Fabric Covered Photo Mats: Make A Better Gallery Wall

I’m just gonna come out and say it, gallery walls are tricky! You need to mix it up a little without seeming like you have a split personality. We all love a good gallery wall but, depending on the artwork, it can sometimes feel a little disjointed. One simple solution is to use matching colored mat in multiple frames to unify the look. The end result is totally bespoke and it’s simpler than wrapping a gift. I choose to use bright blue linen because it worked with my graphic collection of art. Just keep in mind that the fabric you choose will be very prominent, so pick something that is going to play well in your space. To help keep things simple and budget friendly I used frames that came with pre-cut mats inside.

Here’s All You’ll Need

Frame with a precut mat
Archival spray mount
Acid free double stick tape
A square of fabric 2 inches larger than your mat
Fabric scissors

Getting Started

Begin by cutting a square of fabric a little larger than your mat. Once it’s cut, give the fabric a quick once-over with an iron to remove any wrinkles.

Spray and Tape

Lightly mist the front of your mat with spray mount, and place it face down on the fabric. Flip the fabric and mat over, and gently smooth the fabric into place, removing any wrinkles or creases.

Next, apply acid-free double-stick tape to the inside and outside edges of the mat. The kind I used had a backing paper that I needed to remove to expose the adhesive.

Trim

Use your fabric scissors to cut the outside corners off the fabric. This will reduce thickness when you fold the fabric over. Next, cut an X in the center of the fabric, going from interior corner to interior corner so that you form four triangular flaps. You’ll want to trim some of the excess fabric off the interior triangles, leaving four tabs about 1.5 inches deep.