The Tale of a Very Personal Gallery Wall

It all started with a portrait. It was resting quietly in the dining room — a striking image of a woman playing the cello. It didn’t take long to realise the portrait was of the lady who lived there.

Let’s rewind a little.

I was there to personally deliver a beautiful mahogany sideboard. Once it was perfectly placed beneath a large mirror, I noticed signs of a creative project in motion: swatches of red paint dabbed on the wall and wallpaper samples taped up in clusters, with even more scattered across the dining table.

While the lady was busy, curiosity got the better of me. I picked out one of the wallpaper samples and a coordinating red paint shade from the pile and waited. When she returned, I asked if she’d made any decisions. “No!” she said, feeling overwhelmed by all the choices.

She welcomed my suggestions, so I shared my vision: wallpaper one wall, paint the others in the red tone I’d chosen — and proudly display her beautiful portrait as part of a gallery wall.

That’s when she brought out a box of antique music books, many of which had belonged to her grandfather. I instantly knew these pieces needed to be part of the display too. I encouraged her to start collecting picture frames, and offered to upcycle and gild any that needed a little love.

Several weeks later, I received a message and a photo — her dining table now completely covered in frames. She asked if I could help her create the gallery wall. I was thrilled.

And guess what? She had decorated the room using the wallpaper and colour palette I’d suggested — and it looked fabulous.

Together, we carefully selected which frames to use and which images, portraits, and books would be included. I labelled everything, packed up 12 frames and a small ornate mirror and headed back to my studio — feeling that familiar spark of excitement. I do love a unique challenge.

Each frame was dismantled, cleaned, and in some cases, painted and gilded. I ordered bespoke mounts in complementary shades for four of them. Two of the frames were antique, complete with handmade glass — these became the perfect homes for pages from her grandfather’s music books. Another frame was perfect to display her graduation photo from medical school.

One by one, these images, portraits, and heirlooms came together to form something truly meaningful — a visual story of her life and legacy. The ornate mirror

was touched up with fresh gilding.

Once everything was ready, I cut out wallpaper templates to map out the gallery layout on the wall. On installation day, we arranged and adjusted until it felt just right — and then, we hung them.

The end result? A gallery wall rich in history, beauty, and personal meaning. The lady was delighted — not just with the final look, but with the idea that brought it all together.

This project brought me so much joy. I’d love to create more gallery walls like this — ones that tell a story, reflect a life, and turn memories into timeless art.