Guest Picks: Take Your Family Photo Wall to a New Dimension
Does your display feel like it’s floating? If so, this may solve the problem. When placed in the center of a gallery wall, a large shelf like this will anchor the entire display. It also provides a nice surface that allows you to show off 3-D objects.
If your gallery is in a high-traffic area (like a hallway), a large shelf may be too deep. These slim ledges are another option. Leaning and layering photos on a ledge in addition to hanging some on the wall will give your photo gallery a relaxed, casual feel. These ledges have a nice lip that allows you to lean and layer safely.
A photo frame stocking holder is a great piece to use on your shelf year-round. Celebrate your child’s athletic and/or academic accomplishments by hanging their medals below their photo. It can also add visual depth and personality to a family photo gallery.
If you want to make one small change that will have a lot of impact, add a little architectural interest to your gallery. Replacing one of your photos with a piece like this would add interest and dimension, as well as a splash of color.
Shadow boxes are an excellent way to frame 3-D objects that have meaning to you and your family. One of my favorite things to display is baby memorabilia, like baby’s first sweater or the family Christening gown. Also, shell collections from a family vacation are fun for summertime.
Do you have photos that are especially meaningful? Hanging a few frames from these oversize hangers is a great way to highlight them.
Vintage knobs can also be used to achieve the hanging photo look. These glass ones from Etsy would look amazing in a gallery of old family photos. They’d require a little retrofitting to mount on the wall, but if you are handy it could be a fulfilling DIY project.
Represent a favorite family pastime (or your love for vintage collectables) with antique sports equipment. These snowshoes would be a fun addition to a winter gallery wall filled with candid photos of the family enjoying the outdoors. Not only do items like this literally add dimension to your display, but they also lend figurative depth and a sense of nostalgia.
Somedays my house feels like Grand Central Station. A double-sided train station–inspired clock would be a fun and appropriate addition to my family photo wall. It would work best on a shared wall in an open-concept home so that you get the pretty view from different angles.
Hooks are a quick way to add interest to a gallery. Sneak in a few between your photo frames, and they’ll be a fun way to show off items that are hard to frame, like a ring of vintage keys, nautical rope knots and seasonal decor objects like ornaments.
These wall brackets provide interesting depth and create a perfect stage for special items like your child’s sculptural art, your grandma’s teacup, etc.
These beautiful candle sconces and wall vases would be a romantic addition to a bedroom photo gallery.
By replacing a couple of your photo frames with these pretty textured relief plaques, you can instantly soften a gallery that is composed of all rectangular frames. These vary in thickness, adding dimension to your display.
If you like the idea of the textured relief plaques but would like something with a little history, try vintage ceiling medallions like this one from Etsy.
Lighting up your gallery with a hard-wired sconce like this is a perfect way to highlight your display while also adding dimension.
An easy way to add depth — and represent your family name at the same time — is to incorporate a 3-D monogram into your gallery. This version has a cool industrial vibe.
Replacing one of your framed photos with a large convex mirror is a cool way to see your entire room (including your gallery) from a new perspective.
My last suggestion for adding depth and dimension is the fastest and simplest idea yet: Swap out a few of your existing frames for thicker, more substantial frames like these ones from Etsy. The varying frame depths will give your photo gallery more interest.Next: A Gallery Wall for Every Personality
Adding a second layer of photos to your gallery wall using frame risers is a quick way to give your display more interest. They allow you to hang photos on the wall at different depths, overlapping each other for a layered look.
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