No More Empty Kitchen Walls: Try This Decor Trend For A Restaurant-Inspired Space

Have you ever sat down at a chain restaurant and gotten lost in the myriad knickknacks that adorn the walls? It's easy to lose your sense of time wondering when that brand of canned peas went out of business, what that gardening tool was last used for, or who those people in the old photograph were, and before you know it your meal is here. It's easy to bring that exhibition of intrigue into your own kitchen space with what's called a gallery wall.

A gallery wall is, in a sense, what it sounds like. It's a collection of photos, framed artwork, mirrors, clocks, small antiques, tchotchkes, and nearly anything that draws the eye's attention to an otherwise empty space. But gallery walls are typically themed in some fashion; it's not just a matter of nailing random items to the wall. And a cohesive color palette is usually the first step.

For a kitchen gallery wall, try focusing on colors that complement the kitchen's color scheme. Start with the largest item to anchor the whole space and fill it out with smaller selections (including personal items) from there. Choose a variety of frames to keep things interesting while minding your color palette. And let the purpose of the room — cooking and eating — guide your choices for the kitchen wall.

To build your own gallery wall, it helps to look to the experts. For instance, more thought goes into decorating a Cracker Barrel than you think. These folksy restaurants are known for their countryside-themed gallery walls full of antique Americana, which the company collects by the hundreds of thousands. Each location's decor is curated by professional designers who innately understand the Cracker Barrel look, ensuring a restaurant-quality gallery wall.

Similarly, you can look to Texas Roadhouse for kitchen decor ideas that embody a gallery wall aesthetic. Each restaurant has walls prominently filled with themed art to reflect the locale of each individual store and highway signs to make it feel like a roadside eatery — putting the "road" in "roadhouse." The vibe of Texas Roadhouse would be unrecognizable without these gallery walls.

Of course, you don't need a restaurant to have a restaurant-quality gallery wall. One of the best kitchen design tips we learned from celebrities is the dramatic accent wall in John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's kitchen. While theirs achieves an eye-popping effect from swirls of gray in a white marble backsplash, you can also use a curated gallery wall to bring a sense of drama to the space. Try exciting photographs, vivid frames, or even an accent mirror as a statement piece, which can both draw attention and make the kitchen feel bigger.