Have you always dreamed of having a photo gallery wall, but you are overwhelmed by the number of options for printing, framing and arranging your photos? Yes, it can be challenging to know where to start. Save yourself a lot of time and discover our in-depth comparison of the best approaches for creating a perfect gallery wall.
Although photo gallery wall serves as a daily reminder of the special moments and people in your life creating one can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it can be challenging to figure out the right approach that suits your style and budget. Additionally, not all stores offer the same features, which makes the task even more complicated.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the leading companies that provide solutions for creating a gallery wall, and highlight the key aspects of each. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of the available options, and be able to choose the best one to meet your needs with confidence.
Discover 3 top approches for creating a photo gallery wall
3. Do-It-Yourself – Tailor-made, but the most time consuming option
Unlike the ready-made solutions, the DIY approach involves doing all the legwork yourself, from finding the perfect printing and framing options to creating a layout and hanging it with precision.
You’ll need to consider various printing options: the right paper quality, color depth, and whether or not you want a matte finish. You’ll also need to take into account the size and orientation of the prints, as well as their compatibility with your desired theme or color scheme.
Finding frames that complement your prints and decor is another important aspect of the DIY approach. This requires researching different frame materials, colors, and styles to find ones that fit within your budget and aesthetic vision.
In order to create a gallery wall layout you’ll need to experiment with different arrangements and spacing to achieve a balanced and visually appealing look. This can involve measuring and mapping out the placement of each frame, and making adjustments as needed.
Finally, hanging the frames requires precision and potentially drilling into walls. You’ll need to ensure that the frames are level and spaced evenly.
Pros:
- Personalization: You have complete control over the selection of prints, frames, and layout, resulting in a personalized and unique gallery wall.
- Cost-effective: You can save money by sourcing prints and frames from a variety of sources and building your own gallery wall instead of purchasing a pre-made one.
- Boosting Your Creativity: The DIY approach allows for creativity and experimentation in creating your gallery wall, resulting in a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
- Satisfaction: The process of creating a gallery wall can be a rewarding and satisfying experience, especially when the final result meets your vision and expectations.
Cons:
- Time-consuming: The DIY approach requires a significant investment of time in researching and sourcing prints and frames, creating a layout, and hanging the frames.
- Skill level: Creating a gallery wall through the DIY approach requires some level of skill and knowledge, particularly in framing and hanging artwork.
- Technical challenges: Hanging frames precisely and evenly can be challenging, particularly if it involves drilling into walls or working with heavier frames.
- Overwhelming decisions – With numerous companies offering photo services and products that vary in parameters, creating a consistent solution from the multitude of options available can be a daunting task.
2. Photo service and framing companies such as: meinfoto.de, myposter.de, Photolini, posterxxl.de, pixum.de or Cewe
These established German brands specialize in products that make digital printing a breeze, including murals, photo frames, prints, collages, and accessories. Although they offer a wide range of products, they provide very limited or no options for creating a ready-made gallery wall. They offer a wide variety of frame styles and sizes, including wooden frames, aluminum frames, and canvas prints, as well as several wall mounting options, such as hooks and screws.
Pros
- Large selection of frames and photo papers: including wide variety of sizes, printing and framing options to choose from.
- Quality materials: used in the printing and framing process.
- Quality frames and passe-partouts: provide a premium look and feel to your gallery wall.
- Various pricing options: to suit your budget.
Cons
- Requires personal effort and technical skills: There are no available gallery wall layouts, and no assistance is provided with the hanging process, leaving the design and hanging of the gallery solely up to you. Selecting the appropriate photo paper and size and frame type and size, requires a certain level of skill and knowledge.Hanging frames precisely and evenly can be challenging, particularly if it involves drilling into walls or working with heavier frames.
- Time-consuming: limited or no options for creating a ready-made gallery wall results in a significant investment of time in researching and sourcing prints and frames, creating a layout, and hanging the frames.
- Framky – A convenient All-in-One Solution for a Stunning Gallery Wall
Framky is the ultimate solution for anyone looking for a convenient all-in-one service to create a gallery wall. Despite being a startup, they focus solely on providing the perfect photo gallery wall creation service, making them a dark horse on this list and a worthy option to consider.
They offer over 1,300 ready-made gallery wall layouts to choose from, printing and framing services, and a convenient hanging system that includes a hanging template and a set of self-adhesive hangers that won’t damage your wall and makes hanging simple and quick.
Pros
- Saving a lot of time and effort! Templates, printing, framing and hanging system are all included in the service which makes the whole solution a convenient and easy one for those who don’t have the time or expertise to create their own.
- Large selection of gallery wall layouts: There are over 1,300 to choose from, making it easy to find a layout that suits your style, wall size and preferences.
- Visualization of the final effect: Visualizing the final effect is made easy with the ability to upload and experiment with your photos online within your chosen gallery wall. This allows you to make final decisions on how to fit photo colors and styles into your interior design.
- High-quality printing and framing services are included, ensuring that your photos look their best on the wall. Gallery walls are often professionally designed and curated, resulting in a polished and cohesive final product.
- Convenient hanging: 15-minute hanging system with an included template and self-adhesive hangers makes the installation process quick and easy. It requires minimal effort and technical skill to install, making them a great option for those who want an easy, hassle-free solution.
- Support: Framky gallery walls come with customer support and installation guidance to ensure a successful installation.
- Competitive pricing: for a comprehensive solution that includes everything you need for your gallery wall.
Cons
- Limited options for customizing the frames: currently there are 5 frames colors to choose from and only one wood-like material.
- Limited hanging options: While self-adhesive hangers may be suitable for the most common, smooth wall types, they may not be as secure as traditional hanging methods for different wall structures.
Companies comparison
For a comparison we’ve selected a small sized composition (110 x 65 cm) consisting of 6 frames: 2x 20x30cm and 4x 30×40 cm:
| Framky | Photo services | DIY | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| meinfoto.de | myposter.de | photolini.de | posterxxl.de | pixum.de | cewe.de | IKEA (Fiskbo) | IKEA (Ribba) | Allesrahmen (Hekla MDF) | ||
| Pre-designed Gallery Wall Layouts | ✓ 1300+ layouts |
❌ | ✓ only 25 layouts |
✓ only 15 layouts |
❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Photo frames | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Photo prints | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Price for prints and frames | €76 | €169 | €225 | €116 | €208 | €236 | €248 | ~ €48 Frames: €16 Print: ~€32 |
~ €76 Frames: €44 Print: ~€32 |
~ €72 Frames: €40 Print: ~€32 |
| Hanging system | ||||||||||
| Convenient hanging system | ✓ €23 |
❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Printed 1:1 template for convenient hanging | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Self-adhesive hangers for hassle-free, no drilling hanging | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
In conclusion, each store has its own unique strengths and weaknesses when it comes to creating a gallery wall. Framky stands out as the ultimate solution for a stress-free gallery wall creation, while Photolini offers a wide selection of frames suitable for personalized gallery wall design. Meinfoto.de and myposter.de both offer a wide range of wall decor options and competitive pricing for printing and framing services. Finally, Posterxxl.de and Pixum.de offer high-quality photo products and several options for creating a personalized gallery wall design. Regardless of which store you choose, remember that a gallery wall can be a fun and creative way to showcase your personal style and memories in your home.
