How To Create A Photo Gallery Wall

In Mondays post I spoke about displaying artwork by propping it against a wall and saving your walls from holes.  So today I thought I might mix it up a bit and discuss drilling several holes all over them!

Regular readers of this blog will know of my love of photo gallery walls.  Photo walls are a great way to incorporate your own personality and life into your design scheme. It’s the perfect way to personalise your space and showcase the people and moments that matter in your life.

This is a gallery wall I created for a client last year.  You can read the back story here

But before you rush off and start hammering nails randomly into the wall, put a bit of thought into how you want to display your collection.

There are no hard and fast rules when creating your display but it is wise to follow some guidelines. Consider the wall space and ceiling height, is there angles, stairs, corners. There are countless arrangements possible and it’s up to you how you want to display your collection.

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Using frames and similar images makes a very impressive impact.  These frames from IKEA with black and white prints looks very striking in this dining area.

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You can mix and match frames and photo sizes but try to make sure there is some symmetry or colour scheme to your display.

Vintage Picture Gallery

A collection of vintage photo’s is displayed beautifully in this image from Refurbished Ideas

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Make an impact.  I love how this narrow wall is completely covered with family photos.  Image from  Dwell.com

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Bring a splash of colour to proceedings like this colourful picture display from Emerald Interior Design Blog via My Modern Met

Another colourful display from my post on Black and Yellow Colour Combos

Picture ledges are a great way to display framed photographs. Black and white photos make a great contemporary display. Use the shelves to display photographs, prints, framed postcards, and a variety of other objects. Overlap frames to avoid blanks and fill in with accessories to add interest.

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Hanging pictures up a stairs can be quite tricky.  The trick is to follow the stair line up the steps.  Measure every second or third step and set your frame the same distance consistently all the way up.

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Better Homes and Gardens

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A beautifully displayed gallery wall going up the stairs in this hallway from Jeffers Design Group

Have you done a gallery wall in your home?  Leave a comment below and let me know how it worked out.

About Karen

My name is Karen Hughes and I'm an Interior Designer from Dublin, Ireland. I’m passionate about design and I started this blog as a way to connect with others just as passionate as myself. I tend to ramble on about all sorts of things, projects I’m working on, people, places and things that inspire me (and some that don’t). So put the kettle on, get comfy and settle in. I hope you enjoy your visit and don't forget to say hello. Visit my website to find out more about my services and view my work.

7 Comments

  1. Excellent thanks so much for that! I’m planning a staircase gallery so really useful to get tips on how to do it 🙂

  2. Glad you enjoyed it. Hope the staircase gallery works out – post some photos of the finished article, I’d love to see it. ~ Karen

  3. I love displays that incorporate mismatched sizes, frames etc. But I find it difficult to create a display like that which doesn’t end up looking messy! I definitely think that the stairs is the best place for a photo gallery wall.

  4. Hi Liam, a little trick is to use tracing paper as templates of your frames and tape them to the wall first. It works very well for frames of different shapes and sizes as it will give you a clear idea of how it will look without damaging the wall. And remember to use masking tape and not cellotape on the wall so as not to damage your paintwork 🙂

  5. Hi Karen,

    I really enjoyed this article, great read! I think these gallery walls they work so well especially if you have a big family. These would be great for home that are quite minimalistic as it will give the room more of a personality, I will definitely use these helpful tips for my home.

    Thanks and look forward to more posts form you.

    Thanks,

    Ed

  6. Glad you enjoyed it Ed.

  7. Hello – where do you work from?

    I’m interested in a consultation for picture hanging in my home

Comments are closed