How to create the perfect gallery wall
Your precious family photos are meant to be displayed proudly in your home.
I am so grateful to help families like yours tell their story through a professional photo session at Reflections. Turning these photos into works of art is also important to me. I recently created a new gallery wall in my own home from recent family portraits we had done by Bryan Caporicci!
Though the weather was windy and cold, the session was awesome because Bryan made it fun by getting us laughing and playing. He had little prompts for us and our kids to encourage connection between us. We all ate that up!
To narrow down the image choices, I considered how much room I had for a gallery wall, and what I wanted to see and feel every day. I chose some options for traditional and candid family shots, individuals of my kids and dog, and some photos of my husband and I.
Then, I asked my Instagram followers to help choose which options to use for the gallery! Their favourites are what I designed and installed.
Creating the perfect gallery wall is something I’ve learned and practiced over many years. Here are some of the rules and processes I follow to make them for my clients.
Designing
When designing the gallery wall, I walk my clients through different styles and the benefits of each. It’s important to pick a style before we begin to design the gallery. Scroll through the examples below and tell me your favourite in the comments!
I also ask my clients a few key questions that inform the design:
Do you want images from just one session, or to tell your family's story over time? Is there anything specific you really want to see?
Which wall are you thinking of? Are there any light switches, sconces, or things that we need to work around when creating this design?
What's the decor style in that room?
If we’re working with smaller walls in an open concept home, the design can extend in height instead of length to best use the space. When working with a modular or asymmetrical gallery of 5+ portraits, we can use a larger group portrait to anchor and bring focus to the design. We then add supporting pieces that feature candids, individual shots, and photos of all of the siblings or just Mom and Dad.
Printing and framing
While designing, we determine the size of each portrait, including the frame size and the print size. For larger walls, we can use a thicker frame. But for those small walls, it’s best to choose a thinner frame so you'll see more of the portrait itself.
We choose from a variety of professional frames for the prints. Don’t forget, frames are part of the design as well! So finding the right style, colour and material to suit your home is an important part of the process.
Each portrait is printed on deep matte paper and custom-framed!
Installing
Installing the gallery wall takes patience and practice, both of which I’ve learned while creating custom artwork for families.
I measure each piece and tape off the wall with the measurements. Taking the time to hold up each portrait to the tape guides, I ensure the guides themselves are straight using a level. We can always adjust the guides and hardware before hanging the portraits!
It’s important to hang each piece one at a time. I align the frames to the remaining tape guides, use the level to straighten, and adjust the hardware if needed.
At Reflections, we do all of this for you (and more)
The first step to your dream gallery wall is your dream photo session! A smooth, stress-free session experience gives you the space to relax and have fun while I handle the details. That means you and your family will be genuinely happy in your photos, and we’ll get everything we need for your vision.
Don't worry if you're unsure about what to do next. I'm trained to design and install your artwork for you. We'll use your favourite images and style to make it perfect. You don't have to lift a finger.
With a session at Reflections, every detail is taken care of:
Outfits are coordinated from our studio wardrobe
Hair & makeup is done for Mom
Albums, framed portraits and gallery walls are designed for you
Everything is delivered to your door, with artwork installation included
Your memories are important to preserve, so let’s create something that reminds you every day of the blessings in your life.
How will we do it?
After your session, I invite you back to the studio for an Image Reveal. Choosing the right images and design for your artwork can be intimidating. I take the guesswork out of the process to help you curate and design your collection of memories.
Together, we select the perfect photos for your gallery wall. I design the gallery to fit the space, making sure the photos compliment each other and the frames match your decor!
Once your framed artwork is done being custom-made, I arrive at your home to install everything for you. Seeing your beautiful family memories displayed on your wall will put the biggest smile on your face!
You’re in good hands
Creating a gallery wall is rewarding, but DIY-ing it from scratch is a challenge, especially your first time. With all of the to-dos in your life as a parent, you don’t need to spend time guessing your way through different designs, frame materials or measurements.
Reserve a photography session with me to preserve your memories beautifully from the start.
