How do you display photos?

[Deleted]

Right now, I have two main spots that I display photos. Currently I have some old family photos on the wall going up my stairs. They are all 8x10 photo size in 10x14 frames that coordinate but don't match, and all of the photos are black and white. I also have a photo display in my living room that are all 5x7 photos more in matchy-matchy type frames, the photos are all black and white as well, but are current family photos. I think that I want to turn this particular wall into more of a gallery. Is it okay to mix black and white with color photos or should I stick with one or the other? Do you prefer matching frames for a gallery wall or coordinating? 

I'll try to post some photos tonight, I thought that I had some on my phone, but apparently I don't.

[bullygirl979]

I have a wall that is a mix of B&W and color. The frames are all black wood (various thickness) and some are matted and some aren't. It looks great.

I think if they are all the same "color" then non-matching but coordinating frames are good. But if you are mixing b&w and color, then I prefer the same color frame. It keeps it from looking too busy.

[dr.girlfriend]

I have a couple of gallery walls. This was in the living room, but will probably be moved to the bedroom:


In the other living area I have this "painting" that is a photo run through a filter and printed on canvas surrounded by photos:

Going up my stairs I have two big multi-photo frames. I thought I had pics of those but can't find one...you can see the corner of one in the pic above.  I think in one all the vertical photos are color and all the horizontal ones are black and white, and in the other the middle big photo is black and white and the surrounding photos are color.

[aspentosh]

I prefer to mix and match frames but keep the color the same (so all black frames or all white frames) on a gallery wall. And I don't mind mix and matching color and BW photos.

We have a huge gallery wall in our family room and it's all black frames with various sizes, shapes, etc. I love it.

[sandandsea]

We have a frame of 6 hanging photos in our bedroom that I’ve left as wedding photos for 16 years. In our living room we have random photos and frames (coordinating not matching) on the tv cabinet shelves.

I like galley walls but our house isn’t really set up for one.

[InBetweenDays]

We have a gallery wall in our living room with 9 8x10" photos in a 3 by 3 pattern in black wood frames. I'm thinking of adding another row so it would be 4 high by 3 wide. And then we have photos on our sofa table, the back of our piano, etc.

We like things more simple with clean lines. So personally I prefer to have the same color/style frames for the gallery wall, and then mix and match for the photos on our table and piano.

[Deleted]

So here are pics of what I have now. I plan on adding more to the stairs, I just haven’t gotten around to it. The wall with the 9 frames is what I want to replace. (Pardon my husbands pants on the floor, I’m married to Murray Goldberg).

[dr.girlfriend]

Yeah, I think one bigger multi-picture frame would look better there.

[bullygirl979]

That's a great wall for a gallery. Do you have the ability to reprint any of those pictures to a different size? Overall, I think it's too small for the space. I also think you need some various sizes, other stuff to make it visually interesting. I'll try and find some pictures of my gallery wall plus some others.

[bullygirl979]

Here is a picture of my gallery wall

[Deleted]

bullygirl979 , I agree, I think it is too small for the space. The previous owners had some prints hung there and when we moved in, I didn't feel like pulling nails and patching holes so I just through up something that fit what was there. We are FINALLY going to be painting and redoing the floors, so now is the time for me to put up something else in the space. Some of the photos there I'll likely reprint, so that's a great option, thank you. Based on the responses here, I think that I'm definitely leaning towards black frames with white mattes and then doing a mix of black and white and color photos.

I put the listing photo below because you can see the space a little better. We're actually going to be putting in a knee wall to divide the living and dining spaces more similar to the second photo.