Did you know that hanging family photographs in your home can improve your children’s confidence? Photos of your kids (and your entire family) prominently displayed in your home communicate that you value them and that they are important family members.
The photos let them know they are seen.
Not only that, but family photos on the wall can also boost our mood, helping us feel happier and more relaxed on a daily basis. So if your walls are bland, or if you are currently displaying stock art from a big box store, it’s time for a little home makeover.
One of the best ways to add personal photos as decor is to create a photo wall or a gallery wall in your home. Read below for helpful tips on crafting the perfect gallery wall today.
Choose a Theme
Step one is to choose a theme for your gallery wall. You need to decide ahead of time what vibe you are going for. What feelings do you want to inspire with your gallery wall?
If you don’t think this through, you’ll have a wall that feels disjointed and unorganized.
Common themes include travel, wedding, outdoors, or funky.
If your family likes to travel, then displaying photos of your family during various trips makes sense. It’s best if all of the photos and artwork on your wall contribute to the theme.
And yes, you can through in some additional artwork within your photos. This might be vintage travel posters, maps, or other types of artwork that match your theme.
Have Pictures Professionally Printed
When putting your gallery wall together, it’s important that you have photos professionally printed. Since most of your photographs are likely digital files on a computer, it’s tempting to save some money and print them on your home printer.
But doing so will lead to tacky results. Your wall will feel flat and uninspiring since regular printers aren’t designed to print highly details, colored photographs.
This is especially important if you have professional photos, like wedding photos. You don’t want to take photos that were captured on a high-quality, super-expensive camera and lens, and then print them with a cheap printer designed to print simple PDF documents, do you?
Instead, choose an online printing company that allows you to upload your photos, choose the print size, and order all your photos at one time.
Decide on a Layout
Some people like the clean, modern look of perfectly organized photos. Each photo is in the exact same frame, spaced evenly apart, creating perfect rows and columns.
Others prefer a more rambunctious approach. They choose frames that are different styles and sizes and organize them in a more random, artistic approach.
Figure out what will look best with the current style of your home and the size of your gallery wall. Look at lots of images online for inspiration and help decide what approach works best for you.
Frame and Hang Your Photos
Once you have your photos and artwork, and you’ve decided on a layout, you just need to frame and hang them. Smaller, lighter frames should require nothing but a picture nail. Larger frames will likely need more support.
It’s also best to have a ruler and a level on hand. You’ll want to make sure your frames are level with each other and evenly spaced. Otherwise, it will look like a toddler assembling your gallery wall.
Once complete, stand back and admire your work. It might help to move photos around into different spots to help balance out colors and people. If you really want to try and perfect your wall, ask a few people to come to look at it and get their opinion. They’ll think of things that never crossed your mind.
Enjoying Your Memories
Most people can tackle a photo wall in their home in less than a day after they’ve ordered their photo prints and purchased frames and hanging hardware. It takes a lot longer to plan the wall and choose a layout than to actually hang everything.
Once it’s up, you’ll benefit from a house that feels more like a home, and you’ll enjoy the many mental and emotional benefits that come along with a photo display.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Home & Garden category
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