CC ACK Beach House: Nautical Gallery Wall
As we started sharing behind-the-scenes moments from the @ackbeachhouse and welcomed our first guests, one design element has consistently caught people’s attention is the nautical gallery wall created along our staircase.
Inspired by a few Pinterest images (see below!), I decided to design a gallery wall themed around ships and filled with a mix of art, vintage finds, and personal touches. This project also sparked an idea, as many do for me, to create vintage-inspired nautical art for Cailíní Coastal. As a working mom, I love the idea of leisurely shopping for antiques, but realistically, time is limited and that's not my reality. I realized how hard it was to find the specific type of vintage-style nautical art I was envisioning. So, we decided to create it ourselves so you too can enjoy these unique, vintage inspired pieces without having to do the work of sourcing!
Credit: Pinterest
Our new collection includes ship prints, sailboats, whales, and other coastal pieces, all made from high-quality vintage reproduction prints. Each one is custom-framed to echo the styles and tones of different time periods, giving you that collected-over-time look.
The result is a seamless blend of old and new. Can you tell which pieces are truly vintage and which are newly made? That’s the magic!
This gallery wall has become a charming focal point of the home, and today I’m sharing how I created it and how you can too!
Read on to learn how to get this look.
xx Meg
Credit: Zofia Crosby
1. CHOOSE YOUR THEME
Start by selecting a theme. Whether you're curating family photos or a vintage nautical vibe like ours, a clear theme sets the tone and brings cohesion to your gallery wall. Feel free to mix mediums - paintings, prints, or photography - but let the theme be the thread that ties everything together.
2. COLLECT YOUR PIECES
The next (and in my opinion, most enjoyable) part is the hunt. I started by gathering a mix of new and found pieces. I’m always on the lookout so I continue to find pieces to swap in or add over time.
Here are some things to look for:
- A variety of sizes: larger anchor pieces, medium works, and small fillers.
- Different shapes: vertical, horizontal, and even round.
- Coordinating frames: I was drawn mostly to the art itself, but I made sure the frames all worked together and looked relatively from the same time period.
- Don’t be afraid to mix in non-art items! I added a small round nautical rope mirror and a blue and white ship plate, which bring texture and a touch of the unexpected.
Credit: Zofia Crosby
PLAN IT OUT ON PAPER
Once you've gathered your collection, it's time to plan the layout. Think of it as assembling a life-sized puzzle. Start by numbering each piece, either directly on the back or on a piece of painter’s tape. Then, trace each one onto paper (steer clear of newspaper, as the ink can transfer) and label the cutouts with the corresponding numbers. Use painter’s tape to arrange the paper templates on your wall, giving you the freedom to experiment with placement before making any holes.
I started with my largest piece, positioning it slightly above eye level at the center. From there, I worked outward, arranging and rearranging until it felt right. Don’t stress too much, this part is very much a guessing game, and you can keep adjusting until you're happy with the balance and flow.
Credit: Zofia Crosby
HANG IT
Once you’ve landed on a layout you love, it’s time to commit, but don’t remove all the paper cutouts at once. Instead, go one piece at a time. Take down a paper template and hang the actual piece in its place. Step back and double-check before moving on to the next. This gives you the flexibility to catch any misalignments early and tweak as needed without having to redo the whole wall.
Credit: Zofia Crosby
ENJOY!
When it’s all said and done, you’ll have a gallery wall that’s layered, personal, and completely unique. Mine offers a mix of textures, shapes, and tones gives it that collected-over-time charm I love.
Gallery walls can grow and change with you. Keep hunting, swapping, and playing!
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