Pared-Down Living Room Gallery Wall

The only constant in life is change, and this applies to our living room gallery wall, too.

I had spent a few years creating a genuinely collected-over-time gallery wall in our living room. It had a nature theme because that’s the kind of art that makes my soul exhale.

I love this nature-themed gallery wall.

I was also ready for a change.

Two seemingly contradictory things can be true at the same time.

I didn’t want a drastic change, just something a bit simpler and more refined to feast my eyes on.

My pared-down living room gallery wall needed to stick with the nature theme, though, because I haven’t changed THAT much.

Plus, I’m reusing the art I have.

Still frugal, too.

Here’s how the living room gallery wall looks now.

Guess how long it took me to come up with this layout.

If you guessed WEEKS, you would be correct. I lost count of the actual number.

*shakes head* 

I would also have accepted the answer of months. Because it was a many-month-long process if you count how long the largest painting on the wall just sat on top of the table while I decided if I wanted to remove a million Command strips to reorganize this gallery wall. It feels so wasteful. At least nails are reusable.

This painting, which instigated the gallery wall change, was another thrift store find. It is a big one, 27 x 33 inches, and it cost me a whopping nine dollars. NINE!

When I got it up to the counter with my steal of a painting, the cashier asked me if I was buying it for the frame. Then she paused as if it dawned on her that she might be low-key insulting me and added, “Or for the art?”

“Both???”

Here’s the great thing about being a human. We all get to enjoy different things if we want, and we can do it without yucking someone else’s yum. Wild concept, I know.

Sometimes I get a good deal on art at a thrift store. Other times, I get it for free because I gave birth to the artist.

Hmmm…I’m no Merriam-Webster, but maybe I’m using ‘free’ in the wrong context here.

Either way, the watercolor on the top right of the gallery wall is a newer addition to our home, and was painted by my daughter. It’s extra special because it is a painting of a tree in our backyard.

Of course, I had to proudly display it somewhere in our home.

The last item that needed a spot of honor on our pared-down living room gallery wall was a vintage wall pocket gifted to me by my stepmom. Wall pockets are vases for your wall.

They are not trendy right now, which made me want to lean into the idea.

Zig when everyone else is zagging.

I’m also the person who switched from skinny jeans to wide-leg jeans when everyone else did, so ignore everything I say.

The wall pocket itself is probably a bit small for the large statement I want to make, but I’m invoking artistic license to say it’s fine, and poster putty to keep the stems upright make it so.

While there are other items on the wall, that is the nitty-gritty on the three items I wanted to make special note of today.

You may be wondering what I did with the 20 other pieces of art I removed from this wall. Thanks for asking. They are where you’d expect them to be – leaning against a wall. Moving art around meant I have another wall in this room that needs to be redecorated. At my current decorating rate, I should be done with that wall by October. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, what do you think of my newly pared-down living room gallery wall? Fun change? Let me know. You can comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via direct message on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy Decorating!

P.S. I’d love to share shopping links with you because that sort of thing does help keep this blog online. However, everything in these photos is thrifted or old. Perhaps the real trick to zigging while others are zagging is not to buy new things.

Thanks for being here for all the gallery wall changes. I appreciate it. Here are some other blog posts you might enjoy. 

9 Wood Knob and Pull Ideas for Your Cabinets

DIY Board Game Coasters

Vintage Handkerchief Art