[kreyv of the day]

image from Johanna Pilfalk

Eclectic Gallery Walls | How To

My bloggy friend, Leslie asked for tips on how to create an eclectic gallery wall without making it looking too busy.  An eclectic gallery wall is WAY easier to hang than a gallery that is perfectly aligned and symmetrical, but it can also seem more complicated to design.  There aren't really rules, besides just making it look pretty, but here are a few of my tips:

1 | My first tip when creating an eclectic gallery wall (meaning items/frames of different sizes, colors, and shapes), is to lay a mock plan on the floor. This will give you a general idea of where you will place items.

2 | Start with large items, and work your way out. Hang up the largest items first, and then fill in the blank spaces with smaller items. 

image from Decor Pad

3 | If you are too nervous to go too "freestyle", then use lines. You can arrange frames in a rectangle or square, or even align your frames on top, bottom, or both.

image from Beth Dotolo

image from Desire to Inspire

image from Skona Hem

4 | Use the same color of frames. Using the same color of frames will give a sense of unity and cohesiveness, although different colors of frames works well, too, depending on your preference.

image from West Elm

5 | Use a symmetrical layout. An eclectic gallery can still be symmetrical. The frames, artwork, and colors are the factors that will make it feel eclectic.

image from Pottery Barn

6| Just go for it! If you're not ready to just start hammering, use painter's tape and/or cut-outs to try out different layouts on your wall.  And, if all else fails, it's just a few holes in the wall. That's what spackle is for.  Just ask Mr. Hubs.

Shopping the House | Five Things You Already Have

Do you kind of hate it when people tell you to shop your house? You're like, "Really? You're telling me I'm going to find some awesome piece of awesomeness that I've forgotten about? Yeah right."  If you're like me, I'm using pretty much everything…no new discoveries, just like there is nothing new in my pantry--regardless of how many times I open and shut it. (Yet, I continue to do it.) I am willing to bet, however, that you have most of these items in your home, so get them out and use them!

1 | Sticks: Yes, I may have a slight obsession with sticks, everyone knows it. The other day, my three year old gifted me a stick, because "Mommy loves sticks." Sticks are cheap…free to be exact, and they add a natural element, height, and texture. 

image from Kat Teutsch Styling

image from Lantliv

2 | Blankets & Throws: Blankets and throws add a sense of warmth and add texture, color, and print to a space. Whether they're thrown over a chair, sofa, or bed or folded up on a shelf, basket, or piece of furniture--they're an easy addition.

image from Apartment Therapy

image from West Elm

3 | Dishes: Plates, bowls, and other serving pieces are a great way to fill open shelving or other areas in the kitchen or dining room. Stacking items gives a sense of collection and character.

image source unknown

image from House & Home

4 | Frames: Creating an eclectic gallery wall is a great way to add personality to a space.  Frames of all different sizes, colors, and textures can come together to make a major statement.

image from Desert Domicile

image from Style Me Pretty

5 | Books & Magazines: Books and magazines are a great way to add interest to a room. Stack books forward, backwards, sideways, or upright. Magazines can be stacked, collected in bowls, baskets, or trays, or even thrown over hangers or ladders.

image from Stylizmo

image from Todd Waterbury

The Great Wall of Stella | My Gallery Wall

Yes, the great wall of Stella is up. This larger than life display of our little princess is proof once again, that she's kind of a big deal (around here at least)! If you missed the post on how to hang this gallery wall, go here.

[kreyv of the day]

image from Country Living

How to Hang an Ikea Gallery Wall

This was a project and a half...but it's done(ish). (The hardest part was the planning, so hopefully, this post helps someone create a gallery a little bit quicker than we did.) The first issue was figuring out how to hang 12 Ikea frames consistently and evenly. If you're familiar with their frames, they include a wire kit, which is super easy unless you are hanging 12 pictures that need to be straight and evenly spaced. Mr. Hubs and I came up with the idea of using wood to create a mount. Now, this is where the story gets blurry. I think that I came up with the idea of attaching the furring strips to the wall, but Mr. Hubs thinks it was his idea. Since I'm the author of this blog, I'm totally going to take credit for it, mmmkay? I mean, really, I didn't help with anything else, so I have to take credit for something. Actually,  I take that back. I unwrapped the frames and gave encouragement. Those things are really what made this happen. So, this is what we did...

We laid the frames on the floor to figure out the spacing. Of course, everything was ten times harder, because of the cable and electric outlet that live right in the middle of the wall. (Why do outlets hate me?) After adjusting the spacing again (and again) and reassuring Jeremy that I did not need to hire someone to finish this, Mr. Hubs attached 12 1x2 inch furring strips (cut to 8 inches) to the wall, using a level to make sure they were, well, level. The great thing about using furring strips, is that you can slide the picture from left to right if you need to adjust it.

Once all 12 furring strips were attached to the wall, Jeremy predrilled small holes into the tops of every frame. At this point, we were finally ready to hang the pictures. Each frame was hung, and then attached to the top of furring strip with a small screw. (Well, actually only 11 were hung, since one frame was dropped. Not to point fingers, but it wasn't by me.) Each frame has a tiny screw in the top of it. We decided this was a must, since the wall is in a high traffic area, and we have littles that come to play at our house. Plus, it's not like I am going to change the pictures very often. After all, they have had the Ikea paper in them for at least three weeks now.

So, there's the gallery. I just need to print some pictures. And what am I going to put in all of these frames, you ask? Well, Stella of course. One can never have too many pictures of Stella!

Black & White Gallery Walls

I am hoping that SOMETHING will go up on my walls this week. First stop: living room gallery wall. I am wanting to do something completely different than my last gallery. I'm thinking 9-12 large, black frames with black and white photos. I can't wait to get them up and give this pad a little bit of personality. Here are some inspiration pics. I'm in love, you?

image from Samantha Pynn

image from Gianetti Home via In Good Taste

image from Shelterness

[in five]: First Five Purchases

Let's just get one thing out of the way: I have been a total slogger. That, my friends, is a word I made up for one who slacks on his or her blog. Her, in this case, is me. I'm tired. Those 25 hour drives just take it right out of you. Plus, we're kind of a big deal here in Utah (with our moms). They want to spend all sorts of time with us Stella. The good news is that almost all of our moving piles are put away. I still have nothing on the walls, and I probably won't for 21 more days. That is when Husband takes his anesthesia boards, and then I can bug him about things to hang up and projects and such.  He can hardly wait.

In the meantime, even though I am tired, I am not too tired to think about things I want to do with this place. (If that ever happened, I'd probably be dead, because I am pretty much ALWAYS think about someone's house.) I don't know why it is that when you move, you pretty much think you need all new stuff, but it's just the way it goes.  These are the things I'm going to purchase first: bath mat, frames for gallery, birch brackets, floor mirror, and bins for the playroom. (Links are under pictures.) So far, I have only bought one thing: the floor mirror. And that is only 20 percent. I seriously feel like such a failure.

Zig Zag Bath Mat from West Elm

image from Samantha Pynn (frames for gallery)

Ekby Valter Bracket from Ikea

Mongstad Mirror from Ikea

3 Sprouts Bins from Target

[color kreyv]: Neutrals

I know. "Neutrals" isn't exactly a color, per say, but, let's be honest, these rooms are maj. (Any Rachel Zoe fans out there? If not, that's an abbreviation for major, just so we're clear.) I am so loving neutrals and the easy, breezy, peaceful feel they give to a room. It's all about the right color of white on the wall, if you ask me. If you didn't ask me, that's ok, too, because I'm going to tell you anyway: it's all about the white.

image source unknown

image from Lux Decor via Decor Pad

image from Samantha Pynn

[kreyv of the day]

image from House & Home

[kreyv of the day]

image from Design Sponge

Monogram Love

I absolutely love adding a monogram (or two) to a room. It's cool and classic and sophisticated. Me likey. (Phrases like that perfectly illustrate that I clearly need more sophistication in my life.) My monogram is probably the trickiest letter. It's not symmetrical, it doesn't stand up on its own, and, well, it's just a line with a curly tail. The only cool thing about my monogram is that I have three lines with three curly tails. And even cooler? So does the mister. JJJ & JJJ. Is that meant to be, or what?! But still. I'm a little jealous of the rest of you with your M's, H's, T's...you get the point. I'm jealous. With a J.

image from Restoration Hardware

image from Elle Decor

image from Pottery Barn

[kreyv of the day]

image from Nacho Polo

Dining Rooms, Galleries, and Chocolate Chips

I love a good gallery wall and really, what better place for a gallery than in a dining room? I could just sit right at the table, eat my frozen chocolate chips and gaze at all of the beautiful pictures. I continue to buy said chocolate chips --you know, for all the baking I do think about doing. Funny thing is, I haven't used chocolate chips for baking in a LONG time, but the chocolate chips keep on needing replacing.  On second thought, maybe it's not so funny.

image from Desire to Inspire

image from Design Sponge

image from Charlie & Co. Design

Friday. Who Knew?

Until this very minute, I seriously thought that tomorrow was Thursday. Nope. Friday. I love it when that happens. The weekend is here, which means you really don't have that much time left to enter the GALLERY WALL GIVEAWAY. I just got my Gallery Wall package in the mail today, and the watercolors are gorgeous! I can't wait to get them on the wall! Check out some of Sarah's work below. I know you want one, so get to it. Go HERE to enter, then tell everyone you know about it, and THEN you can have a good weekend!

image from Flourish Design + Style 

image from Flourish Design + Style

Gallery Wall Giveaway!

I am super excited to announce my newest sponsor, Gallery Wall. Sarah Swanson of Flourish Design + Style has created uber chic, one of a kind watercolors for only $10. You heard me right. Ten. Dollars. I can't wait to get mine! Sarah will also be giving YOU a chance to win an original watercolor of your choice from her Gallery Wall Etsy shop. Here's how: 

1. Visit Gallery Wall, and leave a comment telling me which watercolor is your favorite. (It's hard to choose!)

2. For an extra entry, like [kreyv] on Facebook, and leave a comment telling me you did so. If you already like [kreyv] on Facebook, blog or post about this giveaway, and leave me a comment.

Giveaway will end Monday at 6:00pm CST. Winner will be announced on Tuesday. Good luck!

image from Gallery Wall via Etsy

Gallery Wall Print by Sarah Swanson featured in Style at Home

image from Gallery Wall via Etsy

image from Gallery Wall via Etsy

Straight Lines, OCD, and Sesame Street

Is today seriously the last day of April? As Grover would say, "What the hay?" That's how I get Stella's hair done: plop her in front of the computer and let her watch Sesame Street YouTube. You gotta do what you gotta do, even if it means having Sesame Street lyrics stuck in your head. All. Day. Long.

But, other than my exciting life, let's talk about gallery walls. While I absolutely love a collected, unique, eclectic look, I also love the clean, uniform, straight lineness (so not a word) of a gallery with matching frames. I love symmetry and order. What can I say?  It speaks to me and my OCD, which is a welcome change from the Sesame Street lyrics.

image from Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper 

image from Traditional Home

image from Decor Pad