Styling A Chic Photo Wall

So I didn’t want to have a full-on ‘Scheana Marie wedding photos all over the bedroom’ moment in my home.

The goal was to display our wedding pictures in a classic, understated way. I also wanted to avoid the bedroom at all costs. Our bedroom is very, VERY minimal which I feel like promotes a tranquil, therapeutic vibe. I didn’t want to bring our wedding in the bedroom ( I may do a dog wall in our bedroom eventually, just please no photos of me & Michael )…however I most certainly wanted it to have it’s space in our home.

The photos are extremely special & represent FUN. That was the theme of the wedding, FUN, so the wall needed to showcase the vibe.

Anyway, we went with the big wall in our hallway near my office. Originally a special vintage framed silk scarf lived there but I wanted something more for this specific wall. SO what’s a girl to do with a blank wall & wedding photos?

Use Framebridge.

Framebridge is this EASY, quick service that does all the dirty work for you.

If you’re like me, you’re not the best at framing 10 photos by yourself.

In fact, that sounds like my worst nightmare. Just inefficient really.

I feel like my frames always end up with 32 chihuahua hairs in them or sourdough crumbs.

I’m that person who has to frame a picture 5 times before it looks perfect. Soooo Framebridge takes all these annoyances out of the framing process by doing it for you. The most ideal system ever.

As you know I’m all about easy, efficient, & simple.

On their site you simply pick the frames ( they have over 40 styles ) you want, upload pictures, or send in items with their pre-packaged label, & then VOILA you receive all the pictures, framed & ready. Really though, I came home one day & everything was perfectly framed and ready to go with picture hangers & all.

Also, it’s inexpensive. I’ll never forget this one time I went to a framing store & they informed me that it would be $800 dollars to frame a large picture. LIKE WHAT? NO THANKS.

After receiving the frames I enlisted my stepmom, Julie, to help me lay out & hang the frames. To be honest, I’m not spectacular with a hammer & nail and Julie is just the best ( she did our entrance way too ). Julie has an eye for juxtaposition and never makes anything look too precious. She’s got style & flair, you know? If you’re in San Diego or LA- she’s your girl for interior design.

Ok so here’s a little cheat sheet for styling your own photo wall:

1.) Forget perfect:

This is a personal choice but I don’t like it when everything is lined up. I like different sizes of frames, horizontal & vertical kind of laid out in a unique way. Of course some people prefer the layout to be even but I like it uneven with different sized frames. I also don’t love a line up. The more all over the place the better.

2.) Make sure you have a friend/BF…& a leveler:

OK so this is more for myself. I need help with this kind of thing. I’m not afraid to admit my strengths are not in measuring…& I’m definitely not handy with a hammer and nail. So I asked Julie to come over & help.

Plus having a friend will give you an outside perspective. A leveler is a MUST because then you’re able to make sure your frames are straight & not crooked. I can’t deal with a crooked frame. It’s such a pet peeve…the leveler is my best friend when it comes to framing.

3.) Add filler photos:

Think of your wall like your favorite blog. What if you went to a blog post & the whole post was the same pose of the same person in the same stance with no detail shots. Kind of boring, no?

I’m a HUGE fan of filler photos when it comes to The Skinny Confidential, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.

I feel like they tell a story.

So when I picked my photos I was very specific about adding filler photos. Filler photos can consist of flowers, food, detail shots, memorabilia ( like hotel room keys or matchboxes ), or location shots. Plus I didn’t want the whole wall to be me, me, me. YAWN.

4.) Mix up the frames:

This is key. Framebridge makes this part easy as pie. I ordered some black frames ( Mercer Slim & Bolton style ) & their sweet Irvine Slim white Heartagram ( the perfect gift for a BF or BFF on Valentine’s day, right? Just make sure you order by February 8th for it to arrive in time. ) Mixing up the frames keeps it fresh. I recommend mixing colors, frame sizes, frame textures, etc. You do you. Get creative.

5.) Make sure to include memorabilia:

This is a must! Instead of all photos, add some tangible items!

We framed our wedding invites + the envelope ( specifically The Nanz‘ envelope ). Of course I had to take it a step further & frame my veil’s crown ( a post on the veil is coming soon- it was INSANE ). The veil crown was crafted by EDEN LUXE Bridal & it was definitely a highlight of the wedding. The crown is framed on our coffee table. It sits on a stack of chic coffee table books. Very simple.

To finish it off, I’m currently working with Framebridge to frame our vows. Cindy of Bliss & Bone printed HIM & HER vows out to match the invite’s aesthetic. Very excited to have these framed- they’re not pictured because I wanted to keep them personal, however I will be sharing bits & pieces in an upcoming wedding post! So stay tuned.

I have to mention that The Nanz was so excited to come to our wedding- she even had all her looks picked out ( a turquoise kaftan moment with huge oversized gold sunglasses was happening ). My Dad was so cute. He brought the beaded kaftan to each of the weekend’s wedding events & draped the top over each chair I sat at.

To honor her presence at the wedding, we framed a tiny picture of her on our wedding wall. We chose the fun metallic Ventura frame. It kind of represents that she was there in spirit. I miss her so much everyday, I can’t even believe it. So having her be a part of the wall was kind of a special tribute.

Alright, if you’re interested in taking a peek inside our home, be sure to check out HOME TOUR 1 & HOME TOUR 2.

On that note I’m off to read my latest book, The Slight Edge, with a cup of lemongrass tea. I hope you’re all having a great week!

x lauryn

+ Find Julie | burlap and crystal 

+ Shop the look: top | glasses

+ use code “SKINNYCONFIDENTIAL15” at checkout for 15% off your first Framebridge purchase 4/30/17. Happy shopping!

++ this post is in collaboration with Framebridge. As always, ALL opinions are my own.

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