37 Family Picture Wall Ideas

Like most people, you probably have tons of pictures stored on your phone that celebrate years of special moments with friends, family, and loved ones. With so many photos, you may find it hard to narrow them down to a select few to be displayed in your home. That’s where a family picture wall comes in.

If you want to cherish the moments you’ve captured, a family picture wall will add a warm and inviting touch to your home. Although it seems like a big undertaking, you don’t have to be an interior designer to create a cohesive wall display of photo prints or framed photos.

In this post, you’ll find 37 family picture wall ideas to inspire you on your next, or first, picture wall project.

Family Picture Wall Layout Ideas for Your Next Project

You have so many options for designing a picture wall. You’ll want to design your wall based on the aesthetic and layout of your house, the types of pictures you’re displaying, and what room of the house the wall is in. Check out our family picture wall ideas below.

1. Create a Grid With Your Gallery Wall

While a grid might seem a bit basic, this is the perfect option if you have a minimalist style within your house or if you like organization with your wall decor. With the grid layout done by The Wicker House, there are evenly spaced out rows and columns of photos, with each photo or collage set in the same-sized frame. To give an added minimalist edge, you can use photos in black and white and use black or white frames. 

2. Play with Mixed Metals

This picture wall idea is similar to the grid layout, but uses mixed metal frames and a loose grid layout, as seen on Stefana Silber’s Blog page, showcasing her mixed metal layout below. By mixing silver and gold frames, you add interest and variation. You could also mix up the distance between photos and keep it more relaxed and less symmetrical. 

3. Hang Photos in an Abstract Way

If you’re not a huge fan of the organized, symmetrical look, then you should try abstractly hanging your photos. Experiment with different frame colors and styles, or use the same one throughout. The key to achieving the abstract look, however, is not spacing the photos symmetrically or evenly. Experiment with different shapes and layouts until you find what works with your space. 

4. Use All Different Sizes and Colors

You can take the abstract look a bit further by filling up your wall with different colors and styles of frames as well as different types of photos. You don’t need to only use photos from the same family photoshoot — show how unique your family is by mixing it up a little. Check out the At Home With Natalie blog and see how she designed her gallery wall. 

5. Choose Colorful Mats to Make Your Photos Shine

If you want to put your family picture wall in a more colorful, relaxed room of the house, consider adding extra pops of color by choosing frames that have background colors. You can accent those colors by including colorful mats to brighten up your room even more. Kaleidoscope Living has the perfect example of a colorful layout.

6. Hang Photos from a Curtain Rod

If you want to think outside the box and move away from the traditional way of hanging photos, why not use a curtain rod? You can simply clip your photos by using clip curtain rings and then slide them onto the rod. You can switch up the order or swap out photos easily with this style, which is a fun and creative way to mix up your wall decor.

7. Frame Your Stairway

Nothing spices up a stairwell or entryway more than the pictures you gaze at as you make your way up. This way, you can be reminded of the love you have for your family no matter what story of the house you’re on. Love & Renovations does an excellent job of framing its stairwell with photos.

8. Make It Modern and Minimalist

If you prefer a clean look to your house, then reflect this style with a modern minimalist family photo wall layout. By using white frames and symmetry, you can create a clean, polished look. If you need some examples of this, check out Lucy Jo Home’s minimalist layout. 

9. Fill Up Your Wall

If you have a large wall in a convenient area of the house, you’ll want to design a picture wall that makes a statement by covering up all the white space. You can create this layout using any kind of frame color or style you want, just like Grace In My Space does. 

10. Line Your Hallway with Statement Pieces

Hallways tend to be bland, so add some warmth by adding photos to your wall. You can remember all the fun memories you shared with your friends and family. Gather some inspiration from Fraiche Living’s hallway gallery. 

11. Use an Accent Color to Highlight Each Picture

Using colored frames can accent your pictures and give your wall some added character. You can use metal frames like gold and silver, or any other kind of colored frames that suit your style. Check out Finnterior Designer’s colorful accent frames. 

12. Stack Photos in a Pattern

If you know you don’t want exact symmetry on your picture wall but you also still want some organization to your photos, create your own pattern. You can stack your photos any way you want — it’s your wall, after all! Visit the Wildflower Home Blog to gather ideas on patterns you can try. 

13. Tell a Wall-to-Wall Story

Covering an entire wall in photos is great, but two? That’s even better. You can spread your photos of family members out from wall to wall, and you can even display them in chronological order, like a story. Organise My House has a great wall-to-wall layout to inspire you. 

14. Make It Pop with Paneling

Using paneling on your wall is a fun trend that adds warmth to a room, and adding pictures on top of it can create a unique statement wall. If you’re considering a feature wall, then this might be the option for you. Check out In My Style’s paneling wall inspiration.

15. Lean into a Monochromatic Display

Floating shelves are a versatile way to display photos, since you can easily change up the layout and imagery. You can also overlap the photos to create a more casual, sophisticated look. Get inspiration from Liz Marie’s family picture wall. 

16. Customize a Statement Wall with Canvas Prints

Use large canvas prints to add a statement to your wall, instead of using picture frames. You can customize the size of each canvas, allowing for a variation on your family photo gallery wall. All of the credit goes to Mary Schannen’s canvas print wall. 

17. Include Your Family’s Initials 

You can add some extra spice to your wall without having to add more pictures. Use home decor letters to include your family’s initials next to the photo frames. You can couple your family initials with family portraits to pay homage to your family tree within your home.

18. Make a Big Impact with Oversized Mats

You can draw eyes to your photos by using larger mats, which means you have a bigger background than the picture itself. This helps your photos or photo collage stand out. The DIY Playbook does a fantastic job of using oversized mats in their family picture wall. 

19. Play Around with Polaroid® Pics

If you’re looking for something more cozy and less formal, use instant prints. Cameras that provide instant prints are quite fun to use at parties and family gatherings, and they’re very easy to fix on walls. If you want to know more about an instant print wall, check out Small + Friendly's picture wall. 

20. Display Vintage Photos for an Antique Feel

If you have vintage family photos, use antique or vintage frames to create an eye-catching display. Try thrifting different frames and livening them up with gold rub and buff. You can take inspiration from Whispers of the Heart’s meaningful family photo wall.

21. String Up Photos on a Decorative Door 

If you don’t want to make holes in your wall, try creating a door display instead. Simply tack up wire and use clothespins to display your pictures. You can take a look to The DIY Mommy for ideas on how she hung up her photos. 

22. Stack a Collection from a Special Day

Give your family picture wall a cohesive look by choosing a series of photos from the same day or photoshoot. You can even start a fun tradition by scheduling an annual photo session to update the pictures. Try displaying them in a nice, symmetrical grid layout to enjoy all those memories from that special day.

23. Arrange Your Photos in a Shape

Sometimes, squares or rectangles of photos can be boring. Spice up your wall by arranging your photos in a cool shape. For example, if you’re hanging photos from your wedding day with your significant other, you could arrange the photos in a heart shape. 

24. Show Off Your Whole Family 

Give each child their own spotlight with this unique layout inspired by The Overwhelmed Mommy. All you have to do is take a photo on a white background and then blow them up and place them side-by-side. Bonus points if you include your furry friends.

25. Craft a Clipboard Display

If you like the idea of a grid layout but want to give it a DIY look, use clipboards. Miniature clipboards can hold the photos, while still giving you the freedom to arrange them in a grid on the wall. It will give your wall a sweet, creative look and allow you to switch photos with ease. 

26. Create a Photo Block in a Central Location

Create a photo block in a central location, such as a stairwell like Dear Lillie does. She uses photos of all shapes and sizes, but ties them together by printing them in black and white and using the same type of frames. If you’re not a fan of a grid layout, this freeform option still provides a balance, elevated look.

27. Give Each Photo Breathing Room

You can give your photos some space to shine by allowing room between each one. Then each picture will have a chance to catch the eyes of your visitors. Anchored in Elegance does a great job of leaving space between family photos to give each one its moment.

28. Cluster Varying Frame Sizes

Consider clustering your photos like Our Fifth House. You can group different shapes and sizes close together to fit your maximalist aesthetic. Play with different colored frames to add visual interest. 

29. Feature Your Kid’s Artwork

If you have children, you might want to incorporate their artwork into your photo wall. This is the perfect decor for the home office or playroom, as it will lend a DIY and crafty vibe to the room. Jenny Rusby Photography incorporates artwork into her family photo wall in an organic way, making it feel like a natural addition.

30. Match Your Frames to Your Decor

If the furniture in your living room or kitchen is a specific color, you may want to match your frames to the upholstery. For example, if you have darker furniture, you could use black frames for your photo display. You can use wood frames for a more earthy setting. Christene Holder Home created a minimalist gallery wall with matching frames to room accents. 

31. Complement Your Images With Wall Decor

You can mix up your family picture wall by adding other types of wall art. These can be your family’s initials, mementos, or other pieces of decor. The Crafty Blog Stalker did a wonderful job of including unique letters her family picture wall. 

32. Go Bold with Thick Frames

Using thick frames will make your family picture wall the focal point of your room. With Love, Mercedes anchored her dining room with a photo wall that is placed behind the head of the table. Not only does this complement the black chandelier and dark table, it’s a great conversation starter at mealtime. 

33. Overlap Photos on Floating Shelves

This simple white photo ledge lets the photos and frames be the star of the show. We love how Nicole Starr Photography includes patterned frames, artwork, and other pops of color to an otherwise white wall. 

34. Incorporate Word Art

You can add wooden letters to spell out a certain word that you’d like displayed in your home. This can be words like “love,” “home,” and “family.” It’s a wonderful way to mix up your wall art as well as show where your priorities are in your home. Check out A Girl and a Glue Gun for more word art ideas. 

35. Display Your Family History

As another alternative to nailing or drilling photos onto the wall, you can use twine and clothespins that attach to the wall with removable clips. By hanging photos with clothespins, you can swap pictures in and out as you wish, just like Hello Little Home does. 

36. Stand Out with Bold Colorful Photos

Bold, colorful photos can be just the spice you need for your family picture wall. Use pictures with plenty of color and put them in the same frames to create a sense of cohesiveness. Kelly McPhail Photography did a great job of creating a colorful family photo wall. 

37. Use Varying Sizes of the Same Type of Frame

If you want to create more variation with your photo wall, you can use different frame sizes to mix it up a bit. To keep a sense of unity, you could use the same frame colors. Check out Peanut Blossom for more inspiration on this family picture wall idea. 

Get Your Photos Ready for Your Picture Wall Project

If you’re wanting to create a family picture wall, start your journey with Mixbook. You can begin creating posters, canvas, or acrylic prints of your favorite photos for your empty wall. Get started on creating your special space for all your memories today!