Let’s talk about how to decorate with pictures…at least how I do it!

How many thousands of pictures do we have clogging up our computers and phones? Thousands upon thousands, right? We have no shortage of pictures in the world these days.

But how many pictures do we take that we actually look at again?

And cherish?

You know, the ones that remind you, and bind you, and sometimes, not to be too dramatic, stop you in your tracks because they transport you to a time. Maybe when all the kids were home. Maybe when your baby started to walk. Or a picture of when you used to lean into your Dad and now he’s gone.

Yes, pictures can be powerful.

And they need to be displayed!

Here are some of the ways we have pictures hanging in our house.

First the family room.

Favorite Places We Have Traveled

These pictures I put up on these little shelves on either side of my fireplace are just some of my favorites. My beloved desert, Bear Lake (our family “thin place” we have been going ever since I was a baby), some shots from our semester we lived in China. And you gotta add a little lovie kissy picture in there to remind girls how much they love each other when they’re fighting, right? Things I want us all to keep with us.

Here are some more close-up shots of those walls:

Ancestor Wall

Then there’s our ancestor wall:

Yeah, this one’s tricky to get a good angle on since it’s going down our hallway…here are some better tries:

I personally love this display more than I can say.

There is something about being able to see our roots right there where we walk past every day. Dave’s ancestors are on one side, mine are on the other. I love that we can see where Lucy got her nose, where I got my teeth (yikes!), where Dave got his love of skiing.

Oh I so believe in the importance and power of “turning our hearts” to those who have gone before.

(These frames are just from IKEA, so easy and affordable.)

Favorite Momentos from Kids

One more fun way to display is this other hall gallery:

It includes more “thin places” intermixed with art from my children, and even a special letter from Max while he was serving a mission in Taiwan. And a Romanian book of poetry from my own mission. I love that you can mix whatever you want into a wall of pictures. And use all kinds of different frames (some of these are just extras I wasn’t using any more elsewhere, some I picked up at the thrift store years ago, etc.)

Lots more about this display HERE.

Anyway, there you go, a few quick ideas on how to display pictures.

My challenge to you: print some out today!! And hang them up! I promise you won’t be sorry.

xoxo

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8 Comments

  1. You are my all time favorite writer. Inspiration and devotion and love for yours. I aspire to. My husband and I are clearing a home we have loved in for last 30+ years. I so wish I had the desire to “do” my pictures some justice. I sadly have the “sads ” when I display. We have 3 in their 30’s and 3 Grandkids…. my home we have just moved to was with downsiding. So I have one solo picture in our bedroom , on our Wedding Day. Our treasure trove of pictures I plan in consolidating to 3 books for the children. I wish I could do as your warm home displays. The displays are precious. Thank you for your sharing , I always look to read and find all the real.

    1. I hope you can find a way to display memories where you are moving. It will make you so happy! And if you’re going to only have one solo picture up, it’s a good one if it’s your wedding day! 🙂 Good luck and sending love!
      xoxo

  2. I love this so much! I try to be intentional about what I put on my walls, too. I means so much to me. I love how you vary each area. I have a tendency to do the same all over. I would love to know where your chess set is from, however! ha!

    1. Thank you for the compliments, Andrea! The chess set is from Restoration Hardware a few years ago.

  3. I love a good gallery wall filled with all sorts of different things. And your ancestor wall is awesome!

  4. Hi Shawni! Do you know the size of the frames for the ancestor wall? I want to duplicate this!! 🙂

    1. These frames are 20.5 inches square and the ceiling is 12 feet high. But you could duplicate on any scale 🙂

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