What would Sabrina Soto say?

I love HGTV. I love it so much I ordered a subscription to their new magazine. (It’s in a basket under my coffee table untouched but the intention was there.) I dream of being best friends with Sabrina Soto. I have a file folder chock full of design inspiration. Point being, I respect all things HGTV.

When we moved into our apartment last year I knew I thought it’d be fun to take on a little DIY HGTV project. So after watching approximately 4,523 hours of Design on a Dime I decided I wanted a picture wall.

But, and don’t tell Sabrina this, I knew I wanted to use the frames I already had because let’s face it I’m cheap AND poor. This meant they wouldn’t be just black or white frames. They weren’t going to match. Not only that, I didn’t want to use any newfangled “kit” to hang it. I could do it myself. I mean, I do what I want. Like honey badger. How hard could it be? (It’s not hard if you can’t stand the suspense.)

Anyway. We decided on a picture wall above the desk in our office. (And by “we” I mean “me”.) I’m obsessed with it. I think it looks so good. Thoughts?

(Try to ignore the terrible quality of the picture and my magnet board crap at the bottom.)

Now I’d like to tell you that I rotate the pictures or swap them out at holidays but that would be a lie. Because really, who actually has the time or patience for that? I would much rather be spending that time watching Law & Order while eating popcorn. And I do. And it’s wonderful.

Here’s what I did so you too can replicate my awesomeness if this is your style:

1. Gather up all the frames you already have and aren’t using. Or haven’t hung up yet.

(You didn’t think there were that many did you? Embarrassing isn’t it? Where do they all come from?!)

2. Decide on the pictures you want to print or put in the frames. I always make sure that the frame and the picture go together. I stalked TJ Maxx for a week until I found this frame for my friend’s wedding photo.

*I recommend a blend of both people and places. Sabrina Soto agrees.

3. Once you have all your frames with pictures in them, measure the length and height of the space you have. I measured the same amount on the floor and marked it off with shoes. Very precise.

4. Now the real fun begins. I chose the picture I wanted to be my focal point and just started arranging other pictures around it, spreading them all out over the floor of my bedroom. Play around with the shape of the frames and the spacing until it looks good to your eye. It’s not scientific but you’ll know.

5. Now when you go to hang, you put your focal frame in the middle. You can just free hand the other frames or you can color the back of them with pencil (on the stand part) so that when you place it on the wall where you want it the pencil will rub off to mark the spot for the nail.

*I didn’t actually do it that way it just came to me right now as I was typing this blog. That is probably way easier than doing it free hand and prevents multiple nail holes.

6. Voila! Stand back and appreciate the mastery of your work.

- Kendra