The Quick and Inexpensive Way to Fill Large Statement Walls
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Last summer we updated our kitchen using an IKEA kit, and as we finished the process we were left with a large focal wall in the adjoining dining room. The wall catches a lot of natural light, and to decorate it we wanted to personalize the wall with family photos. We especially wanted to incorporate our boys in the process, giving them a chance to choose photos of the family and our adventures.
In this day and age we take hundreds of digital photos each month, so it was overwhelming to decide what to include: which vacation catch of the family at the beach, which group shot of all the cousins, which loving portrait of our boys with their grandparents, which snapshots of our beloved yellow lab who passed away over the summer?
And then my wife found the perfect solution: Mixtiles, 8” x 8“ tiles you order online and stick to the wall with a simple adhesive. You simply upload the photos, choose how many tiles, place your order, and they’re here in a matter of days. The photos arrive already framed, with a strip of adhesive along the top back.
Applying them is easy: just pull the tape off the adhesive and stick it to the wall. The adhesive is surprisingly strong, so it won’t come down until you pry it off, and it saves you from putting nail holes in the wall (a great solution for renters!). And the possibilities are endless when it comes to arrangement. We could split them between different rooms, layer them in rows, scatter them over the wall, create interesting patterns by stacking them. For our dining room, we opted for three rows, with the center offset by one tile. If we want to swap them out or grow the collection, we’ll simply order more!
We really enjoyed the extra time together as a family reviewing old photos from the past couple years, picking out favorite memories and moments. We ordered tiles in an even number, and since we hung 15 on our dining room wall, we gave the extra to our 13-year-old to hang in his room. In the future, we’ll order more Mixtiles for the boys to decorate their rooms; it’s another way for them to personalize their spaces using family memories — something a little more meaningful than movie posters! Because the Mixtiles are inexpensive and easy to install, it’s a fun way for everyone in the family to help choose wall decorations that represent our family, our home, and our adventures.
Buy them here: Mixtiles