Our Wonder Wall O' Photos

I have wanted a photo wall since forever. This is my very very first. I felt it was my time. Especially with the lovely new paint in the living room. The photo wall is my reward to me for doing a good job. Sometimes you have to treat yourself you know. The last 4 days or so I've spent treating myself to a photo wall. But heavens to Betsy, it is a lot of work. I can't believe how much time I spent on this thing.

Fortunately, very little money was coughed up. As I've been collecting picture frames for years, I had all the frames I needed. Goodie for me for being clairvoyant. Of course, I still had to sort through the frames, choose some winners and decide on placement. I started by setting up all the frames on the floor. Then I shuffled them around until I was satisfied with the look of them as a group.

Once that was done, we did the cut-out-paper-thing. As in, you cut out bits of paper in the sizes of your various frames and tape those pieces of paper up on the wall to ensure your photo wall is hunky-dory, and looking balanced and fabulous. I followed Sherry and John's gorgeous photo wall method on Young House Love. Lo and I worked on this paper-frame placement together. It was nice to have that second pair of eyes. We started by placing the frames as I'd had them on the floor. But we ended up getting rid of a few and then playing around with the remaining paper frames and, in the fullness of time, finding a slightly different configuration we could both live with.

Next, Lo and I spent gobs of time sifting through our many thousands of digital and actual photo albums searching for just the right photographic gems. But life being what it is, there was some debate over which photos were wall-worthy... We realized after a time that since it is our wall, and we're in control of our own destinies, we can change the photos whenever we like so it isn't absolutely critical that we absolutely adore every single photo on the wall right now. Gee.

A few more things had to get done as well. For instance, there was the matter of sizing the chosen photos and deciding which frame each would go into. And I did end up purchasing several new white mats. We also had to have 4 of the 12 photos printed over the weekend. And then all photos had to be mounted in the frames, and the frames mounted on the wall. Phewfff!... Thank goodness for the paper cutouts. They made the wall-mounting a breeze and we completed that task within minutes. I highly recommend going that route if you ever do a photo wall.

In the end, I had to work darn hard for my reward for working hard. Brilliant. I think I need an extra reward, don't you?

Needing some additional photo wall inspiration? Here are a few good links:

Decor Pad - Photo wall gallery

Houzz - Art and photo display ideas

NYC Interior Design - Staircase picture walls

Well, you have yourself a fine Monday, and I'll see you again soon!