Salon Walls Create Impact Without a lot of Cost
Have you ever seen a collection of great art work or photos on a wall and wondered ‘how’d they do that?” This type of collection is called a salon wall, and it is an increasingly popular way of displaying art and photos – and it can be a great way to stage a house for sale.
A Bit of History
According to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, “the salon style of art arranging dates back to the 1670s, though it wasn’t referred to as salon yet. At that time, the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture) began displaying the works of the academy’s graduates. The Academy artwork pieces were mounted very close to one another and stacked vertically along the walls in art wall groupings. These displays became viewable in semi-public exhibitions. It wasn’t until the 1730s that these exhibits were opened to the public. The term “Salon” originates from the annual or bi-annual art exhibit held in the “Salon Carré”, which translates to the Square Room, at the Louvre in Paris, France. The Salon style of arranging pictures was born. Until this time, art was for the privileged class. With art now viewable by the masses, art appreciation spread through the public, and ultimately changed how art was viewed, perceived, and even the type of subjects used in art.”
Why It’s a Cool Design Trend
This is a great method of displaying art because it allows you to be creative and take advantage of less expensive prints and pieces. The salon wall also is perfect for home staging because creates a stunning art display for potential buyers but it can be depersonalized. A well-staged home allows buyers to see how they could live in the space – and following current design trends is a great way to entice a larger pool of buyers.
Here’s how to create the salon wall look for staging.
Step 1: You Need Art, Lots of Art
It’s important to choose impersonal pieces of art if you’re doing this project for staging purposes, after all you want the buyer to think of themselves in the house. One of the best parts of this project is that it really doesn’t take a lot of money. Take a look around your house to find photos that make a compelling story. You can also visit thrift stores, garage sales, and even friend’s houses. Botanical prints, animals, or similar color schemes make great neutral options. You can also choose a theme like sports, fairy tales, or other hobbies in specific rooms.
Step 2: Layout Your Artwork
Take a large sheet of craft paper or newsprint and measure it for the area you want to create the salon wall for. Take a pencil and carefully trace the edges of the frames. Once you have them traces number or label them so you know which picture goes in each spot.
Then cut out the shapes from the paper and using painter’s tape hang them on the wall until you get a layout you enjoy. According to Southern Living Magazine, group smaller, similar pieces together for greater impact.
Step 3: Hang the Artwork
Once you have an arrangement you enjoy, mark the spot on the wall where the nail will go and then hammer in the nail. Once the nail is in you can remove the paper and hang the artwork. Continue until all the pieces are up.
Another way to hang the artwork is to use 3M Command Hanging Strips, which is great for staging because they do not leave any nail marks. To use this product you’ll need to remove the craft paper first and then following the instructions on the package hang the art that way.
Salon Walls are a great way to make a big impact. Make sure to check out all the blog articles on home staging on our Pinterest page.