9 easy photo wall ideas – to transform all your rooms this weekend

Photo wall ideas are one of the easiest ways to add colour and pattern and style to any room in your home – seriously you can even make one work in the tiniest of downstairs bathrooms. We have actually hung a fair few picture walls in our time, so we thought we would impart some of our wisdom so you can start off your DIY project this weekend.

Keep reading for some really easy looks and ideas that you could copy to create your own photo wall this weekend. Make sure you check out our feature on how to display photos for loads more tips and ideas. 

• Gallery wall ideas: more inspiration for your project!

1. Create a photo wall in an alcove 

An alcove should never stay bare, if you have an alcove that's too small to use as storage, a photo wall can still make a feature of the space. We love how these bright colours look against the dark wall, really makes them pop, so do consider painting your alcove (or your whole room if you are feeling brave) in a stylish deep blue or green to make it even more of a feature. 

2. Renting? Create a photo wall with washi tape 

How fab is this idea from @honestlywtf? It's the perfect photo wall idea if you are renting because this is actually created using just washi tape – no nails needed. Plan out where your prints are going to go, leaving space to add the tape 'frame' and stick them down using blu tack or double sided sticky tape. Then just add your washi tape edges. So cute and so easy.  

3. Go neutral colours for a Scandi vibe

If you love the look of photo walls, but you are a colour phone (we are guilty of that too) you can still add a collection of prints. Just pick a more neutral colour palette – white, cream, black, brown maybe some pale oranges or pinks and go for a mix of different wooden frames. H&M Home have some gorgeous prints and frames too, that totally match this vibe.  

4. Update your staircase with a picture wall 

Hallways, staircases and landings often get ignored when it comes to decoration – they are very practical areas that often are quite small so it seems like an obvious choice to keep them quite plain and simple. Gallery walls, however, work so well in these areas because they add colour and personality without taking up any floor space. For more hallways ideas check out our feature. 

5. Keep things simple by hanging in threes 

Photo wall ideas needn't always be about large gallery walls, you can keep things simple by just hanging three larger prints. If you like a clean, more organised look pick out some large frames and prints and hang them in a straight line – you still add some interest to a room but just in a more effortless way. 

6. Use picture ledges to create a photo wall

If you are renting, or just don't want to drill a ton of holes into your walls, picture ledges are a great way to get loads of images on a wall with just a couple of holes. You can layer up pictures and photos to create a very similar effect to a gallery wall, especially if you plan your design and hand more than one picture ledge. 

7. Mix and match styles and prints 

We love the look of this gallery wall because it mixes so many different styles and prints and photos. For us, the best kind of photo display has a real mix of textures, and different prints from different sources. For example, a really contemporary quote print, on the wall nice to an old paint is a great look. 

This is the living room of Lisa Dawson, queen of gallery walls, so make sure you go and take a full tour of her home. 

8. Be creative with where you hang a photo wall

A photo wall doesn't always have to hang on a wall. Get creative with where you can hang prints and photos. This playroom is a great example of using a space that would otherwise go unused and unnoticed. 

9. Paint the wall to make more of a feature 

Make your gallery wall stand out even more by painting the wall behind it. This could just be in one colour to complement the prints you have chosen, or you could copy this idea from Dulux and create a colour block design for your display to sit on top of. 

Read more:

• Mirror ideas: 22 ways to create a sparkling display
• Gallery wall ideas: 15 picture wall and display ideas to create impact
• How to display collections in your home