The Gallery Wall in the Dining Room!
One of the features in our newly updated dining room is the gallery wall! The gallery wall began with the purchase of an antique oil painting from a friend of mine that was downsizing his collection. Over the last year, I’ve added smaller paintings that I’ve found, and it’s finally completed!
After adding picture frame moulding below the chair rail, and painting the dining room walls in Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue, I decided to use the Louis XV chairs as captain’s chairs at the table.
I originally bought the chairs at an antique shop in Mobile, AL almost twelve years ago, with the intent to use them in the dining room. After we moved into this house, I used them in the living room, but now, they are back in the room that they were intended for!
Velvet pumpkins have been sprinkled on the table for the Fall season, and this year, I am loving the simplicity of minimal decorating.
The focus of the dining room gallery wall is a century old oil painting of Raphael’s Madonna of The Chair. It’s one of my favorite religious paintings, featuring the Madonna holding the Infant Jesus in her lap, with little St. John looking adoringly at the Christ Child.
A dear friend of mine was downsizing his collection a few years ago, and I was able to purchase this piece from him. The oil painting is framed in an antique carved gilt wood frame, and the painting is a bit timeworn with some flaking to the paint. I’ve thought about having it restored, but there’s something about seeing it’s history in those imperfections.
Surrounding the center painting are smaller paintings of The Madonna, the Infant Jesus, little St. John, and two smaller prints of sheep.
When I’m out antiquing, I always keep my eye out for smaller antique frames that I can use for smaller prints.
Placed below the gallery wall is the French demilune chest that I painted a couple of years ago, and placed on the chest, is an antique French bust of the Virgin Mary. Hubby gifted the bust to me many years ago and it’s one of my most cherished pieces. She is very timeworn, with a perfectly imperfect finish, and the ideal complement to the gallery wall.
To the left of the center painting is another antique oil painting of The Madonna. I found this piece at an antique market. The canvas is worn and even has a couple of places where the canvas is cut, but I love the colors in this painting as well as the serenity on the face of Mary. As you can see, imperfections don’t bother me!
I have a soft spot for artwork depicting the Infant Jesus and Little St. John the Baptist. I’m always on the hunt for artwork, statues, icons, or relics with this subject matter.
One of my favorite pieces on the gallery wall is an old print of The Last Supper. My father gifted it to my mother on the day of my birth in 1958! I’ve had it in storage for several years, and realized it would be perfect on this wall.
It originally had a stained frame, so I used Modern Master’s Olympic Gold paint to add some gilt. It’s the perfect “topper” for the gallery wall, and it’s very special to me.
We’ve been finishing up the picture frame moulding on the walls in the living room. Now that the dining room is finished with it’s makeover, I’m anxious to get the living room off of the “to do” list! We’ll share more of the moulding and living room once it’s completely done!
I love adding religious antiques to our home decor and completing this gallery wall in the dining room was the perfect finishing touch!
Cheers, Cindy
I love your posts! Am anxiously awaiting photos of your newest home, especially the kitchen. Thank you so much, it is a joy to receive your emails in my inbox!
Gorgeous! We have almost identical tables and very similar taste. I love the table runner and I’ve been wanting something similar. Would you mind sharing where you found it, or the name and maker of the fabric?
Thanks for sharing your beautiful home with us!
Sharon Casey
Sharon, the table runner came from Amazon. Unfortunately, it is no longer available.
I always get such inspiration from your posts. The gallery wall looks amazing. I especially like the navy and bright green velvet pumpkin display on the table. Those colors together are striking! You have great taste.
I love a beautiful gallery wall. I have one in my living room. Visitors always comment how much they like it. Your dining room is beautiful.
Thank you, Mona!
Absolutely love your gallery wall. It’s quite remarkable! May I please have the blue paint color of your dining room walls? I love that too!
Dominique, the paint color is Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue!
Your dining room is so breathtaking, and feels so calm, as your whole house does. I always enjoy receiving your emails and see your beautiful home and projects. Thank you so much for sharing. Have a very blessed and Happy Easter.
Wishing you a blessed Easter weekend, Edna! ❤️
I have the exact Lords Supper that was my Moms!
Such a lovely idea to add warmth and personality to a dining space! A gallery wall makes every meal feel special.
Gallery walls make such a statement in dining rooms! Love seeing how different styles and frames come together in one space.
…absolutely stunning room❣️ Your work is always inspiring when I have new clients!!
Just perfect. I love the smaller pictures in the arrangement. What a history with the Last Supper picture.
Beautiful!
Just love everything you do, your shop and your blog. Would it be possible to get the name of the lovely blue paint color in your dining room? Thank you
Hi Dominique! The wall color is Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue!
Couldn’t be any more beautiful!
You know that I am your biggest fan and love everything that you do… however, I love the large Madonna and Child and the wonderful Last Supper so much that, to me, all the smaller pictures took away from them. Perhaps a galley wall of the smaller pictures together? My very humble opinion of course, and I’m not the one with the very popular decorating blog. hee hee
Oh Cindy. I just love what you did in the dining room. That painting of the Madonna and child is one of my favorites along with the one called Our Lady of the Grapes. It’s just so sweet and welcoming. I too look for religious items and icons when I go to estate sales. Although I have never found anything so beautiful as yours.
❤️❤️❤️
Cindy I have copied you on so much of my decorating style from the white statue collection to French Barometer, to actually purchasing some pieces from you using my mover friend from NC to pick up the dresser, and the desk chair and the bookshelf I have in my house now. I just love this gallery wall and wondered if you would take time to give me the dimensions of the frames you used. I have the Raphael Madonna I purchased from you and several sheep pictures from the ones you sell. I have a wall I’d love to display the art I have purchased from you so far. So far I have 8 pieces all a variety of sizes. I know I’m asking a lot for you to measure the frames but I so want my wall to look half as good as yours does! I just made the velveteen pumpkin wreath and love it! Thanks for continuing to inspire me to make my home a sanctuary.
Deborah, I will try and get the measurements for you later today!
Deborah, here’s the measurements of the frames on the gallery wall: Center from top down: 36″ x 18″, 48″ x 39″. Right side from top down: 8″ x6″, 9″ x 8″, 10.5″ x 8.5″, 12″ x 10″, and 7.5″ x 6.5″. Left side from top down: 8″ x 6″, 14.5″ x 11.5″, 18″ x 15″, 7″ x 6″.
Beautifully done!!
Thank you, Ruth!
This is beautiful!
Thank you so much, Margaret!