I was so inspired by Layla’s gallery wall over at Lettered Cottage that I had to try it myself. Layla’s gallery wall was unlike anything I had seen before with her layered design. I have been hoarding many photo frames for years, and my husband kept threatening to get rid of them…so I felt ready to try this family gallery wall!
Gather Frames Of Any Kind!
Any size, shape, and really any color will do! As I was researching gallery walls there are so many different thoughts on how to make one look cohesive. Some designers suggest using the same frame, some suggest keeping it all black and white photos, and others say do whatever you want! Since my goal was to create a fall themed gallery wall, I decided any frames would do. My cohesive look would be centered around fall. Also, I tend to like a more nontraditional look anyways, so using the frames I had was the perfect fit to achieve a more eclectic design.
Lay Out Your Frames On The Floor To Decide How to Arrange Them
Before I even had photos for my frames, I decided to figure out how I wanted them arranged on my wall. So I simply laid them on my floor and took a photo of what I liked. My arrangement looked best when I had similar color frames spaced evenly throughout the gallery. That way your eye continues to move across the whole wall and does not get stuck in one place with a large grouping of the same color frame.
3. Order Your Photos Based On The Size Frames You Have
Once I had my frames laid out, it was easy to know how many 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10s I would need. I always recommend to my photography clients using MPIX for their printing needs. They offer high quality photos at a reasonable price and ship quickly and directly to your home! Especially when you are going to display photos, I feel it is important to have accurate color quality in your images. Mpix allows you to choose from a variety of sizes as well, making ordering fast and easy!
4. To Achieve The Layered Look Order a Frame Riser
Hurry! I found this riser on clearance at Pottery Barn! For $6 it is totally worth it! This particular riser stands out from the wall 4 inches. I love how this adds dimension and interest to a grouping.
5. Hang Your Photos!
You’ve done all the hard work of figuring out your arrangement and ordering the right size photos! I found it easiest to hang the frames on the wall while I waited for my photos to arrive. Then, once my photos arrived I simply took the frame down and popped the photo in!
6. Add some NonTraditional Items Into Your Wall Gallery
To make my gallery wall even more seasonal and interesting to the eye, I added a cowboy hat and a small antique doll chair (that I inherited from my family). For Christmas I’m excited to change out the art and photos to a Christmas theme!
I have only ever made one family photo album and I have taken thousands of photos over the years! This was so fun to print photos that have never been printed before and to have my kids see them for the first time. I love how excited my kids get when I hang new photos of them. I think it is affirmation for them that they are so loved and treasured.
