Tips on Displaying Family Photos on a Hallway Wall

Frame Choice

• Use quality frames. Resist the temptation to save money on a bargain. If you purchase what you want to begin with, you will be less likely to spend more money replacing it later. Choose a neutral color for your frames and matting to accommodate future decor changes, such as a new wall color.

Image Selection

• Choose only the very best or most meaningful images. Most families have one or two members who have been photographed more than others, whether it's the new baby born after the digital camera was purchased or the niece photographed in all the dance recitals. In spite of this, resist the temptation to showcase all the "good" pictures and instead choose only the best one of each family member. If you are missing any photos of key family members or anyone is represented by a poor-quality photograph, ask that person if he has a copy of a good photo that you can have or if you can take a new one of him yourself.

Cohesiveness

• Have a matching element to unite all of the pictures. Whether they are all black and white, all have the same color matting or all have the same style of frame, a cohesive quality will add visual interest and reduce the potential for appearing cluttered. Try frames and matting that match and blend in with your wall color so that the images themselves stands out.

Position and Groupings

• If you have a small number of pictures to hang, position the middle of each picture along the same horizontal center line. If you have too many to hang in one line, try instead creating two rows with the bottoms of the top pictures and the tops of the bottom pictures lined up to create two parallel horizontal lines. Hang photographs at eye level and be mindful of hallway lighting to avoid glare on the frame glass. Position them with a theme. For example, create sibling groups, gender groups or generation groups. Hang portraits in one section and action and activity shots in another.