Folding Laptop or Writing Desk

With more of us working from home and needing to create a space to work, this folding laptop and writing table is just the thing you need to make any room into an office!

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Folding Laptop and Writing Table Tutorial

My favorite place to write my tutorials is outside on our screen porch when the weather is pleasant. I love listening to the birds and feeling the breeze blow through the screens. Up until this weekend, I was using an old card table as a desk. But, it was large, awkward, and not the correct height for my needs. I wanted a table that was the perfect height and that could fold and store away when not in use. Enter the idea for thus folding laptop and writing table!

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

I enjoyed the challenge of designing plans for this simple farmhouse style folding laptop/writing table. The materials are simple 2 x 4’s and 3/4 inch plywood. The majority of the steps can be done using simple handheld tools like a drill, multi-tool, and a circular saw. (Feel free to use other tools or alter the plans to fit your size preferences.)

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Cut list:

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Top:

  • 3/4″ finish grade plywood cut to 18″ x 36″

Apron (use 1″ x 3″ boards or you can rip excess plywood):

  • 2 – 1″ x 3″ cut to 14 1/2″
  • 2 – 1″ x 3″ cut to 34″

Legs:

  • 2 – 2″ x 4″ cut to 28 1/4″
  • 2 – 2″ x 4″ cut to 26 3/4″
  • 1 – 2″ x 2″ cut to 14 1/2″ (if ripping a 2″ x 2″ yourself, remember actual size is 1.5″ x 1.5″)
  • 2 – 1″ x 4″ cut to 14 3/8″

Hardware:

Tools:

Additional materials:

Instructions:

Cut your lumber per the above cut list.

Building the Apron:

Drill two holes in the ends of the front and back pieces of the apron. Drill pocket holes into the top of all the apron pieces (spaced approximately 8″ apart.)

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Sand all edges and pocket holes on the apron pieces with a 60 grit sandpaper on the Dremel MultiMax.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Assemble the apron pieces. Pay attention to make sure all the pocket holes are facing the same direction to attach to the underside of the tabletop. The sides of the apron should be set inside the front and back pieces as shown below:

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the apron pieces with pocket hole screws.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Center the apron on the bottom side of the tabletop. Measure all sides to make sure they are even. Attach the apron to the tabletop with pocket hole screws.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Notching the legs:

Line up all four legs next to each other. Use a carpenter square to square up the bottoms. Mark 4″ up from the bottom of the legs. Line up the 1″ x 4″ with the mark and trace the other side onto the legs.

Set the combination square to the depth of the 1×4″ board (it should be 3/4″). Mark this depth on the sides of each leg to denote the area that needs to be removed.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Set the depth of your circular saw (or Ultra-Saw) to 3/4″ deep.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Cut stripes inside the guidelines you made on the legs with the Ultra-Saw.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Use a hammer and chisel to knock out the strips. Use your oscillating multi-tool with a wood flush cut blade to clean up the edges of the notch.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Test fit the 1×4″ boards into the legs. Shave off more if needed with the Multi-Max (or circular saw).

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Set the 1″ x 4″ boards into the leg notches.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the 1″ x 4″ boards with wood glue and finish nails.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the cross piece 1″ x 4″ from the back side with one wood screw into each leg.

secure-cross-piece

Connecting the Legs:

To allow the legs on the desk to fold neatly, one side has to be raised up to fold on top of the other legs. Use the 2″ x 2″ board you cut for this purpose.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Drill a pocket hole into each end of the 2×2″ board. Add wood glue where the 2×2 will rest. Tap the board into place.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the board into the table apron with pocket screws.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Rest the shorter legs on top of the 2×2 board. Clamp or support the legs in place.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the utility hinges to the top of the legs and the 2×2 support.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Rest the longer legs in place.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the remaining two utility hinges to the top of the legs and the underside of the tabletop as shown below.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Test fold the legs to make sure they fold neatly and don’t rub on the sides of the apron. Make any adjustments to the hinges or sand the legs to eliminate rubbing now.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Add the lid support hinge to the bottom folding legs (the longer legs). Follow the directions on the package of the lid support for proper installation.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

The opposite side will not accommodate a lid support. You need a barrel bolt to keep the legs from folding accidentally. Glue and nail a scrap of 2×4 to the inside of the table apron next to one of the legs (I added a barrel bolt to both sides, but you only need to add it to the one side when using the lid hinge support.)

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Rest the barrel bolt onto the scrap wood. Mark where the bolt hits the leg. Drill a hole into the leg to accept the bolt.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the barrel bolt to the scrap wood with the provided screws.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Sand all parts of the desk starting with 80 grit sandpaper, then 120 and finish with a 220 grit sandpaper.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Add edge banding to the plywood top. You can watch my video below to learn how to finish off plywood edges!

It’s not hard and edge banding is a great way to finish off plywood to make it look like a more expensive board.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Fill any holes or seams with wood putty. Sand and wipe off the desk before staining or painting.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Finishing touches:

I stained my desk with Minwax Dark Walnut. After the stain dried, I added a hand-painted vine border. First, I sketched the design in chalk.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Then I painted the design using a watered-down white chalk paint.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

The apron and legs received a mixture of chalk paints in a yellow color. The edges were sanded off to reveal the dark stain beneath.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Finally, the desktop received several coats of General Finishes High Performance water-based topcoat in the flat finish. The legs and painted areas were waxed.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

Add a handle to the center of the desk apron if you want to be able to transport it easily.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

This table can be used anywhere! It’s sturdy, but doesn’t take up much space.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

I can fold it up and bring it inside and work in front of the TV. Or it can be used as a small sewing table, crafting table, or just an extra buffet in the dining room.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

When I’m done, it folds up and stores behind a bench or sofa.

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

If you like this tutorial, be sure to pin it for future use or to share! Cheers!

Folding Laptop Writing Desk | Pretty Handy Girl

I’d love to hear if you make your own folding laptop and writing table!

PHGFancySign

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

Last month I had the honor to represent PPG, makers of OLYMPIC® Paints & Stains , GLIDDEN® Paint, the LIQUID NAILS® brand and the PPG PAINTS™ brand, at the Paint Tips & Sips media event in New York City. It was an invite-only event for media representatives. This gave me the opportunity to talk one-on-one with several magazine reps. I wish you could have been there, but if you read to the end of this post we have a special giveaway for you!

Additional PPG representatives set up tables with information about color trends, including Violet Verbena the color of the year.

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

Plus, I was introduced to more PPG products for home renovations and improvements. I discovered some innovative HOMAX® products that will definitely come in handy when I find a flip house:

  • Homax Tough As Tile® Tub & Sink Refinishing Kit Epoxy Finish has a spray tip for easier application, improved whiteness, faster drying time and superior flow and level for a beautiful finished result. 
  • The Homax Brand Pro Grade Wall Texture with Dual Controlâ„¢ technology has adjustable pattern and pressure features. Plus, ultra-fast dry results with an advanced lower odor.

The Homax products are available at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Menards, PPG Paints stores and independent retailers.

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

Can I just say how cute this paint chip dress is? If I were back in high school I’d love to make my own prom dress. So fun!

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

I gave a little demonstration on painting and building a half round wood and copper table using Liquid Nails FUZE*IT®. FUZE*IT® All Surface Construction Adhesive has two times the strength of fasteners alone and bonds nearly all materials in any weather conditions. It’s available at a variety of home improvement retailers

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

You may recall my tutorial to build the half round wood & copper side table. It was the same table with a twist!

Half Round Copper & Wood Side Table | Pretty Handy Girl

The twist was being able to experiment with different styles for the table top. (More on how I created the tops later.)

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

If you’ve ever been present at one of my demonstrations, you probably got your hands dirty. This event was no different. I enjoyed making the ladies use the caulk gun to help assemble the copper pipe legs. Nothing beats hands on learning. 😉

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

I decided it would be fun to make four different table tops to show how this little copper pipe table can fit with any decorating style. From the urban cowboy to the trendy tween—I found a look for each one. To customize each table, I experimented with paint techniques using PPG paint color trends:PPG paint color trends: Olympic ONE® in Honey Bunny OL654.3,  Glidden DIAMOND™ in Portuguese Blue, and PPG Paints BREAK-THROUGH!® paint in Violet Verbena PPG1169-5.

PPG Paint Trends and Demo Event Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

Ready to see the finished tables? You will be amazed by the different styles!

This sophisticated floral table features PPG Paints Break-Through! paint in Violet Verbena PPG1169-5:

Half Round Copper Table Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

To re-create the look, you’ll need:

Paint the table top with the Seal Grip Primer. Let dry. Paint two coats of PPG Paint in Violet Verbena. Let dry. This won’t take long because PPG Breakthrough Paint dries to the touch much faster than other latex paints. The Breakthrough paint also has flexibility to resist cracking and peeling.

Draw a floral design with chalk. Paint in the design with the lightened version of Violet Verbena. Let dry and touch up any areas that might need more paint. No need to seal this table top. The Breakthrough paint will resist water and anything life can dish out.

This striped beauty features Olympic ONE in Honey Bunny OL654.3:

Half Round Copper Table Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

I love the warm neutral color of Honey Bunny and how it blends nicely with raw wood. To recreate this table you’ll need:

Measure and mark 1 ½” increments along the straight edge of the table top. Tape off every other section using the painter’s tape. To seal the edges of the painter’s tape, press firmly along the edges with your finger. Then dip your paint brush in Olympic One paint and lightly paint along the edge of the tape (use very little paint for this step.) Let the paint dry a few minutes. Fill in the remainder of the stripes with paint.

After the stripes dry, coat the entire table top with Deft Interior Polyurethane Water Based Acrylic. This will seal the raw wood stripes. If you painted the entire top with Olympic One, no Deft Polyurethane is needed.

This is a quick project because you don’t need to use a primer when you paint with Olympic One paint. Also, the primer would show on the edges of the stripes.

This minimalist blue stained table was created using Glidden Diamond in Portuguese Blue:

Half Round Copper Table Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

The blue color-washed table was achieved using a 1:1 watered down version of Glidden Diamond in Portuguese Blue. To re-create this look, you’ll need:

  • Glidden Diamond Paint in Portuguese Blue
  • 2″ Paint Brush
  • Dry Rag
  • Deft Interior Polyurethane Water Based Acrylic

Brush the Glidden Diamond Paint onto the table top (brush strokes should go with the grain.) Immediately wipe the excess off with a dry rag. After the paint dries, seal the table top with Deft Interior Polyurethane Water Based Acrylic. Because the paint was watered down, it’s advisable to use a polyurethane to completely protect the table top. With a full coat of Glidden Diamond, no primer or sealer is needed. The paint sticks perfectly to raw wood.

This fun geometric table was created using PPG Paints brand’s Violet Verbena PPG1169-5 and Glidden paint’s Tropical Surf 30BG 72/069:

Half Round Copper Table Giveaway | Pretty Handy Girl

I created the geometric table top by using a hexagon stencil I made on my Cricut vinyl cutter. If you don’t have a vinyl cutter at your disposal, you can purchase a hexagon stencil here.

To re-create this tabletop, you’ll need:

Apply one coat of PPG Seal Grip Acrylic Primer/Sealer.  After the primer dries, paint 1 coat of white paint onto the table top. Let dry. Position the stencil onto the table top. Use a stencil brush (or sponge) to pounce one color randomly into several hexagons. When finished with one color, you should be able to start right away using the next color even if it is next to a painted hexagon. That’s the beauty of the PPG Breakthrough paint. It dries to the touch much faster than other latex paints. Plus, it has a flexible finish that will resist cracking or peeling. Continue filling in hexagons until you’ve filled them all in. Carefully remove the stencil and touch up any mistakes with a small brush. No need to add a protective polyurethane. The PPG Breakthrough paint will resist water, scratches and abusive children.

Here’s a little more information about the paints I used:

PPG PAINTSâ„¢ are available at over 600 PPG Paints stores and thousands of independent retailers

  • The PPG Paints brand introduced the next generation of the <50 grams per liter volatile organic compound (VOC) version of BREAK-THROUGH!® interior and exterior water-borne acrylic paint earlier this year. Break-Through! paint offers a unique and versatile technology that provides excellent adhesion, hardness and block resistance to a variety of residential and commercial surfaces. 

OLYMPIC® Paints & Stains – Available at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores

  • Olympic ONE® Interior and Exterior Paints are engineered for ultimate performance and durability. The high-quality paint and primer in ONE offers easy application, a variety of gorgeous color options and a durable finish that’s easy to keep beautiful.

GLIDDEN® Paint – Available at THE HOME DEPOT®, WALMART® and independent retailers

  • In July 2016, GLIDDEN DIAMONDâ„¢ paint launched exclusively at The Home Depot. A 100 percent acrylic paint + primer, it provides a smooth, beautiful finish with diamond-tough durability that withstands daily wear and tear.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Do you have a favorite table? Let me know in the comment below because PPG and I decided it would be fun to giveaway these tables to a few of my readers! You have until Monday, December 12th to enter to win one of these fun tables! (See terms and conditions below.)

Good luck!

PHGFancySign

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for PPG. I was provided with complimentary travel and airfare to attend the event. I was also compensated for my time.  All opinions are my own.

Terms & Conditions: Winners will be selected randomly. Entries must be received by Sunday, December 11th, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. Contest open to Continental US residents only. Must be an adult aged 18 and older. Winner will be notified by Wednesday, December14th via email. Winner must reply to email within 2 days of receiving the notice. Please be sure you have [email protected] as an acceptable email address.
Prizes will be fulfilled by PPG. Pretty Handy Girl cannot be held responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged en route.

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

You guys, I can’t believe I have a middle schooler. I know, I know, I’ve been having a pity party for myself for two weeks. But, I’m finally coming to terms with it. This past week, I helped Handy Boy #1 de-clutter his room and carve out a space for him to do his homework (without being interrupted by his younger brother.) We moved his furniture around and actually had a lot of fun talking and working together.

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

I also installed a mirror on his door. Although he’s not obsessed with how he looks or dresses yet, I know that time is coming soon. Instead of putting up a cheapy plastic-framed mirror, I worked with MirrorMate to test out their new READYFrame kit. You may remember when I ordered a custom MirrorMate frame for that ugly and naked mirror in my sons’ bathroom. It still looks great today (although I painted it blue for a new look.)

MirrorMate now sells pre-made frames that fit several of the standard sized mirrors you can buy at Lowe’s, IKEA or HomeDepot. I chose the Essex Crosshatch Silver and the tall 16″ x 58″ mirror from Lowe’s.

I didn’t need to purchase any hanging hardware because MirrorMate ships it with your frame.

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

Want to see how easy it was to hang and dress up the mirror? I’ll give you a hint, it was easy and it looks beautiful!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

  • MirrorMateREADYFrame
  • Screwdriver (or drill with phillips head bit)
  • Rubber mallet (or hammer)
  • Tape measure
  • Pencil
  • Level
  • Wet wipe
  • Heavy book or weight
  • Thumbtack or pin
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Cotton ball or rag
  • A helper

Assembling the Frame:

Open up the READYFrame box and remove the frame connectors from the packaging.

Install a ReadyMade Mirror Frame on Door | Pretty Handy Girl

Remove the top from the glue and peel off the seal. Poke a thumbtack in the glue bottle to create a hole in the nozzle. Apply glue to the edges of theREADYFrame. Read more

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl
Endurance BioBarrier Review

I’m going to warn you now, this is not a pretty post. But, this product review of Endurance Cleaner Prep and Endurance BioBarrier will most likely be one of your favorite posts if you deal with continual mold & mildew growth (especially in a small coffin-like shower from the 1970’s.)

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

You may remember how much I love our master bathroom shower:

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

That ugly harvest gold tile shower is the ugliest spot in our home. And, its attractive color is not helped by the mold growth that returns like clockwork every three weeks. I have tried everything to control its regrowth. What I’ve tried is using bleach, and leaving the shower door open all day. I even replaced the caulk in this shower. But, every three weeks that mold peeks out from the cracks and crevices.

This bathroom is slated to be demolished at some point, but until then it needs constant cleaning. That is until a few months ago when I tried Endurance BioBarrier Mold Prevention Spray (non-toxic and low-odor.)

Endurance sent me a the Cleaner Prep and Biobarrier to try out. You may remember that I tried it after cleaning our dirty and moldy storm windows.

Easy Clean Your Storm Windows with Steam | Pretty Handy Girl

I didn’t want to blog about the products until I had tried them for more than a few months. I’m happy to report that for four months, I didn’t need to clean our shower! Normally after three weeks the mold and mildew would have been happily growing in the corners of my shower.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

On February 5th, 2015 I set about cleaning the shower with high hopes but big doubts.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

As directed, I sprayed the Endurance BioBarrier Cleaner Prep in the shower. I let it sit for 15 minutes (1-5 minutes for normal cleaning. 15 minutes for tougher jobs.)

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

To clean off the mildew and mold, I used a scrub brush. Then rinsed all the surfaces with water.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

After the shower is completely cleaned with the Cleaner Prep, spray the Endurance BioBarrier Anti-Mold protection spray to create a thin film on all surfaces.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

Wipe up any puddled spray after a few minutes.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

The shower was clean and devoid of any mold or mildew. Nothing miraculous yet. I can achieve the same results with bleach cleaner.

Mold & Mildew Free Shower for 4 months | Pretty Handy Girl

But, here’s where the similarities end. After four months (not three weeks) was the first time I began to see some mildew and mold regrowth. Read more

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

12 Tips to Create the Perfect Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

When you Don’t Love It, a room in your home can become a place to avoid. Last week I hung our TV on the wall in our living room, but was cringing because that big fat TV was screaming “Look at me! Look at me!” It was killing the cozy vibe I wanted to create in our room. This is the place that my family likes to chillax. It’s the room where wrestling matches happen and the room where we curl up by the fire. We watch movies and sports in this spot.  But, frankly, I didn’t love it. When I looked in the living room all I could see was a giant black elephant in the room.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

I agreed to let Pretty Handsome Guy pick out a big flat screen TV. But, I secretly devised a plan to keep me happy and let Handsome Guy have his big honkin’ TV.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

And I Created a Perfect Gallery Wall around the TV to de-emphasize its size and dominance in the room.

15 Tips for Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall:

#1 Start with a Level Line

Determine the area you want to install your gallery wall. Measure down from your crown molding or ceiling to the top of the gallery area.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

Insert a thumbtack or pin at that height. Run a piece of string from the thumbtack along the width of your gallery wall space. (It helps to have a friend hold the free end of the string, but you can use a piece of painter’s tape to hold it temporarily.)

Level the string and secure the opposite end with a thumbtack.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#2 Create Paper Templates

Pull together all your frames and art. Create a paper template for each object. (Craft paper, butcher block paper or old dot matrix printer paper works perfect for this task.)

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

Use painter’s tape to secure the templates to the wall. Step back and look at the wall from across the room. Take a picture of the wall with your mobile device and look at the picture to see if you see any issues. Or face away from the wall and look at it in the mirror to look at the arrangement from another angle. Play with the templates until you Love It! I will be honest with you, this process takes a while. In the long run, you’ll love your gallery wall if you live with the arrangement for a few days before the final installation.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#3 Pick a Color Palette

Choosing a color palette of 2-3 colors will help you create a cohesive look and make it easy to create a visually pleasing gallery wall. The easiest palette to work with is black and white, because you can use black, white and a variety of grays.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

You can also add a bold color to the mix and know that everything works with black and white!

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#4 Use a Variety of Shapes and Sizes

For more visual interest, use a variety of shapes and sizes. Gallery walls that use the same frame for the entire collection can look stunning and orderly. But, for a more organic and eclectic gallery wall, feel free to play with many shapes and sizes. Your color palette of 2-3 colors will keep it looking unified.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#5 Balance Larger and Smaller Objects

When working with several shapes and sizes, it’s important to balance your arrangement. Space larger items away from each other and preferably on opposite sides. Pay attention to collections of smaller objects as well. Your wall would look unbalanced if all the large objects were on one side and all the small art on the other.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

While spacing the object templates, use the trick in #2 by taking a photo or using a mirror while playing with placement.

#6 Use Consistent Spacing and Align Edges

Use consistent spacing between your art. Smaller collections can visually work as one large object if you space them closer together. But, use a larger space outside the collection that equal to the rest. Try to align horizontal or vertical edges with adjacent art. They don’t have to be hung in a uniform grid, but creating a shared horizontal or vertical line can help create a pleasing installation.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#7 Group Like Objects

As mentioned in #6, you can group smaller objects together to fill a larger space. Use objects of the same color, material or shape together as a collection.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#8 Mix Textures

For lots of visual interest, introduce several different materials and textures into your gallery wall. Break up black frames with wooden art, metal signs and even natural elements like feathers, branches, found objects, etc. The sky wall is the limit (ha, ha). Have fun using your imagination.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#9 Use Good Wall Anchors, Hangers, and Bumpers

While hanging artwork, be sure to use picture hangers or anchors strong enough to hold your artwork. It’s so important to use a hanging hook or anchor that is designed to hold more than your art weighs. Watch the video on “Testing Drywall Anchors” to see why this is so important:

video-screen-shot-buildcom

Way to go Build.com for performing this test!

#10 Mark Hanging Hardware on Templates

This trick will save you time and save your walls from turning into swiss cheese! Set your template on the back of your art (the back side should be up) and poke a hole with a pencil where the hanging hooks, holes or wires are. Hang your template back on the wall.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#11 Hanging Your Art Perfectly

Ready to hang your art perfectly the first time? Grab your picture hanging hardware, nails and a hammer.

Make sure that each template is level. For art that has visible holes, line up the art on top of the template. Hammer the nail or hook through the hole.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

Then simply pull and rip the template off the wall from beneath the art.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

For hanging hardware that is hidden. Hammer your picture hardware through the template lining up the hook or nail with the hole you poked through in tip #10.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

Tear the template off after you have your hangers installed. Hang your art on the hooks perfectly the first time!

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

#12 Make it Personal

Make your gallery wall a reflection of you! Use vacation photos, messages and art that has meaning to you and your family.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

I smile every time I walk into our living room. It is filled with memories and art that makes me happy.

Tips for Creating a Gallery Wall | Pretty Handy Girl

PHGFancySign

Disclosure: Thank you to Build.com for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to discover my #LoveItMoment 

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