Learn how to decorate your home with photos and memories of the people you love. Here are 7 practical hacks for creating a beautiful gallery wall.
If you’ve read this blog before, you know we adore decorating with photos.
Kids grow up in the blink of an eye, and the years fly by as children head off to college and houses become quieter.
Surrounding your family with memories captured in photographs is one of the best ways to make a home feel warm and personal.
Photographs are like a return ticket to a memory otherwise forgotten.
-author unknown
A reader once told me the gallery walls in my living room “wrap around the room like a hug.” I loved that description because it’s exactly the feeling I want our home to give our family.
Since I’m passionate about photo decorating, let’s walk through how to decorate your walls with memories and great pictures. Be sure to read to the end for my best hack!
Where Can You Add a Gallery Wall?
The possibilities are nearly endless. Add a gallery wall in your front entryway, a bedroom, the family room, or your office. You can create a display anywhere that brings you joy.
Anne’s entryway gallery wall blends family photos in varied black frames with canvas prints that have black edges to create a cohesive look.
In my home I hung photos along the stairway using different black frame styles and sizes to create visual interest.
A large farmhouse-style gallery wraps across two living room walls filled with family photos, mixed frames, and a few canvas prints for balance.
A tall blank wall in the family room becomes a striking canvas-grid display. Lights above the top row add height and softly illuminate the images in the evening.
A modern grid-style gallery in my daughter’s bedroom uses identical white frames to create a clean, orderly arrangement.
7 Hacks for Hanging Gallery Walls
Follow these seven tips to create a balanced, intentional gallery wall that showcases your favorite memories.
1. Choose a Style or Theme for Your Display
Decide whether your home’s style is modern, traditional, farmhouse, or something else. The room’s aesthetic should guide your frame choices. Clean-lined, matching frames suit grid layouts, while a mix of sizes and finishes works well for a free-form arrangement. Also choose whether frames will be uniform in color or a curated mix of tones and textures.
2. Gather Photos and Art
Decide if your gallery will feature photos, artwork, or a combination. For symmetrical layouts, print images in the same orientation and dimensions so the arrangement stays balanced. Plan ahead whether frames will be hung vertically or horizontally.
3. Preview the Layout on the Floor
Lay your chosen frames and art on the floor and experiment with arrangements until the composition feels right. This step helps you see how pieces interact and identify any items that don’t fit the overall look.
4. Make Paper Templates Before Hanging
Trace each frame onto kraft paper and cut out templates. Tape the templates to the wall with painter’s tape so you can experiment with placement without making holes. Live with the layout for a while and adjust the templates until the composition feels right.
5. Space Frames Evenly
Consistent spacing creates a unified look. Maintain uniform gaps between frames and consider the distance from the ceiling and floor so the arrangement reads as one cohesive display. Use a small level to keep frames straight, and start by hanging the focal piece in the center and working outward.
6. Best Way to Hang Photo Frames
After many gallery walls, I recommend Command strips. Unlike nails, they prevent frames from shifting so you won’t constantly straighten them. Command strips also avoid wall damage, making it easy to rearrange or remove the display.
Command strips keep artwork secure and make updates simple without damaging paint or drywall.
7. The Best Hack: Step Back and Evaluate
The best tip I can give is to step back frequently while installing. From up close you may miss how the entire composition reads. Step well back to check overall spacing and balance as you move templates and hang frames. Once the final piece is in place, step back again to confirm everything is straight and aligned. If anything is off, command strips make it easy to fix.
Now go hang that gallery wall of memories. You’ll love how it transforms your space and makes your home feel personal and inviting.
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