Picture Perfect

by Molly Heideman

Picture Perfect

Add a stylish gallery wall to highlight treasured images.

 Extra time at home has spurred many to redecorate. An easy way to pull together a room, reflect personality and showcase sentimental memories is creating a gallery-style art wall with a cluster of picture frames. We spoke with Lori Drugan, owner of Gallery of Framing in Fairlawn, to get tips on making an interesting and beautiful collage.  

Photo Edit

Before combing your photo albums, decide where to hang your frames. Bedroom collages can display more personal photos, Drugan advises, while dining room collages work better with decorative shots. She recommends selecting moments from family vacations, meaningful ones or just a few of your faves. You can also add graphic art prints. Keep simplicity in mind for subject matter and colors — or lack thereof. “I like to stick with black and white,” Drugan says. She has seen people mix color and black-and-white images but cautions to be mindful. “It starts getting too busy,” she says.

Little Mix

Exact matches are a thing of the past. Drugan loves to switch up different moldings, shapes and sizes of frames in wall collages. Try to stick with a color scheme to keep the look cohesive. “If you’re gonna go with gold, stay with gold. But you definitely don’t have to use the same molding profile for all of them,” Drugan says. “I’m all about using different frames.”

Line Dance

Finding the best placement can be tricky, but Drugan suggests a wall where you have enough space to form a layout, like behind the couch or even a stairwell. Packing frames tightly can work for smaller spots, but spread out your photos when you have room. Drugan suggests finding symmetry in the design. You can hang frames where they don't line up, but do so within reason. “I like to make sure that there’s balance,” Drugan says. “Not too heavy on the top or bottom or not too heavy on either side.”