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How To Create A Layered Gallery Wall (DIY Picture Frame Riser)

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“Don’t think. It complicates things. Just feel, and if it feels like home, then follow its path.”
-R. M. Drake

Diamond

I’ve been determined to figure out a way to raise some photos in a gallery wall ever since I saw this photo of a picture frame riser on Pottery Barn’s website:

Picture Frame Riser | Pottery Barn

I love how lifting an element or two gives a grouping so much dimension:

Pottery Barn Picture Frame Riser

That riser was discontinued some time ago, so I thought and thought and thought, and came up with too many complicated ideas! I stopped thinking about it for a while, but then yesterday I decided to just use what I had- a 2×4 and some leftover paint & nails!

I started by measuring how far out I wanted my frame to sit.

DIY Picture Frame Riser | Gallery Wall

That photo is very deceiving, by the way. I actually needed my riser to stick out 4.5″ in order to clear the frames around it. Once I knew that measurement, I cut six square chunks from a leftover 2×4.

Picture Frame Riser for Gallery Wall

Next, I painted the side of each chunk the same color as our wall- Simply White by Benjamin Moore.

Two by Fours | Picture Frame Riser

After that, we nailed two of the chunks to the wall, like this:

2x4 DIY Picture Frame Riser

Then, we nailed the other four chunks on top of the first two chunks, like this:

DIY Picture Frame Riser | 2x4

Last but not least, I used a couple of Command adhesive strips and a small nail to secure/hang the painting onto the stacks of wood, like this:

Picture Frame Riser | DIY | Gallery Wall

I figured the nail would ensure it wouldn’t fall, and the Command strips would keep it from any potential swaying. You can never have too much security when it comes to these kinds of things, right?

Picture Frame Riser | Gallery Wall | 2x4

It may not be as pretty (or sturdy) as the Pottery Barn riser, but that’s fine by me, and because of how our furniture/wall is positioned- you really can’t ever see our risers anyway.

The Lettered Cottage | Gallery Wall | DIY Picture Frame Riser

Sea Art | Coastal Gallery Wall | Ocean | Lake | Painting

Picture Frame Riser Project | Gallery Wall | Sea Art | Painting

The painting itself came from Eastbrook Flea Market. I’ve been doing some research on the company that framed it (The May Co.), but I haven’t been able to find anything on the artist, Gertrude E. Stewart.

Gertrude E. Stewart | Artist | Painting

Anybody out there recognize her name? I’d love to know more about her and this painting, which has quickly become one of my favorite little things. 🙂

 

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  3. ok, that wall you did is absolutely amazing!!!!! I’m looking around right now so I can do the same thing!!!!!!!!! absolutely LOVE this!!!!!!!

  4. Love the dimension. Thanks for the idea, I’m going to incorporate that in my future designs.

  5. So pretty, Layla! I too am working on a gallery wall & would to see a pulled backed image of the whole gallery above your sofa 🙂

    • Well thank you, Stacey! It’s wild how simple things can be if we just don’t think so hard about them, isn’t it? 😀

  7. loveLoveLOVE it!! your wall is simply gorgeous, layla. #welldone
    and now here is where i probably am about to sounds way stupid…why did you need the command strips? wouldn’t a nail in the chunk of 2×4 and the wire on the back of the painting be fine? i am so confused…

    • No confusion allowed! 😀 Those are just there to keep it from any potential swaying…since it’s only hanging on that one little nail. Just an added little bit of security!

  8. This looks amazing and I am always inspired by you Layla! I remember that post you did about the PB riser -(I think it was when we were doing our wonder wall), anyways, Just after I saw your post we stayed at a darling guest cottage in Bainbridge Island, Washington and she had made risers for her art work as well, very similar to what you did, but her collection and style wasn’t as darling as yours! Love it all! Thank you for all the great ideas! You’re the best!?

  9. Thanks for the inspiration Layla! I am working on a gallery wall in my living room and will keep this in mind. And I love that painting also, can see why it’s one of your faves! Happy Wednesday to you!

  10. Layla, I loved the old home but how you have transformed this one into something so special! By the way, the May Co? Was a dept store in Jacksonville, which later became May-Cohens.

  11. I love that oil painting! Your gallery is coming together so nicely! The added dimension makes it so much better!

  12. Love the kiddo shirt! Would love to know what the sizing will run- will you go all the way down to a 3T?

  13. Sorry to comment on this, but the pop ups today are out of control. Even popped up over your first image of the PB riser.

    • Hmmmm, I haven’t seen any pop-ups, Suzy. What kind of device are you viewing this on? I’ll forward your comment to my tech peeps! XO

      • I’m having the same issue with pop ups on each of your blog entries. I’m viewing on safari on my iPad.

        • Hi Carolyn! Are they actually “popping up” over the top of entire photos? Or are they fixed, and located in between and at the bottom of the blog? Thanks for your input! XO

      • Hi Layla 🙂

        Your blog will always be my favorite and my best. I have been excited to see all these living room updates. I get excited every time I see a new post.

        Since you asked, I wanted to chime in about the ads. It has become difficult to view your portrait-oriented photos, because the computer screen (I am viewing on a MacBook) becomes too “short” for the photos because of the ad bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Then several individual photos also had ads at the bottom of them. None of the ads actually obscured the photos, but they have made the viewing area on the screen small and busy.

        I hope that is helpful rather than discouraging information. Nothing will keep me from reading your blog, but I wanted to let you know from my particular Macbook and Safari setup. I know it is impossible to view your own blog from every possible browser and computer configuration!

        Thank you so much for everything you share with us.

  14. Very ingenious of you! Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

    I too am getting many pop ups…..kindle hd device.

    • Thanks, Marianne! 😀
      And let me ask you about these “pop-up” ads: are they literally “popping up” completely on top of photos, or are they just in between photos, at the bottom of photos, and/or at the bottom of your screen?

  15. An O’Reilly’s banner below your first picture, then the next four had AT&T banners below in Spanish. Not sure if those are truly pop ups?

    Love your creativity and solution ideas. This one was a simple but cool idea. Keep ’em coming.

    • Okay, great- thanks for the feedback, Rebecca! Those are supposed to be there. 🙂 I’m trying out some new ad placements because Google keeps changing things, which really affects our monthly income. I will pass on your comment to my tech peeps though and maybe they can tweak something? Thanks again for letting me know what you’re seeing- hopefully we can find a happy medium because I sure do love blogging! XO

  17. The May Company is now Macy’s. It is/was a huge department store. It is possible that your watercolor/oil is simply in a frame purchased/framed at The May Co.

    It is quite possible that Gertrude may not have been famous and simply what is referred to as a ‘Sunday painter’. This does not make her work any less charming or valuable. You found ‘a find’!

  20. Love the idea of layering images for my family gallery wall. I was wondering how to incorporate ever more pictures, and this is perfect. Thanks!

  21. I needed a mirror to overlap a hard-installed ledge in a bathroom (so I could see myself in the mirror, I’m short!). After an hour of wandering around Home Depot trying to figure out how to solve the problem, I bought a simple plastic hose hanger, intended to support a coiled hose or cord, and gorilla glued it to the back of the round, framed mirror, then hung it in the usual way on the wall. It worked fantastically.

  26. Looks so lovely! I don’t know if there is any connection, but we bought our house in Rockford, Illinois from a Gertrude E. Stewart! I wonder if it could be the same person? Not a very common name I would think.

  27. Good morning Layla,

    I’d love to see a piece of artwork that we in blog-viewing-land could purchase (from TLC) that in the same front as The Lettered Cottage (at the top of your beautiful blog) simply says “yes!”

    It would be super duper cool if it was on the same (or similar) backdrop as your blog-topper in a canvas so if anyone wanted they could buy a square 8×8 or 10×10 frameless canvas print and simply put one little nail hole in the wall and add it to his or her own wall gallery…you know, if that idea had ever popped into someone’s brain. 🙂

    Or the same idea, but with; ‘love always’ or ‘accept joy’ or ‘give thanks’ or ‘believe you can’ (or just ‘believe’).

    You & Kevin seem to be such interesting, nice, loving, peace-filled people. I so often find wonderful inspiration and inner peace on your blog. I am grateful that you do this blog.

    Thus in keeping with décor / creating art / and word-of-the-year thoughts, a few times as of late, I’ve wondered if I could (legally) re-create such a piece of art and then thought, why not just ask you about this? The fields of Alabama look similar to the fields of Manitoba 🙂 I’ve been really enjoying their beauty lately and I’ve found a peaceful, joyful yes coming up (which is so exciting!). I’ve thought, I’d like to add that ‘yes’ to my wall or mantel and I know just the font and backdrop for that ‘yes’. (…kind of like that post waaaaay back about your guest room/Kevin’s office in your previous home, on the door)

    Perhaps that will inspire something?

    Hugs,
    Maryjane in Manitoba 🙂

    P.S. your gallery wall looks nice. I really like the large piece of art to the right of your raised painting, of a beach on an overcast day with a line up of boats. Nice.

  28. I think the best thing to do when you are stumped is to walk away. I did not say easy, but it is the best. And then after walking away, a shower sometimes help–or several. 🙂 You definitely came up with a clever solution which made a huge statement. I love it!

    • Oh, that’s the riser I mentioned at the beginning of my post, Tanya. It was discontinued several months (years?) ago which is why I had to get creative with mine! 😀

  31. The things you didn’t even know existed! This is genius and is so cool, it adds such dimension and depth to your gallery wall, I LOVE, I have to remember this for the future or any future clients.

    Thanks for sharing! P.s that shirt & boy is adorable

    Lauren Baxter | LB Designs
    xx

  32. I think Gertrude’s middle name was Ellis. There’s info about her on Ancestry.com, but I don’t have an account, so I couldn’t see much. But there is a “Gertrude Ellis Stewart” on a couple of art web sites with zero information about her! 🙂

  33. This is such a beautiful idea, though I’m afraid I’m not gutsy enough to add layers to my current gallery. And I love the glass box shelf– where did you find it?

    • Sure, Sara! It’s from Pottery Barn. Kevin got it for me for my birthday in June! 🙂

  36. Oh my word! I have been loving your gallery wall posts! What are the dimensions of your large boat print? I was just wondering for scale reference. Thank you for making such a fine blog! It is such a blast hearing about your sweet family!

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