If you’ve been following along here for any amount of time, it’s no secret I’m passionate about helping moms get their favorite photos off their online gallery and PRINT them in beautiful pieces of artwork. Whether that be a beautiful album, loose prints, matted prints, or like we’re talking about today: Gallery walls, this is a worthwhile pursuit.
Why Choose a Gallery Wall?
The impact and power of displaying your family photos is truly unbelievable. This not only creates a home and makes a space cozy and inviting, it is another avenue for preserving your legacy. We live in a world where digital photos abound… you can get lost in your camera roll for hours! However, it is more challenging now to actually print your photos.
Less is more… and when it comes to gallery walls that is the charm of it. By having only a few photos on display it allows you to really ponder just that one picture… bringing you right back to that moment, age, and season.
When a photo is printed, framed, and hanging on your wall it allows you to truly enjoy it. And it brings you joy every time you pass it.
I know that sometimes all you need is a bit of inspiration and that is my hope for this blog: just to get the ball rolling and show you a few ways my BG Moms love to display their photos in gallery walls. As well as give you a few pointers of things to consider as you start dreaming up your own gallery wall.
Another resource that you might find helpful is the BGP Guide: “How to Take Your Family Photos from Digital Clutter to Heirlooms” where I walk you through my favorite ways to preserve your family photos for generations to come. Think of this as the collector’s guide to family photos – how do you want your family photos preserved and organized by the time you are 70 years old? The best part… it’s complimentary! You can download it below:
How to Choose a Perfect Wall
When it comes to choosing the perfect spot in your home for a gallery wall, I recommend finding a wall in your home that is seen often and central to where your family spends most of their time. This may be a spot in your living room, your family room, or maybe in your foyer. If you have an open concept, this may look like a wall in between your kitchen and living room… a place where you would host and entertain often. You want to be able to fully enjoy it and have it hang in a place where you will see it often.
Another thing to consider when choosing the perfect wall and gallery design layout, is spacing. Will you have enough room for the size of the gallery you want displayed there? And is this a gallery that you will be moving from home to home as your family grows or are you in your forever home?
Different Gallery Wall Layout Ideas
These are some popular designs that clients love while designing their own walls. Something to consider while choosing your layout is your personality. If you are someone you loves having vartiery, you may want to choose a design that has different shapes and sizes. However, if you are someone like me, who likes to see everything tidy and in its place, then you may want a layout with clean lines and less movement in the design. I’ll show you some examples here:
This gallery wall below is a perfect example for someone who likes a little more varity. It has a nice mix of different shapes and sizes, keeping it visually intresting. This one is a nice becasuse it has a feature photo of each child, a candid family photo, and the traditonal one of everyone looking at the camera — a perfect mix!
The gallery wall below is a nice twist on the one above. This one while it has different shapes and sizes, also maintains the clean outside boarder.
Another option, would be to go with a big statement piece. It’s clean and simple. This is perfect if you have a mantle or a big space to fill.
Pro-Tip: Think big. Most people tend to underestimate just how much room they have on their walls for frames. This doesn’t mean you need to add more frames necessarily – although you could – but maybe consider keeping a simple design and going with larger frame sizes. This will give the appearance of a bigger space in your home and elevate the whole look.
The gallery wall below is definitely a crowd favorite… a big framed piece featuring each child oldest to youngest! This is the excat wall my mom had growing up (maybe that’s why I love it so much!). It’s fun now becuase we are slowly adding in-laws (and some day grandkids!) into each frame!
Long-Term Planning with Gallery Walls
When it comes to gallery walls, oftentimes my clients return year after year for their family session, and they want to update their walls as their kids continue to grow. In this case, we think of their gallery wall with a more long-term perspective.
I recommend choosing simple rectangles or squares and keeping their sizes identical. By choosing a frame that is very versatile it is easier to find another spot for the frame in another part of your home.
You can enjoy your gallery wall and when you are ready to update it, simply order a new frame in the same size with your updated photo. You can easily take the old one down and give it a new home– down the hall, or in a back bedroom, the upstairs family room, etc.– and hang the new frame in the old ones spot. Boom. Your gallery wall is updated. Easy as that.
Next Steps…
If you want help designing your gallery wall, custom designing gallery walls is something I help all my BG Moms with! After their session, we sit down together for their design and ordering appointment. This is where I show them a handful of gallery wall designs to scale on their own walls with their photos in the frame!
I love being able to take this off their plate and help them get those photos off their online gallery and onto their walls to be fully enjoyed!!
If you are interested in learning more about this experience, you can CLICK HERE to inquire and I would absolutely love to chat with you more!
Also, don’t forget to grab the BGP Guide “How to Take Your Family Photos from Digital Clutter to Heirlooms” below – for you, it’s on the house! Because with Google Photos and online backup systems always changing, you need a way to preserve your family photos that will last for *generations* to come. I’ve got you covered, friend!
