At some point this summer I realized that all the photo’s in our home were outdated. We have changed so much and gone on so many fun adventures that I really felt like it was time to add some new memories to the walls. I can’t really remember the last time I ordered a photo print! I just shared them on social media and saved them to google photos and that was that. But it would be nice to have an actual physical copy – and a family photo wall is a wonderful way to decorate your home! Of course, I have also been a huge fan of wall decals since I created my tree themed coat hanger so I couldn’t help but add one of those to my wall too!

Wall decals have been around for a little while now but I really wish they had been popular while I was young! I can only imagine what my room might have looked like with all of these beautiful options at my fingertips. Thankfully I am completely free to use them now and maybe it’s better because I have an entire house I can use them on instead of just one room!

Make sure you keep reading for a Giveaway below!

Using Wall Decals to Create a Family Photo Wall You Will Love

 

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that should you make a purchase after following one of the links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I received this wall decal in exchange for my honest opinion and review. 

Why use A Wall Decal?

Wall decals are a really great way to add a bit of creative flair to your decorating. You can use them to make a statement by adding a bold and colorful detail to the room or to add some emotional impact when placing something sentimental. How many times have you read a quote and went wow…that really speaks to me! Imagine being able to look up and read that every day.

You could, of course, attempt to freehand it with paint or use a stencil. But! With so many decal options available at places like Inspirational Wall Signs (Which is where I got the decal in this post! – keep reading for a giveaway below!) it’s much easier to add them regardless of your artistic talent or patience!

Wall decals come in almost any color under the sun and some can even be personalized by Inspirational Wall Signs to perfectly fit your needs and family such as this super sweet option for a child’s room. The only trouble with wall decals is narrowing down exactly which one you want. Seriously, there are many beautiful choices! It doesn’t even have to be a saying, perhaps you just want to add a bit of fun to your room. 

Designing Your Family Photo Wall with a Wall Decal

When I started thinking about creating this family photo wall I had a vague idea of what I wanted but there are definitely a few things to keep in mind!

• How Big is your Wall? – Picking out a place to create your masterpiece is of utmost importance. I mean you can’t figure out how many pictures to order or what size wall decal you will need until you know how much room you have! For my picture wall, I picked the dining room, it gave me a large space to work with and was in an area of the house that we frequent a lot.  It was also a nice excuse to repaint but that’s a different story!
• Pick out Your Decal First! – I found it was a lot easier to plan what pictures to order and figure out what frames I needed once I picked out the decal I wanted. This way you can match your frame colors to your decal if you want and plot out the picture sizing! Pay special attention to your decal size when you order, many decals come in a variety of sizes and you want to make sure you pick the one which fits your plan the best. I highly suggest going to a place like Inspirational Wall Signs. Making sure you order your decal from a high quality and professional shop means you won’t be disappointed in your decal quality. They often have better options when it comes to color and selection too. The decal I received from Inspiration Wall Signs was amazing! It was crisp, clear and easy to work with! Even with all of the little intricate lines in the script, the decal transferred very smoothly something I have had a problem with when getting decals from lesser quality shops.
• Order Your Photos – Narrowing down which photos to print can be somewhat daunting but with your space and wall decal already picked out you should have some idea of how many and what sizes you need. I got my photos from Amazon because I have prime and they were easy to add to my order. If you are still trying to decide which photos to order I suggest sketching out your idea on a piece of paper!
• Look for Frames – You might have some already that you plan to reuses but if you are in need of more I suggest places like the Dollar Tree – they tend to have a pretty good selection in a variety of colors! Make a list of what Photos you ordered in which sizes so you make sure to get exactly what you need!

Creating You Family Photo Wall

Once you have all your supplies and have settled on a design for your wall then its time for the fun stuff! I highly suggest laying your decal and photos out on a large surface (or empty floor space) to make sure it exactly how you like it before you start applying your decal to the wall and hammering in nails! You just want to make sure that it looks as nice in real life as it did on your bit of design paper. This will also give you the chance to lay your photos out in a way that you like.

Step 1 – Applying the Wall Decal

I started by applying the decal first. Since it was going to be the center point of my wall I wanted to make sure the placing was just right. Applying a decal is very simple and the people at Inspirational Wall signs sent me a great explanation with my decal but I can see how it might be confusing so I have put together a quick little photo tutorial for you!

Start with a clean surface to make sure your decal will stick properly. Prepare your decal by laying it face down so the backing layer is face-up. Use your supplied squeegee to rub the backing paper firmly to help release your decal from the backing paper.

Line up your decal using a measuring tape or a level to make sure it is exactly where you want it and properly centered. Use a pencil of necessary to mark the proper points.

Use a strip of masking or painters tape to attach the top of your decal to the wall.

Keep your squeegee close by and flip your decal up like a hinge and begin removing the backing layer slowly and carefully. If you find a spot on your decal which hasn’t released from the backing layer just lay the backing paper back down and rub it with your hand a bit before trying to peel it up again. Take your time with this step!

Once the backing paper has been removed discard it and slowly bring your decal down towards the wall. Use the Squeegee to apply it firmly and slowly from the top down to avoid air bubbles. Once it has attached to the wall go over it a few more times with the squeegee to make sure it is fully attached.

Now its time to remove the transfer layer. Peel it up slowly at a 45-degree angle. Go slowly to make sure none of the decals comes off with the paper. If a piece of your decal seems to be sticking lay the paper back down and use a squeegee a few more times before trying again.

Discard the transfer paper and use your finger to gently make sure all the decal is firmly attached.

Step 2 – Hang Your Photos

once your wall decal is applied its time to add your photos to the wall. use whatever hanging method you prefer and make sure to use a level or measure when needed!

Step 3 – Sit back and Enjoy your memories!

Interested in using a Wall Decal in your own Home?

This Giveaway has ended! Congratulations to our winner! Kimberly Caldwell

Well, you are in luck! The amazing Owen family, owners, and creators of Inspirational Wall Signs have offered me the opportunity to share a giveaway with my readers!

Prize 

Any decal from our shop, up to $25. Limited to readers in the US only.