How To Display Family Photos

Decorating your walls with family photos can be a nice way to add interest while preserving memories. Put them in decorative frames to add interest. Learning how to hang and group your photos for best effect is key.

You have just purchased a frame for your photo which you want to hang in the kitchen. Now that you’ve brought it home, you put a nail in the wall by the bakers rack sitting the frame for your photo on. Easy!

You stand back, pleased with your accomplishment. You tilt your head from one side to the other and back again. Squinting, you take another look at the picture. Something is amiss, but you can’t figure out what it is.

If you find yourself standing back from your hanging décor, dissatisfied with the look, dont despair. It is not uncommon to make these mistakes that you can see look awkward but you do not know how to fix. Use the guidelines below when hanging photos on a wall:

Hanging Large Photos:

The large photos should be the focus of your décor so you must make sure you hang it in a spot that is appropriate for the size and focus. Where is the best spot to hang large décor? Try over a couch, behind the dining set, over a fireplace or on a feature wall. A feature wall is where the placement of furniture or the layout of the home naturally guides the eye to a wall - a great place to feature group photos of the family.

Hanging Small Photos:

Smaller pieces should be grouped together so that they do not get “lost” in the rest of the décor. Use a common theme like, color, framing or style to pull them together. If you don’t have a group, a smaller piece should be hung low and close to the furniture.

Hanging Groups Of Photos:

You can group items of any size together for an interesting display. Each item should be spaced about 3 inches away from the items on either side. Before you start making holes in the wall, try laying them out on the floor so you can figure out the best spot for each piece.

HEIGHT:

Photos should be hung with the center of the picture at eye level. That means the center should be about 60 to 66 inches from the floor. If you've visited a gallery you will see that the frames are not lined up by their top or bottom edges but that the pictures are all centered at the same height.

If your photos will be viewed from the couch or while sitting at the table, then it should be hung at sitting eye level.

Anything hung behind the couch should be placed no more than 8 or 10 inches above the back of the couch.

Use these tips to create a designer look on your walls!