Something fairly structured with all like frames and large white mattes against the wall with the tv.
I can't find a photo of exactly what I'm thinking but these are some inspirational images. I'm not sure if I want to do something that fills up the entire wall or something more of an organic shape around the tv but I know I want to do something.
photo: martha stewart
I think it will be visually interesting and help balance the room while being a dramatic conversation starter. Mr. Limestone thinks it might be distracting while watching tv. What do you think? Is my obsession with gallery walls and photos obscuring my design sense?
postscript: Speaking of photos, Maggie Rose just hung the poster size Ostrich photo she won in last months giveaway. You have no idea how much my photos hanging in other peoples homes thrill me. Go check it out.
It would be something to look at during commercials ;) I have shelves with stacked photo frames on them above the tv and it has never distracted me or the hubs. If nothing else it makes the wall visually interesting when the tv isn't in use. I really like the very structured look of the last photo.
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion but I do think all the picture frames around the tv would be distracting. Love the look though- maybe there is another wall to play on? How about moving the 3 prints over the sofa somewhere else- even a hallway would be nice-and doing the gallery wall there? Then your wall would look similar to your inspiration photo- can't go wrong with that!
ReplyDeleteI van't wait to see what you do! Galleries are always stunning!
ReplyDeleteThe ostrich picture looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteEmily clark did a really cool gallery wall around her TV that I love, here is the link...
http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com/2010/11/family-room-gallery-wall-free-art-links.html
oh, how i love gallery walls. i have a whole folder on my computer dedicated to them! i think decorating a "tv" wall is so challenging. you don't want to draw more attention to the tv, yet putting something on the wall seems so necessary. since your tv is hung on the wall, maybe you could find a huge empty thrift store frame to paint and hang around the tv. then hang the rest of your gallery around that. maybe if you tried to "frame" the tv it would make it blend into the gallery a bit more? can't wait to see what you do...it will be fabulous i'm sure. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love gallery walls and I think it would be gorgeous near the TV. I think it would take away from the BAM! A TV! look without hiding it in an armoire or something.
ReplyDeleteWe did one in our dining room and I love it. You can see it here if you like: http://theproudfeet.blogspot.com/2011/01/newest-goodies-in-house.html
Ditto on Emily's gallery wall - it looks great! I'm all for anything that makes the TV blend in with the room.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they will be distracting, unless you hang up Harry Potter-style photos (moving photos).
ReplyDeleteI really don't think it would be any more distracting than a window. What about medium gray frames instead of white? Might be a little different and highlight the pictures a bit more. Just not as heavy as black.
ReplyDeleteI just did my first gallery wall in my daughter's room to consolidate lots of little stuff I had hanging around. I love it.
http://houseography.blogspot.com/2011/01/growing-up-little-girls-room-evolves.html
OOhh I can't wait to see what you do! I have a large empty wall with my tv on it too and I can't figure out how to deal with it!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorites ever...from Pure Style Home.
ReplyDeletehttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TatPpSnJCYc/S6jNcPrappI/AAAAAAAAHEg/2rjjokXmKcc/s1600-h/foyer.JPG
I love gallery walls too, and I think they can be a great way to camoflauge the tv (I was also going to link to Emily Clark's example, but I see it was already covered!). And let's face it, if the game is on, I don't think many men would be distracted by pictures hanging on the wall!
ReplyDeleteGallery walls are always interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at your room image, I wonder if you need a bigger media console under the tv to anchor it for balance?
Looking forward to seeing what you do. Love your projects!
You can always try to photoshop in a layout and see how you like it. It seems like having ALL the walls covered might be too much, but maybe there's something else you can do with the 3 frames already there.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea. I would keep it structured though so that it doesn't off-balance the TV. I always think of the more random placement as being more of a conversation starter, whereas a structured set will be more of an accessory. Black frames would be the least distracting, but I also think it might be neat to have some gold frames to pull in some warmth, especially with those beautiful floors--it could be really cohesive looking.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Melissa on using gray (or even slate blue) frames, and Irina on test driving the concept in Photoshop. To minimize distraction you could use no-glare gallery glass.
ReplyDeletei'm having the same issue. I have a daybed in my guest room...and i need something on the wall over the TV...to give it that POP! It's actually hard to decorate around a black flat screen!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I love gallery walls. I've had to restrict myself to only 2 in our house...we have a grouping around our massive flat screen and it's not distracting...
ReplyDeleteI love the last image (on the left-hand side), the way it looks almost like a mirrored image of the pictures is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love doing gallery walls too. I like hanging other items amongst my photos. Currently, I have one in my living room and am working on putting one together in the master bedroom. I have a pile of old frames collected from thrifting that keeps growing. I think my basement hallway is next!
ReplyDeleteBedroom:
http://lovelylukenslalaland.blogspot.com/2011/01/wally-world.html
Living room:
http://lovelylukenslalaland.blogspot.com/2010/07/living-roomdining-room-progress.html
I have an obsession with gallery walls as well! I can't wait to put one in my dining room.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it would be distracting - eventually your eyes will get used to it and it will blend in with everything else in the home. I can't wait to see what you do with it!
I think Mrs. Foot is right that it will camouflage the TV a bit. I think it won't be distracting as long as the size of the artwork/frames is right. If they are too small it might be more distracting.
ReplyDeleteI love gallery walls too. I have one in my den that spans the entire back wall...now I wonder if it was a good design idea, or if I just got swept up in the idea of filling the entire wall?!?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure whatever you do will be magnificent!
I have a gallery wall around my wall-mounted tv and it is not distracting at all.
ReplyDeleteHer picture looks amazing. As for gallery walls I love them too particularly when they are perfectly lined up. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't do a gallery wall with the existing piece of furniture that is under the tv now. However I really do like Emily Clark's gallery wall. With that in mind, what if you used a more substantial piece of furniture such as a dresser or chest of some sort {I realize it can't be too deep} I would paint it a beautiful blue.....perhaps the throw pillow color. As you design your gallery I would add a few light blue mattes in the black frames. Black frames speak to the black tv Blue mattes speak to the chest or dresser equals nice cohesive color story. Good luck, I'm sure whatever you do will be beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think it will look nice. I was going to also mention Emily A. Clark's, but I see that decoratingdame beat me to it. :)
ReplyDeleteI say distract away! I would love to see a gallery wall around a tv. I love nothing more than havinga tv blend into the background. The ONLY thing I miss about tube tvs is the way people would hide them. What is so much prettier about a flat screen that we feel they should be mounted as a center piece in the room! I am sure when the tv is on all eyes are on it, not the gallery around it.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. Don't worry about the TV - I think it will be fine. I have a gallery wall (all black frames, all B&W family photos) in my entryway/stairway. I love looking at the photos each time I go up and down!
ReplyDelete...not distracting at all..when watching television your eyes will focus only on the program...go for the gallery wall...it will be smashing...
ReplyDeleteIt's a healthy obsession. :-) Given the scale of the room/wall, I think you may have to go for a smaller gallery perhaps with larger frames (less pieces, larger frames). Many small frames might compete too much with the large scale prints on the sofa wall. But hey, that's what newspaper mock-ups are for -- play around and I just know you'll make it work!
ReplyDeleteI just started a gallery wall in my foyer.
ReplyDeletehttp://wendiandjason.blogspot.com/2011/01/foyer-makeover-ray-hartl-black-and.html
I haven't posted the other walls in my foyer but they are covered in black and white photography.
Your Mr.'s fear was my same fear--that's why I went with the medallions. I do know that whatever you choose to do will be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteBig fan! I have these in every room of my house and my office at work. I love wall art and why limit what you want to show off?
ReplyDeleteI always like gallery walls around tv's. It makes the space a little bit more visually interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou might like this, I do! http://www.bhg.com/rooms/living-room/makeovers/displays-and-collections/?page=5
ReplyDeleteI love gallery walls! Such a good idea. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteYou husband needs to find more interesting tv if a gallery wall is too distracting!! :P Silly husbands.
ReplyDeleteLove gallery walls, have you considered doing it on the wall to the right, above the sofa just to balance the black of the TV?
ReplyDeleteI know whatever solution you come up with with work wonderfully! Janell
I once saw a gallery wall done with mirrors (different shapes and sizes) to balance the television. It looked wonderful. Really de-emphasized the television.
ReplyDeleteI've done just what you're looking for!
ReplyDelete6 or 8 frames around the tv. I love it. The tv blends into the gallery, rather than making a black hole on the wall.
See it here...
http://smalltownsquirrel.blogspot.com/2010/02/soo-overdue.html
I'm obsessed with gallery walls too and have seen a few great examples of them surrounding a tv. It really helps to fill in the wall so that the tv doesn't just look like a big black rectangle on the wall. The ones I've seen have the photos arranged quite evenly on both sides to keep it looking streamlined and not busy. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I want my walls to look like. I just can't get things straight nor find matching frames like that. I die. I shall live vicariously though this post.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of gallery walls, but don't think I would use the TV wall for one - UNLESS you use large prints. I think a lot of small frames would be busy and distracting.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen this post from Emily A Clark, http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com/2010/09/building-gallery-wall-around-your-tv.html. She did this same kind of thing. I read your post and remembered I had bookmarked her page. Hope it helps!
ReplyDeleteSince I've been down with the flu since the beginning of last weekend, I've been power-reading your archives, and I must say that you've done a fantastic job on your renovation and decorating (and photography--I have my eye on those Krakow lions . . . they look so soft and contented). I've been mulling over your questions about the beach house, and as I was reading through the last of the archives leading up to this post, I read the Steal This Idea post detailing the faux zinc furniture from Freckled Laundry, and it hit me: THAT's what you need! You need a third color, something a little darker but still neutral, to do a little delineating. Specifically, I think some simple, wide frames given the faux zinc treatment would be fantastic. I'd love to see them put on the shell art above the sofas (I think you mentioned they were gallery-wrapped canvases, but they really need to stand out a leeetle more from the wall), but using the soft zinc finish on all of the frames for your gallery wall would have some seriously understated "ahhhh" factor. Still restful and relaxing, but it gives just the right accentuation to things you want seen, like a really great mascara does for eyes. You don't want it to scream I'VE BEEN PAINTED, HOW DO YOU DO???, but you want attention drawn nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteIf you want uber-cheap and simple frames, you could even DIY your own like these from Ana White: http://ana-white.com/2009/12/plans-barnwood-frames-1-and-10-minutes.html You could sub a 1x4 or 1x6 for the inner piece, making the frames more substantial, and use these flat wood joiners and glue to put it together (since I doubt you have a nail gun ;o).
But whether you DIY the frames or not, you definitely need a third color in there . . . a deeper accent to lend some interest.
As I'm typing, more ideas are coming. You could move the open gray shelves underneath the white-framed pieces to the left of the windows (since I agree with a previous commenter that it would be too busy to keep there if you go gallery on that wall), and add something solid and simple-lined that would allow the gallery to shine. Hmmm . . . you might want to play in Photoshop with this one, because I can think of all kinds of different pieces to go there, from a wide & chunky black cabinet to a creamy, glossy sandy or white one with turned feet.
Hmmmm . . . What do you think?
P.S.) I remember, too, in an earlier post, that you said you really liked the piece beneath the TV . . . it's a great piece, but I'm thinking a lot of the draw is its color . . . think silvery gray, like driftwood . . .
ReplyDeleteI really love our gallery wall, but I wish I would have taken the time to paint all the frames the same color. I suppose I could always do that now, but I'm lazy. :-)
ReplyDeleteI will say though that sometimes the haphazard placement of the photos (ie, not lined up) drives me bonkers. It makes me feel ADD because sometimes I want to just line 'em all up straight and proper like.
There was a blogger whose name I'm forgetting that was recently featured in Sunset Magazine who did gallery walls in her entire foyer using gold frames. It looked stunning.
What about painting the wall behind the TV in a deep blue? I've noticed several gallery walls in dark colors. That way the TV wouldn't stand out so much and the art would pop more. They say dark colors make walls recede, which would be a benefit if true. I've also noticed several walls painted in a dark color on the bottom 1/3 and they look very nice. Also, I agree you need something more substantial-looking under the TV. Maybe a low wall of shallow bookcases.
ReplyDeleteI have a gallery wall next to the TV (which sits in the corner) in our family room and I love it. It is, however, distracting and I think having it around the TV would be super distracting. Now I don't mind letting my eyes wander over to the pics of my family and our travels...but my husband calls it "eye-clutter" and it not crazy about it :)
ReplyDeleteAnd there you have my 2 cents!
Caroline