Every home has some wall space that can be converted into an attractive photo display. Most people view their photos as priceless memories, so why not display them as works of art...create a gallery to show case your family and friends.



-Decide on what pictures you want to display. The pictures need to be close up and clear otherwise the gallery will not be sharp. -Create a theme - family vacation or a special holiday. You can update your pictures on a yearly basis...have a photo gallery party each year.

-Mixing frames of different styles and sizes can be fun, but it does take some planning. Find a consistent theme of color or type of wood to balance out the different shapes and styles...the photos need to take center stage, not the frames.

-Lay the framed photos on a tabletop or the floor and rearrange until you find a workable arrangement. Start with the largest pictures first and surround them with smaller photos.

-Find a friend or family member to help when measuring and preparing to mount on the wall. Have your leveler ready to be sure that a picture that looks straight actually is straight.

Other ideas:

Older photographs add character to your home. If you have a favorite old photo that's fading, or has been damaged or crinkled through the years, take it to a photo shop to have it restored and reprinted. You might even be able to do this yourself at home with photo imaging software. You might want to consider adding a special effect, enlarging or cropping the photo differently to add a new perspective to a familiar photo.

Great places to display your favorite photos on tabletops, desktops, bookshelves, and your family entertainment wall unit. I received a gift of an oak wood dressing screen that contained space for nine large 8x10 photos...what a wonderful display for my children's pictures.

Transfer a favorite photo onto a pillowcase or wall hanging. Photo collages of friends or family members make great placemats. Simply arrange and laminate.

Individual laminated photos can be affixed to magnets to put on the refrigerator and other metal surfaces in your home.

For the special occasion, create a photo quilt. Photos can be transferred onto fabric easily. The quilt will need to be hand washed, but what a treasure to give someone as a gift.

Finally, for all those special pictures that don't make the home display, create your own scrapbook and add your stories around the photos.

Copyright (c) 2007 Pat Brill