chalkboard paint off, especially in the corners... so be prepared to do a few touchups later.
3. Give Plenty Of Time To Dry
Open your windows, and give the paint at least 24 hours to dry before you hang anything up. Once the paint is dry, draw a few little crude things and erase them to make sure the paint is thick enough.
4. Choose Your Art
If you're like me, you have a few framed items and few rogue drawings and photos you would like to frame. Choose the ones that you like the most (don't worry about how they fit together for now). For me, I selected my own art, like an oversized abstract painting, as well as sentimental items, like a few postcards I bought during my trip to Ireland.
Here's everything I have on the wall:
Abstract Iceland
I painted this abstract version of the little houses in Reykjavik. I actually painted over an old piece that used to be in the frame.
Before you feel too bad for the painting that was there before, know that I picked this entire thing out of the trash, so I think a slight repurposing was okay.
I almost threw it out again, but Chase said he really liked it. So I got a new backing at Hobby Lobby for only $2 and it made the painting feel brand new.
Mommom's Kitchen Calendar
This calendar hung in my Mommom's kitchen until she passed away in 2001. 1987 is my birth year, which makes the piece special to me. I used to hang it without a frame, but I'm too paranoid now. I got a shadow box on sale for $20 and pinned it in.
Chase's birth year is also 1987, making this really special. We were also both born on Tuesdays.
Autographed Gary Jules Poster
I met Gary Jules at a concert in Durham a few years ago, at Motorco. I wandered outside during his opening act, clutching a poster. I found Jules himself.
He was alone, so I went up and told him how much I liked his music and thanked him for the hard work. He asked if I wanted an autograph (it hadn't even crossed my mind), so I frantically ran inside to find a sharpie.
I love the poster, but the real memory is Gary Jules singing an acoustic version of Mad World.
A Convent Garden Postcard
I bought this postcard when I visited Ireland this past year. My friend Claire and I got bumped from our flight home, and had to spend another day in Dublin.
We decided to go to The National Gallery of Ireland, which has some incredible exhibits and exposed me to some of my new favorite artists.
Convent Garden feels light, innocent, and sunny, which is why I felt so drawn to it. The wildness of the grass and plants reminds me of my Mommom's postage stamp sized backyard, where I used to play.
I also have it as a magnet on my fridge.
The Elf-hill Postcard
This was another purchase from The National Gallery of Ireland. Honestly, I just like it because it feels magical. It reminds me of my friend Melissa (yes, also named Melissa) who I grew up with in Victor, NY, a suburb of Rochester.
We used to watch fun witchy movies like Practical Magic, and would spend hours talking about and imagining our futures.
She lives in London now with her husband and occasionally, I visit.
If you love these Irish postcards, I have some in the Drifty shop, with the same wooden frame.
Grief Art Postcard
Jack B. Yeats is an Irish artist, and one of my new favorites. I loved his abstract work at the gallery.
Grief, pictured above, is beautiful, but also, feels like memory, melancholy and pensive. That feels like grief to me.
I also bought and hung a Men of Destiny print (also by Yeats) on the wall.
Temple University Diploma
I'm a Temple U alumni, just like my mom. She got this framed for me after graduation. It's always had a place in my home, but until now, I haven't found the best spot for it. I loved my time in Philadelphia, and I have warm, fuzzy memories whenever I look at this.
High School Doodle
When I was angsty at 16, my entire life revolved around love. I drew this after a particularly emo episode. It says, "I would trade this day for that one."
As an adult, the doodle is more about appreciating what you have now and living in the moment, so there aren't any regrets. You don't always know what you have until you don't have it anymore.
About To Write A Letter Postcard
This is another piece by Yeats, called About To Write A Letter. The art is inspired by a book of poems by John Hamilton Reynolds, titled The Fancy.
Personally, I love writing letters, especially when I never have any intention of sending them. The colors and tone of this piece feel so decisive and crass, as if the man in the painting is about to write a letter that's going to change his life - for better and worse.
5. Get Everything Framed
I got a few of my pieces professionally framed, one or two matted, and framed the rest myself. The entire framing project cost about $100. There's a blend of high-quality and cheap frames here, which works for the overall aesthetic of our place.
You want to dedicate an entire afternoon getting everything framed. Don't stress too much about the textures and colors of the frames - just get stuff that you like and complements the art.
You also want to put thought into the nails or screws you're buying. Think through the weight of each piece of art, and what it will take to ensure it hangs securely.
6. Measure Your Frames
Measure and write down the dimensions of all of your frames. Keep in mind that the dimensions that are listed on a frame are referring to interior measurements, so a 5" x 7" frame is actually a little larger.
It's important to get all of the frame dimensions right so you can map out how you're going to space them out and arrange them on the wall.
7. Draw The Frames
I knew I wanted the heavier items on top, so planning where I wanted the frames wasn't too difficult. Chase was a huge help (he has an eye for hanging art), so we talked a lot about how we wanted it to look before actually drawing anything.
If you're more visual, however, feel free to sketch out a few options of paper beforehand. Then, when you sketch the arrangement on the wall, you can step back and assess whether or not it works in your space.
8. Hang The Heavy Items First
This was Chase's rule. And yes, this is probably a two-person job. You want someone to start hammering in the nails and hanging the artwork, while someone spots them from below (in case they trip or drop anything.)
The secondary person can also step back and tell the hanger if the art is straight.
9. Hang The Little Frames
Now, the smaller frames can be tricky. We chose to be a little matchy matchy (the wood frames together versus the glass frames together.) The good part of the smaller frames is that you can easily rearrange them if they don't look right.
That's also why you want to hang the heavier items at top - get them up there and perfect so you won't have to move them again.
10. Leave Space For New Memories
There's still room on my chalkboard for new art, as well as space for writing and sketching. I hope to add a few more postcards to the wall as I travel.
11. Stand Back And Admire - You're Done!
Hurray!
You finally hung up all of those paintings and drawings that have been sitting around gathering dust!
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