Do you have a large empty wall that you know needs some artwork but don't have a piece large enough to put on it? Or perhaps you have several photo frames that you're struggling to know how to arrange in a successful collage? Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you started on your photo collage project.

Gather your framed photos, art prints and pictures. Stick to a single colour pallet to avoid visual chaos. If you have a lot of black and white photos or prints, then consider painting the frames in a vivid colour to add some drama. If your artwork is in different colours, then stick frames in a single colour. 
 


(Photo collage by Pottery Barn)

Measure out the wall area that you are planning to use for your collage. Measure out the same size on the floor and start laying out your pictures within that area. Play around with different configurations to see what works best. Make templates of the frames out of Newspapers and tape it to the wall. Be careful not to leave too much space between the frames. I find that about 2"to 3" between frames tends to work best. 

(Masculine Living Room by Scott Meacham Wood Design)

(French Style Dining Room by James Michael Howard)

If you are brave and want to make the collage look even more interesting, I love to mix in 3 dimensional objects to add some visual interest, clocks and mirrors work really well. Start with larger pieces in the centre and work your way out. It also can look great to mix a single round item with all the frames just to break up the shapes. Remember to group like themes together.

Have fun putting your collage together!

(Prints over console table by James Michael Howard)

(Main image by Chad Eisner)