You may have heard of a gallery wall, but have you heard of a salon wall?
Nope. Well, look at this glorious example I had the privilege creating at my friend, Gwen Hefner's, beautiful home.
Up, down, and all around, salon walls originated in 1667 in Paris at the annual French Royal Academy Salon. Reaching higher and lower than traditional eye-level museum style, salon-style was created to maximize the displays of the best works of art by students of the Royal Academy and beyond.
Creating this wall was particularly fun because Gwen, aka The Makerista, is the queen of collecting things she loves, specifically through thrifting. She started Thrift Club as a way to build community around the joy of thrifting and take the stigma out of using second hand items to decorate your home. I mean look what using found treasures can turn into!
So back to creating the wall.
I joined her one morning when the room looked like this.
A gorgeous red room but Gwen's treasures needed a better way to be appreciated. First we arranged her desk, which she had been using as a display table, to hug the wall . . . a move I had been dreaming of since I first saw her home. Then we made space to bring out her myriad frames. And oh was it a treasure trove. Years of collecting what she loved ready for this exact moment. I was giddy and ready to get to work.
I started with the one large modern photo (one of her favorites) and expanded from there, letting the wall guide me. Each piece pinpointing a moment in Gwen's life. It was a special time of sifting through her treasures to find the right one and working together to get it hung just right . . . perfectly imperfect.
Then we stepped back and took it all in.
I particularly love how the salon wall connects to the desk and helps move your eye throughout the space. And what about that wall color. It truly sings!
If you want to hear Gwen's perspective on the process (which I found fascinating even though I was there) head to her Instagram account, @themakerista, and subscribe. Worth the $2.99 a month for an insider look at her beautiful Neo Classical home which she recently built with historical repurposing in mind.
Better yet! Join Thrift Club for tips in finding your own treasures and meet other thrifting folks. It really is a great community!
And after you find those treasures or maybe you have a room full of them, like Gwen's, reach out so I can help you make your own beautiful salon wall.
Happy hunting!