18 creative photo display ideas to try at home
Let’s get one thing straight: some of your photos are totally amazing, and they’re too good to stay stuck on a screen forever. You should display them around your home instead, that’s why you’re here.
Your phone might be jam-packed with great photos, but coming up with creative photo display ideas isn’t always easy. You love scrolling through your camera roll, so now you need to know how to display photos on walls, shelves, desks and everywhere else around your home (yes, even on the fridge).
To give you that little spark of inspiration, we’ve come up with our favourite unique photo display ideas that are really easy to try at home. From framing family photos to decorating for parties, check out our best ways to display photos this year!
1. Brighten walls with a canvas triptych
You’ll just need: three of these photo canvas prints.
A canvas… what? Don’t panic, creating perfect canvas triptychs is much easier than it sounds. It essentially involves splitting a single photo into three separate canvas prints and then hanging them up close together (just like in the picture above).
This is a big, bold and eye-catching way to display your wider landscape photos, such as scenic holiday snaps. Alternatively, you can also make a fantastic triptych by displaying three separate photos that follow the same theme, like an unforgettable family day out or a magical wedding.
Either way, this is a photo display idea that puts a unique artistic spin on your favourite photo. Oh, and it’ll totally transform your walls, too.
2. Display photo prints with colourful washi tape
You’ll just need: our high-quality photo prints and some washi tape.
If you’re looking for creative ways to display photos without frames, then try sticking them to the wall with colour strips of washi tape instead. Since it’s available in such a huge range of colours, patterns and textures, you can find washi tape that perfectly complements your photos and, more importantly, your decor.
By simply sticking photos to the wall with washi tape, you’ll open up all kinds of creative possibilities and enjoy the freedom to experiment with your photo display. Washi tape can be used to create colourful borders, frames and all kinds of other effects that make your photos stand out in really fun ways!
3. Stick your favourite photos all over the fridge
You’ll just need: these photo magnets (and a fridge, obviously).
When you’re out of wall space, you’ll be looking for new, more unusual ways to display photos. Well, covering the fridge in your favourite smiles is definitely a different way of doing things, and photo magnets are a super-fun way to display everything from your sunniest holiday snaps to your cutest pet pics.
That’s right, now you’ll be smiling every time you sneak into the kitchen for a cheeky snack. Uh, even more than usual.
4. Scatter photos across tabletops with coasters
You’ll just need: a selection of our personalised photo coasters.
This is one of our favourite photo display ideas for parties. Whether you’re sitting around the dinner table or just enjoying a few drinks, using your favourite photos as coasters is guaranteed to raise smiles and get people talking (especially if you use adorable pet pics, everybody loves those).
5. Clip retro prints to super-cute string lights
You’ll just need: these retro photo prints, a set of string lights and some attachable clips.
Ah yes, lighting up your prints will always be a classic photo display idea. Besides, cute little lights make everything better - including your photos!
It’s also super-easy to make your own. Simply turn your best snaps into retro-style photo prints, grab a set of string lights, and then clip your prints to it with clothes pegs, tape, pins or another fastener!
Better yet, we’ve got a complete guide on how to decorate with small photo prints here, which is jam-packed with all kinds of extra photo display ideas like this.
6. Hang photos in all kinds of unexpected spaces
You’ll just need: some of these personalised wooden hanging decorations.
Displays that use hanging photos always look super fun and creative, but these beautiful wooden keepsakes take things to the next level. Instead of simply hanging standard photo prints on the wall, try printing photos on lovely wooden decorations you can display in all kinds of unique and creative ways.
You can create some really cool photo displays by simply hanging these keepsakes from nails, string, hooks or even frames on the wall. Of course, they’re absolutely perfect for creating magical photo displays on the Christmas tree, too!
7. Turn empty wall space into a framed gallery wall
You’ll just need: these ready-made framed photo prints (which all include picture hooks).
Ugh, there’s nothing worse than boring blank wall space. Whether it’s behind the sofa, on the staircase or in the kitchen, a large blank wall is just asking to be turned into your very own photo gallery wall.
Designing a gallery wall takes time and planning, but play around with different frames, layouts and themes to finally bring those boring walls to life. You can display photos on the wall in a simple grid, mix up your frame styles, and try zillions of other creative things to make a gallery wall unlike any other.
To get started, check out our complete guide on how to hang pictures on the wall like a pro!
8. Pin holiday photos to locations on a map
You’ll just need: some small photo prints and a poster print of your map.
Whether you’ve recently enjoyed a quick city break or travelled a country from coast to coast, this photo display idea shares all your most amazing adventures. Simply find a map of your holiday destination, print it on a supersized poster, and then pin your photos in the exact locations they were taken!
9. Squeeze photo blocks into smaller spaces
You’ll just need: these free-standing wooden photo blocks.
No hanging. No framing. No fuss. The best thing about wooden photo blocks is that they’re completely free-standing, ready to display your photos on the desk, shelf, mantelpiece or just about anywhere else you have space.
This means you can easily move them around your home, mix up your photo displays, and ultimately make sure your photos get the attention they deserve!
10. Display photos at parties with jaw-dropping banners
You’ll just need: one of these high-quality personalised photo banners.
Let’s be honest, displaying photos at parties is a great way to get people talking - especially when they’re printed on large, impossible-to-miss banners. Perfect for celebrating birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other big occasions, photo banner displays set the mood of the party and ultimately make every occasion feel extra special.
Whatever the occasion, your photo banner could display a timeline of memories, a collage of embarrassing childhood photos or simply that one amazing photo you want to share with the world!
11. Use binder clips to scatter your favourite prints
You’ll just need: these glossy photo prints and some binder clips.
It’s so simple, and yet standing prints up with binder clips will *always* be a fantastic photo display idea. The best displays use photos that are all the same size, but then it’s just a simple case of attaching your binder clips and lining them up on the shelf. Easy peasy.
12. Use string to make a modern geometric photo display
You’ll just need: some small square photo prints, string and clips.
This photo display idea takes a fair amount of planning and patience, but these string geometric patterns look absolutely fantastic on the wall. The best approach here is to plan out your pattern on the wall with a pencil and leave clear markings where each nail needs to go.
Once you’ve hammered each nail into position, simply cut your string to size, attach it to each nail, and then clip small photo prints anywhere on the string. Your geometric string pattern can be as simple or complex as you like - the main thing is this photo display lets you be creative with your prints and makes it really easy to add more!
13. Turn your best Insta snaps into a wall collage
You’ll just need: these mini photo prints and double-sided sticky tape.
Yes, we know you love scrolling through Instagram all day, but your best Insta snaps will look so much better when they’re up on the wall.
The hardest part will be choosing your favourites, so turn them into adorable mini prints and make a wall collage with loads of different photos! Once they’ve been printed, simply stick your mini photo straight to the wall with poster tape.
14. Make a quirky photo wall display with clothes hangers
You’ll just need: some A-size photo prints and trouser hangers.
Let’s face it, we’ve all got loads of spare coat hangers lying around, and you can actually use them to create very distinctive photo displays. It’s usually best to use matching hangers, while trouser hangers also make life easier as they include little clips to hold your photos - but you could really use any old hangers for this.
All you have to do is plan your layout on the wall, hammer nails into position and then use each coat’s hangers hook at arrange them on the wall. Once they’re in position, just clip your prints under each hanger to create a cute and quirky photo display!
15. Go vintage with a black-and-white photo ledge
You’ll just need: these photo prints and photo frames.
Sometimes you just can’t beat a good old-fashioned black-and-white photo display. In fact, calling this an “old-fashioned” display couldn’t be more wrong, since this vintage style has actually become more popular in modern homes with subtler, more minimalistic decor.
Either way, there are tons of apps and filters out there that will turn your best snaps black and white, so get them printed, match them with black frames and line them up on a stylish photo ledge.
16. Turn photos into jaw-dropping aluminium prints
You’ll just need: these aluminium photo prints (hooks are included)
Nope, you’ve never printed memories quite like this before. Most photo displays include framed prints, glossy photos or canvases, but there are very few that display photos on sleek, shiny metal.
You could print 1 large aluminium panel, create a triptych, or make a stylish window-style display of your 4 favourite photos. Either way, printing photos on aluminium will always wow your visitors!
17. Switch photos around with creative clipboard displays
You’ll just need: some A-size photo prints and clipboards.
Similar to using coat hangers, this is another unusual photo display idea that lets your creativity run wild. While measuring and planning a display like this can be tricky, this really just involves hanging a selection of clipboards from the wall and then using them to hold your favourite photos.
Since they’re the perfect size, clipboard photo displays are perfect for A4 photo prints, but you could also experiment with smaller or larger prints if you really wanted to. Either way, photos are clipped straight on the clipboards, so it’s really easy to swap photos around and try different things.
18. Make a cuddly display with squishy photo cushions
You’ll just need: these photo cushions.
Everyone else has made photo displays on their walls and shelves, but there’s nothing stopping you from decorating your sofa instead. Add your favourite smiles to huggable photo cushions to make a photo display you can actually snuggle up with!
The best cushion photo displays include pics of pets or kids, so simply add their cute little faces and scatter them all over the sofa!
Don’t just stop at photo display ideas, check out our blog for more photo printing inspiration and perfect gift ideas!