We recently (finally!) created a little gallery wall in our living space and I couldn't be happier with the outcome! After a long time spent hoarding frames, printing pictures and a lot of procrastinating, it's finally feeling a little bit more personal in here.

Hanging a gallery wall can be a daunting task, especially if you're not quite sure where to start. When choosing the family photos and mementos that will adorn your walls, assembling a cohesive group of trinkets and snapshots is by far the most fun part of the process. My magic formula? A few family photos from varying occasions (although I was tempted to make a whole wall of wedding portraits, keeping all of the shots from difference special times in our lives makes our gallery wall exciting and full of memories), some landscape / non-personal photographs (a snapshot from our trip to Morocco, a cool cacti and a Saint Laurent ad), paintings/sketches (like these two prints we picked up at the Picasso Museum in Spain), a cheeky greeting card from a friend and a few inspirational quotes.

Tips for creating your own gallery wall:

- Lay everything out before nailing it down! It helps (big time) to see what your gallery will look like before busting out the hammer... I resorted to mocking up our spread on the living room rug and moving everything around until landing on an arrangement that felt right. If you're feeling thorough, make paper templates and tape them to the wall to be sure that you're digging the arrangement. If you're not, winging it will just add extra whimsy!

- Mix it up with a variety of frames and images. We collected frames from Framebridge, West Elm, Ikea, Target and Homegoods. Since our home feels a little eclectic and very casual the mix of wood tones and sizes works for us. If you like something a little more polished you can absolutely opt for uniform frames.

- Hang things that make sense to you. Naughty words and YSL don't make sense for everybody but I like to think of our living space as being a little fun and a lot unapologetic. When choosing the artwork for your gallery wall don't be afraid to invest in prints you love and pieces that make you laugh. in addition to those beautiful family moments, quotes and art will keep it from feeling like you're staring at an art exhibit all about you.

- Keep it fun and don't take decorating too seriously!
 

Admittedly, we haven't exactly "finished" any of the spaces in our new home but rest assured that everything is coming together slowly. I've been plotting our master bedroom for a while but as the story tends to go, our room is always one of the last to get any attention. I'm imagining the perfectly moody oasis filled with pops of metallic and modern lines. Since my husband isn't inclined to love anything super feminine (I guess my love of everything blush colored will have to go un-nurtured), keeping things neutral and limiting accessories to functional pieces will be the perfect way to find balance.

When it comes to plans for our boudoir there are a couple of things worth considering...

1) We already own a lot of pieces (this modern bed, an ikea dresser that has followed us from home to home, a side table VERY similar to this one and this exact lamp) and aren't looking to spend a ton of money updating perfectly good furniture.

2) We're on the heels of a life-changing trip to Morocco and would love to be reminded of our travels as often as possible. It doesn't hurt that brought home armfuls of authentic vintage wedding blankets and snapped a ton of great pictures (stay tuned!).

This all means that the biggest undertaking of this project (besides re-painting against the wishes of our landlord... shh!) will be styling things we already have in our arsenal. I'm excited to get to work!

one kings lane linen ottoman | benjamin moore black panther | schoolhouse round brass tray | ikea hemnes dresser | vintage moroccan wedding blanket | metallic dipped basket | target brass and marble box lamp | threshold mis century accent table | tov nixon upholstered panel bed | urban outfitters net tassel duvet cover & winky embroidered pillow

curved peacock bed | astra chandelier | velvet losange chair
hoop mirror | leather loom chair | moroccan wedding rug
mina sofa | copper floor lamp | elemental layers coffee table
pari rattan chair | handwoven trellis daybed | torchiere lamp set

No matter how hard I try to quit the sometimes-overpriced kitsch and aroma of volcano not-so-subtly wafting through air, there's something about Anthropologie that always draws me back in. Quintessentially aspirational, Anthropologie's goods rarely find themselves into my cart or on their way to my home (because let's be honest, I tend to be on a Target budget... can I get an amen?). Alas, a girl can dream!

What's on your Anthro wishlist?