Picture Perfect Wall Collage

Interior Designers always advise their clients to add that personal touch to their home. One way to do that is to put together a picture collage. A collage will not only add a personal touch but it will also create visual impact and enhance the character of your home.

Throughout my career as an interior designer I’ve installed quite a few picture collages. There are no real rules when putting one together. There are many different ways you can do it, but I would like to give you some pointers and guidelines to make it easier.

1. Pick a theme of your collage. Maybe it’s all family pictures, black and white’s, all pencil drawings etc. If you chose to do a mix of things make sure there is a common denominator like a color pallet or a shape that runs through the majority or the pictures. Keep in mind the more uniform you keep your objects and frames, the more harmonious your wall will look. It will make it easier on the eye.  

2. Determine the size you want your collage to be. I have seen a recent trend in making collages go from floor to ceiling covering entire walls. If you want to start smaller you can showcase groupings above a console, sofa or a bed.

3. Now it’s time for the placement and layout of your collage. Trace your frames and make templates out of newspaper so you can easily try it out on your wall before you make a final decision. It also helps to lay out the frames on the floor and try different configurations. I personally like to keep the distance between frames less than 2”. Keep your collage balanced, I like to center bigger frames and keep the smaller ones toward the edges. Symmetry also plays a big role.

4. When it comes to implementing your project I would recommend a level, hammer, nails (with medium size heads) and a pencil. The secret to keep your frames hanging straight is to use two nails (varying distance depending on the size of the frame), instead of one.  Double stick tape will also do the trick of keeping the frames leveled. 

Do you have mismatching plates lying around in your cupboard; why not display them on your walls with plate hangers. Play with shapes and colors, use adhesive decals to add some interest if it feels too plain.