Bump. Any advice?

Bump?

I imagine you haven't had a response because filling your living room with family pictures is not considered to be in terribly good taste, but no one wants to say that. I would suggest that you hang the pictures much lower, with the bottom frames about 10 inches above the couch. I'd also put them in a more informal pattern rather than just hanging them in rows. I'm afraid the clock is much too large for that spot and the console below it has too much too clutter on the top. The "EAT" sign I'd do away with entirely, because your decor is just too busy and needs to have some kind of focus. Lots of cute little things will not give you a well-decorated look; you have to edit things thoughtfully. The yellow pillows on the gray couch are a good choice, and you have a nice TV console. Rather than harsh overhead lighting in the living room I'd suggest a table lamp and perhaps a floor lamp for lighting, which gives a much more flattering and softer light.

For the dining room, I would put the galvanized hangers on either side of the clock, but nothing in that small space between the corner and window. Too much in a small area just looks cramped. If you think the space is too empty, you could add a floor lamp or fiddle leaf fig tree.

If you have the gallery wall of family photos, I wouldn't put more around the TV. I like the idea of floating shelves or eventually adding built-ins to that space. You could decorate the shelves with antique decor, floral arrangements, books, etc.

I know some people advice against family photos, but why not include them! To me, it would look strange to walk into a home and not see at least one family photo somewhere. Your gallery wall looks a little off. I would space the photos out a bit more, and maybe include other wall hangings that aren't photos in the mix. Just to break things up a bit.

Why on earth would anyone upload pictures of their house without first tidying up? Regardless if there is unpacking and laundry involved. Come on. If I wanted to look at a mess I'd look at my own house.

I like to go on house tours and the family photos that looked the best in other people's homes were black & white. I think they look more subtle and sophisticated than color photos. Also, using the same frames in the grouping looks more cohesive and less busy.

"...not considered to be in terribly good taste..."

Seriously?? It's their home! Where better than there?

It's in far better taste than Chinese sweatshop 'wall art' from Home Goods (that faux-antique, outsized clock and the Eat sign). Art in a home should be personal (not all family pics, of course); it should speak to the residents and say something about them and their interests.

But I do find the current photo layout too rigid and symmetrical.

I understand. I get distracted by Houzz and decor ideas when I‘m supposed to be doing chores. :-)

I agree that your photos are too high but I don’t mind the way you have arranged them. You could put 2-3 of the white IKEA picture ledges on the wall to the right of the TV. They are visually lighter and you can move pictures around as your family grows.

Essenzza ignore issues of taste and home clutter. There is not one taste or one type of good style, and home decoration should be the artful arrangement of the ideas and functions YOU want in your home. The issue I find, with family photos, is that small framed ones wash out when viewed from far away, and there is a limit to how many large family photos you want displayed prominently in your home and where. My husband, god bless him, insists on large family photos on the shelving unit across from our bed in our small bedroom. His family is constantly staring at me! He finds it comforting, I find it a little less than restful. But I can live with it. So that's an example. I'd feel the same way about a large family photo in a living room or family room over a fireplace. It's just too much like "The Smith's survey the room!" On the other hand, slightly smaller in a less prominent space surrounded by some more casual shots, it might be "Remember those happy times when we were all together!"

But anyway, I think you are talking about a collection of smaller photos. The issue with those is you can't really see them unless you can get up close to them, which is why I would not put them on either side of the TV. Given that parameter, I would put up a display shelf under the "Eat" sign in the dining room. Then I would either put the stuff on the dining room credenza on the shelf and put a collection of family photos in a mixture of nice frames on the credenza, OR put the family photo mixture on the shelf. I have seen both done well in dining room inspiration photos which you could probably find by googling "dining room family photos arrangement on shelf" or some such thing or by searching Houzz photos. That way people can stand up close to the photos and look at them if they want, and yet the montage still looks good from a distance. Again, I would shoot for more casual photos, not a dominant set of people staring straight ahead. I have a two-photo frame with a picture of both my grandmothers staring straight ahead on a credenza in my dining room, along with my tea set in an arrangement. That level of personal display is not overwhelming and doesn't dominate the look of the room and they are accompanied by other decorative elements so their steely gaze is softened by that somewhat! :)

The problem with family photos is that, even professionally shot, tend to be contrived & unimaginative. School photos are the worse. I actually hate seeing pics of myself on a good day let alone stare at them on a wall year after year. With that said, there is a way family photos can be displayed artistically (which is usually the request on here, how to do that) & still have that warm fuzzy feeling that those photos can bring. After all, why do we take pics of our family if they weren't meant to be enjoyed. Mingling photos with other art helps, frames that match or mix well, proper arrangement, carefully choosing the photos you do use, etc. Google or search on Houzz for ideas on gallery walls & you'll see why THEIR wall galleries just look better than the OP.

I agree, why do so many start their posts with "excuse the mess"?

Those "eat" (gather, family, harvest, home) signs should be outlawed.