Gallery Wall Update and Black Staircase Update

I’ve been wanting to add a gallery wall to our staircase basically since we moved into our house. However, I was so nervous to screw it up that I put it off. I also want to be very intentional about what I hang on my walls. I want the gallery wall to tell a story, our story, and have meaning to our family. I also wanted to thrift frames, and keep the art and photographs small since the space is really not that big. I have been on a small photo kick for awhile. There is just something special about having to pick up a picture frame or move in close to study it. It just feel more intimate to me and maybe even timeless. So for those reasons, I’ve kept everything on the small side. I will say that I do feel like this is still a bit bare and I plan to continue to add to it, but as mentioned, it is not a process I am going to rush. Each piece has meaning. Even the Target photo of the tree as our beloved dog Penny is buried under a tree that looks so much like that artwork that I couldn’t believe the similarities. I walk to that tree often, nearly everyday but having a reminder in our home also felt right.

The watercolor painting was gifted to me by a dear friend and was painted by a local artist. It is the original farmhouse that we lived in for two years as our new home was being built. The house still stands, just 30 yards away, but it won’t always be there. The old house is over a century old, and is falling apart, but it is not only part of our story, but of the story of the farm as well as countless others who lived in that home. It symbolizes our desire to live our lives on the farm and to sacrifice and work hard in order to make it happen. It also is a symbol of legacy as well. The farm has lived many lives and we will do our best to ensure it lives many more. How could I not honor it in some small way in our new farmhouse?