Creating a great photo wall takes a little time and effort but it is well worth the trouble. Photo walls add a personal touch to any home and are a wonderful décor option. Designing a photo wall takes more than just deciding to have one. Design choices abound when trying to create this beautiful look. Where should your wall be located? How should photos get arranged? Should you use a picture light or multiple picture lights to bring illumination to your wall? How many pictures should you include in the photo wall? There are a few key points to keep in mind when attempting to design a photo wall:

1. Be mindful of spacing: Even for those who want their wall to look as if it is a carefree, casual representation of photo memories, designing with space in mind will create visual enjoyment for the one viewing the wall. Eclectic does not equal confusion and one of the easiest ways for a space to feel cluttered or unorganized is to ignore spacing concerns. Try to keep the width between pictures somewhat uniform, even if your frame choices have a great deal of variety.

2. Choose frames wisely: Do you enjoy symmetry and sleek contemporary lines or do you like a mix of colors, textures, and styles? Do you prefer your wall to feature all one color and size or a blending of sizes? Keep in mind that your wall is your own personal creations so do not be afraid to design it exactly to your specifications.

3. Think about where to place your arrangement. Are you creating a photo wall for your guests to enjoy or is your wall primarily for your enjoyment? Think about location as it relates to view-ability. Are you designing your photo wall in a narrow, dark hallway, a highly travelled entrance way, or a transitional area such as a stairway? Select the location which lends itself to ease of viewing. While a photo wall can be visually interesting based on frame choices alone, many people will wish to enjoy looking at the actual photos represented.

4. Think about illumination options: This is tied in closely with location. Make sure the selected area is properly illuminated, whether that be from a natural source, such as indirect sunshine, or a manufactured source. Make sure to avoid direct sunshine as it can fade photos and make sure to avoid harsh wattages as you illuminate. A soft, properly placed wattage choice will provide any photo wall just the illumination it needs.

5. Give adequate thought when choosing your photos: Feature wonderful memories of cherished family and friends. Your selections do not have to be professional photographs, but high quality, visually interesting choices make for the best overall appearance.

The addition of a photo wall to your décor is a design choice which brings a great deal of satisfaction when you are all finished. With just a little bit of planning and execution you can easily create something which is visually appealing as well as personal. Putting your favorite memories on display and creating a visual tribute to those who hold a special place in your life will be a unique decorating piece adding a personal touch to any space.