Five gallery wall ideas to inspire you to frame your family photos
Truth time: who’s got a stash of family photos you’re “one day going to put on the wall”? If you’re guilty of having big plans and not a lot of action, you’re not alone.
Why not pull out the stash and create a beautiful gallery wall display of your precious moments? All you need is a fun power tool and a little creativity and it’s easier than you think to create a display that’s at once artful, stylish and full of meaning.
Think of it as a team project if you like – many hands make light work and the whole family can get involved with this one. You might even like to make it a Mother’s Day surprise!
1. Choose your favourite photos
Your photos don’t all need to match one another to create a cohesive and stylish gallery wall. Your choice of memories and moments must be the driving force behind your display – aesthetics will follow. You may have a group of all black and white photos, or all coloured. Perhaps there’s a mixture of both, as well as differing ages and styles, shapes and sizes.
2. Keep it simple
If your items are already in frames, it’s simply a matter of arranging them and using a compact drill driver to attach them to the wall. First, lay out your photos on the floor to play around and find the best arrangement. Consider hanging in a ‘salon style’ arrangement, where all items are not lined up symmetrically.
3. Decide on frames
If using a mix of older and new frames, mix and match styles for an eclectic look. Some or all of your items may already be in frames so this will guide your choices of what to buy. Older frames may be in need of a little TLC or the help of a staple gun to reattach backings or reinforce mitre joins at the corners. Or, if you’re feeling particularly creative, why not try making your own frames from scratch – all you need is a Mitre Saw, or Jigsaw, a Staple Gun and hey presto, bespoke frames!
4. Style it up
Use a mat surround or background in your chosen colour and mount each image or object on top of it within the frame. Use tape or a hot glue gun to secure items within the frame and lay the mat in place.
5. Consistency is key
For a more contemporary look, unifying your photos with a consistent style of frame will bring them all together. An off-the-rack set of frames is a wonderful way to achieve this but ensure you select a set of images that are similar in size, colour or shape. Use a drill driver to secure the frame to the wall once your photo is in place.
Keeping a set of versatile power tools handy like the ONE+ system from Ryobi is ideal to tackle all of these tasks.
