Tools & Tech To Try When Displaying Photos Or Artwork In Your Home

For many of us who live in cookie-cutter homes, it's not possible to do a full-scale renovation. After all, it takes a lot of time, money, and effort to turn your visions of a dream home into reality, especially when you don't have the budget to hire professionals to do it. That said, this doesn't mean that we're doomed to live in white boxes forever. In fact, two simple ways to make your home really feel yours are investing in artwork and displaying personal photos. By adding artwork, you can inject personality, color, texture, and even emotion into your personal spaces. And of course, adding photos is a great way to remind people in your home of happy memories and fill it with positive energy.

With so many variants of things that can be hung, it can be challenging to find the right ones for your preferred setup. Thankfully, we've rounded up some of the best tools and tech to help you display things in your home. To make this list, we considered the different types of media you may want to display, whether physical or digital, and looked for tools that can help securely attach or project them. 

These gadgets don't have a history of recalls, and the digital ones are compatible with different operating systems, such as iOS and Android. We've included only items with an average of four-star or higher reviews from at least a hundred people, and avoided items retailers have tagged as frequently returned.

When it comes to interior decoration, intention is critical to achieve the most impact. It's not just enough to have beautiful artworks or photos — you'll also want to make sure that they look like they were planned to match the space surrounding them. But unless you have a trained eye, honed by years of experience, it can be difficult to accurately estimate your way to a perfect installation. 

Instead of relying on luck or accidentally drilling a hole in the wrong place, you might want to add something like the $19.98 Aiministen Picture Hanging Tool Kit, which uses a bubble level, to your arsenal. To use it, all you have to do is hang the frame containing your photo or artwork on the tool's hook. Once you've positioned it in the right area of your wall, press the button, which will put a mark on the wall that you can use as a guide for hammering an included nail. The nail will hold one of the included hooks, designed for items weighing 20 to 75 pounds.

This picture-hanging tool has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars across over more than 1,000 Amazon reviews. You can also use it to hang mirrors, clocks, or other wall accessories. 

If you want something higher-tech, a laser leveling tool may be a better fit for your needs. Not only can it be a useful guide to artwork or photo installation, but it can also help you level other things in your home, like switches or electrical outlets. 

On Amazon, one popular option is the RockSeed Self-Leveling Laser, which over 10,000 people have given an average of 4.3 stars. According to RockSeed, it can work with a wide angle of up to 110 degrees, and remain accurate up to one-eighth of an inch for distances under 30 feet. And for the clumsy people out there, it's pretty durable with its IP54 protection, and is shockproof even if you drop it from 4 feet. 

You can get the Rockseed laser in two colors: red and green. The green laser costs $29.99, the red version $39.99 — or for the same $39.99, you can get both the green laser and a 26-inch tripod. If you need more height with your leveling laser, you'll want to find a taller tripod.

Once, photos were reserved for important moments in life, like birthdays, weddings, or graduations. However, these days, most people have a camera in their mobile phone. Because of this, it can be difficult to choose the few pictures that make it to print. 

One way to solve this problem is with the best digital picture frames, which can typically display a rotation of thousands of photos. With over 23,000 reviews that have given it an average of 4.7 stars, the Nixplay Digital Picture Frame is a top choice that lets you share photos via email or its app, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. This digital picture frame, lets you draw photos from image-saving platforms, like Apple Photos and Google Photos, as well as several social media apps. Available in sizes from 10 to 15 inches, starting at $139.99, the frame comes in black, wood, and classic matte. 

On the other hand, it won't hurt to have a mix of physical photos alongside your digital ones. If you want to be able to make them, you can get yourself a Canon Selphy CP-1500, a must-have for family photos. With this printer, you can enjoy professional-quality printing in the comfort of your home for $139 on Amazon, where it gets 4.5 stars from about 1,500 reviewers. Not to mention, it's a great way to switch out pictures of family members who just don't give you as much joy as they used to.

Smart TVs are getting even smarter and often hold a ton of hidden features you might not be using. However, one feature that smart TV owners who love decorating their homes use is the ambient display, where Samsung is definitely leading the pack. In 2017, Samsung released the early version of The Frame TV to much acclaim. Unlike other smart TVs, The Frame – currently starting at $597.99 for the 32-inch version — was designed to look beautiful, even when not in use. Along with internal mechanisms that support having a screen that's always somewhat on, it also ships with an actual frame that mimics the appearance of a picture frame.

Despite 4-star reviews on Amazon, the verdict is still out on whether Samsung picture frame TVs are worth the price, which rises to $4,297.99 for the 85-inch variety. But there's a lot to love about a TV that seamlessly blends into your wall of artworks. In fact, for many people who value aesthetics as much as function, it's quite a step up from the ugly, bulky television units of the past. With how Samsung is continuing to improve its The Frame TV lineup every year, it's only a matter of time before a version whose display looks almost identical to real artworks gets released. Until then, you can still enjoy the tons of high-resolution images available in its Art Store.

Entertainment companies like TeamLab in Japan have made a name for themselves producing interactive projector-based work. In fact, projection-mapped art is now ubiquitous across global landmarks and even theme parks including Disneyland and Universal Studios. While most of these companies have invested millions of dollars in making remarkable experiences using this technology, it's now possible for ordinary people to get a taste of it in their home with high-quality projectors. One popular high-quality projection option that can support multiple streaming platforms and works with AirPlay is the Happrun Projector. With over 9,300 reviews giving it an average of 4.3 stars, it should be worth its $369.99 price tag.

One benefit to using projectors is being able to adjust the size to fit your space. You can give the projector a permanent home, such as being mounted to your ceiling, or store it away when not in use. Besides static artwork, you can also display looped videos, which can really give life to otherwise dull spaces. A good projector can also be useful for game nights with friends or movie nights with the family. If you plan to use it to project streaming content, just make sure the one you get is authorized by the platforms you use, so you don't end up with a blank screen.