I’ve been getting asked a lot lately about arranging baskets for a collection on a wall. A basket wall is an interesting and inexpensive way to cover a lot of real estate on a wall. Plus it looks organic and cool. It’s also a great way to provide a new use for something that was discarded, as most of the baskets are vintage. For these reasons, they’ve been gaining in popularity. If you follow any vintage-style or boho designers on Instagram, you’ve probably been seeing them increasingly in your feed.
Since I’ve been playing around with arrangements both in my shop and in my home for a few years now, I thought I would share a few tips I’ve learned through trial and error. So here’s an easy 6-step process for putting a great basket wall arrangement together:
1. Source your baskets
If you’re sourcing your own baskets individually, thrift and antique stores are a great place to look, but it can take some time to put a collection together. Look for quality over quantity. A group of cheap wicker paper plate holders is not going to look as impressive as a good quality winnowing basket surrounded by a collection of different baskets with interesting weaves and designs. If you don’t have time to scour thrift stores or don’t want to wait weeks or months to put a collection together, Etsy is a great resource for collections already put together by the seller, but if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for, buying them individually will work there too. If you can find a seller that carries a number of baskets in their shop, ask if they can combine the shipping cost if you buy multiple items. Most sellers are more than willing to refund you shipping overages, some will combine the shipping for you before you purchase. If I have any in stock, you can find them here: Douglas Vintage on Etsy
2. Keep it round
Mix it up with different textures and depths, and feel free to throw in some color if that’s your thing, but stick to the same shape. Some people are able to pull of arrangements with different shapes of baskets (I’ve seen it done well), but I think for the most part, it looks better and more cohesive with one shape. Easiest, obviously, is round.
3. Go large
I think it’s important to have at least one or two larger baskets in your arrangement. There’s a lot going on in a 3-D basket arrangement; different sizes, textures, colors, depths. Having a large piece that stands out gives your eye a place to land first and gives the arrangement some substance and weight.
4. Get em close
I’m not saying it can’t be done, some people can pull it off, but to me, there’s nothing worse than a basket wall with a bunch of the same sized baskets spread way apart. Squish em all in together so it looks like one piece of art. You can even overlap the edges. A little space is okay, but when there’s a lot of space in between them all, it’s hard for your eye to focus on any one, which, to me, feels chaotic.
5. Practice first
Try your layout on the floor first to find an arrangement you like before having to move a bunch of nails around on your wall. Start with your largest baskets first, and fill in around them with your smaller ones. Also, If I have a couple of baskets that are really similar, I try not to put them right next to each other.
6. Hang em up
Once I find an arrangement I like, I usually use small picture nails to hang them on the wall. Sometimes a push pin will work too, but they tend to not be as secure on the wall. There are some baskets where the weave is so tight that it’s hard to get a nail in the spot you need it without compromising the basket. Sometimes a couple of safety pins with some string across the back will work. Or you can try floral wire to make a hanger on the back side.
Now, I’m not claiming to be an expert at this, but these are some of the things I’ve noticed that make a basket arrangement one I’d like to have on my wall. I hope it helps you with yours. I’d love to hear your comments and I’d love to see your basket walls, so if you post them on Instagram, use the hashtag #basketwallboss so I can see!
Doug and Fir 