Thankfully the rather bland, unimaginative beige mist that dominated 1990s interior design has been largely forgotten and the internet has opened up a myriad of ideas for the modern decorator. One of the more popular trends in recent years has been the ‘Gallery Wall’ hang, more accurately a version of the ‘Salon-Style’ hang that has had its adherents for centuries. Annual exhibitions at art academies and salons throughout Europe were hung densely with pictures jostling frame to frame for prominence.
Today an eclectic collection of small and medium sized artworks, mixing styles and mediums, can transform a large blank wall into a blaze of colour, adding interest and giving a room immediate personality.
Almost every designer we know recommends laying out the works on the floor first, akin to a large jigsaw puzzle. As with most arrangements it is easier to begin with the larger pieces and build a design around them. The most successful hangs look at first glance as if they have been thrown up randomly, yet the overall appearance has a certain harmony or ‘rightness’ about it. Definitely avoid the temptation to give into symmetry – that is strictly for single hangs and chimneypieces!