How to create the perfect gallery wall

Your home is your sanctuary and it should be your joy every time you walk through the door. Part of making a home your own is displaying your favorite items. For a lot of people, that means creating a picture wall so that they can be reminded of their favorite friends, family, and memories. At the same time, it can feel a little overwhelming to try and put together a collage wall that will look good in your home. Remember that this is your chance to express yourself, so trust your gut and follow these tips for expert photo wall ideas.

Try Different Layouts

Before you start hanging your picture wall, take some time to plan out the layout. Clear some space on your floor and experiment with different placements. You may have different size photo frames and a mixture of art, color photos, and black and white images. See which combinations look best when placed next to each other. 

Skip the Nails

Pounding some nail holes into your wall can feel like a big commitment. What if you don’t like the collage wall arrangement once it is up on the wall? Instead of worrying about making a permanent family photo wall, go with photo tiles that offer an adhesive back that allows you to restick photos. This is a great solution that will allow you to move photos around and easily add to the gallery wall in the future.

Try Photo Tiles

If you really want to simplify the process of creating a picture wall, opt for a photo tile gallery wall. You can have your images printed and framed in 8x8 frames so that every picture is the same size. This makes it easy to create a uniform grid while still allowing you to get creative if you want a more abstract family photo wall. 

Start with a Focal Point

If you will be incorporating different size frames and images, your best bet is to start with a focal point and build out from there. Usually, this will mean placing your largest piece first so that it can serve as a visual anchor for the rest of the photo wall.  

Use Uniform Spacing

Even the more eclectic photo walls with a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors should use uniform spacing. Without some consistency, the collage wall can end up looking messy and thrown together. A good rule of thumb is to use two inches of space between frames. If you don’t want to mess with rulers and measuring tapes, you can use painter's tape to mark off the border spaces and create uniform spacing for a more visually satisfying arrangement. 

Don’t Forget Your Level

Make sure that you are using a level to correctly place each piece as you go. This is especially important if you are basing spacing off of the frames that have already been installed on the photo wall. If you start with a crooked photo, the rest of the gallery wall will be slightly off-kilter.

Most importantly, have fun creating your gallery wall. There truly are no hard and fast rules when it comes to your collage wall. Do what makes you feel good and reflects your personal style. If you stick to what you like, then your family photo wall is sure to bring you joy.