With the advent of taking more photos of our friends and family, it seems as though we’ve started printing them less. We think it’s time to bring back the days of hanging favorite snapshots on the wall rather than looking at them on our camera rolls.
However, we also want to make our photo walls look more intentional than a gallery that feels incohesive and unorganized. To glean some inspiration on the most perfectly styled ways to curate a photo wall, we asked the experts. Here’s what designers had to say about their favorite photo wall ideas.
Keep Photos Cohesive and Symmetrical
Lark Interiors / Jen Morley Burner
When you’re pulling together a gallery wall of family photos, there can be an inherent sense of chaos. You have rambunctious toddlers, family photos where no one is looking, and all the joyful energy that comes from capturing life’s best moments. But that might not be the feeling you want to channel with your photo wall.
In those cases, Ali Ames, senior designer at Lark Interiors, suggests using a wide mat and sticking to frames of the same size and color, each carefully arranged in a symmetrical grid format. “Personal photos can be busy, so keeping the frames and mats consistent helps create a nice, balanced look,” says Ames.
Intersperse Objects With Photos and Artwork
Refinery Interiors / Paige Winn Photography
If you’re displaying a collection of favorite travel photos, use that opportunity to tell a broader story. Incorporate found objects or souvenirs from your trips to add dimension and texture to the wall. “Use an antique mirror, a letter from an antique sign, and Italian ex-votos to add contrast and 3D interest to an art wall. I love the richness these objects add,” says Kristy Weyhrich, owner and designer at Refinery Interiors.
Place Snapshots Throughout the Stairwell
ATX Interior Design
A stairwell can be a dead zone in terms of design. It’s often the last place people think to decorate or hang art. But it’s also a classic space to hang family photos. “Utilizing stairwells with photo galleries is a nice way to show family photos. I love to mix and match frames for a balanced, inviting look,” says Laura Williams, owner and principal designer of ATX Interior Design.
Look for Photos With a Subtle Palette
Kathryn Lager Design Studios / The Wildset Hotel / Maya Oren
If you’re curating a collection of photos from different times and places, tie them together with a cohesive and calming palette. “When curating a photo wall, I like to keep to a simple palette by keeping the medium the same and the color palette subtle and naturalistic. This allows you to tie the pieces together visually as well as thematically,” says K.C. Lager, principal of Kathryn Lager Design Studios. Lager also suggests adding a few unframed photos to create a time capsule look that feels like the pictures were hung casually through the decades.
Experiment With Mixed Mediums
Lark Interiors / Nathan Schroder Photography
While a photo-only collection often looks best when there’s a sense of rhythm and continuity between framing and color palette, adding in art gives you more room to get creative. “When putting together a gallery wall with a mix of photos and art, don’t be afraid to experiment with size, depth, color, and frames. Mixed mediums give you more flexibility to create a balanced look,” says Ames.
Add Movement to a Hallway
Lark Interiors / Nathan Schroder Photography
This hallway could be nothing more than a passthrough space, but Ames hung various photographs and documents to make it a more styled and gallery-worthy place. The frames usher you through the hallway, giving you intentional moments to look at.
Give Your Loved Ones the Star Treatment
Lucinda Loya Interiors
Skip frames and turn your friends and family into literal poster children instead. Enlarge your favorite photographs and cover a wall with memories—just like you may have done with magazine pages as a kid. “Fill the walls of a small family room with large-scale canvas prints of family photos for a striking yet cohesive look,” says Lucinda Loya, founder and principal designer at Lucinda Loya Interiors.
Opt for a monochromatic black-and-white palette to keep the look from feeling overwhelming. “The monochromatic palette ensures the display feels unified, allowing the images to enhance the room’s décor rather than compete with it,” Loya says.
Mix Black and White With Color
Ash & Pine
If you love a classic black and white photo but also enjoy the cheerful look of color, don’t feel like you need to be pigeonholed into one or the other. You can mix up both types of photos within the same space. “Don’t be afraid to mix black and white photos in with color photos. To keep it cohesive but not boring, stick with one frame finish (i.e., black, brass, or wood), but change up the frame profiles and mat sizes,” says Shannon Askinasi, founder and lead interior design expert at Ash & Pine.
Vary the Mats
Erik Johnson
If you have a series of photographs, such as several landscapes or city scenes from a trip, consider printing them in the same tones but varying the color of the mats to add more interest. Keep the frames in the same color family to avoid a too-cluttered look.
Leave Room to Grow
Kerrie Kelly Studio / Tiamo Images
As your memories grow, so will your photo wall. Choose a wall with room to keep adding photos over time. Picking a neutral style frame will help keep the photo wall consistent as it expands across your room.
