How To : Best way to mix and match frames

Mixing black, wood, and brass gold frames is a very popular trend in home decor. Adding soft cozy decor to your walls with art and photos of memories you’ve had; but it can be daunting. How many frames of each should you have? Which is better? Odd or even number frames?

Creating a gallery wall with one color or type of frame can sometimes make a space look generic or like not much effort was put into the thought of the room. Having very ornate frames covering a wall can be overwhelming to the eye. Before you start buying frames look at the room you want to add frames too. If you have an inspiration or mood board look at that as well.

What is the tone of your space?

The tone of your space or the space you are trying to create is an important to-do before you start looking at and buying frames. Is your space warm or cool toned? If you are looking to add wooden frames you will want wood with the same tone. The same goes for black and ornate frames. Keeping the same tonal value will help make your frames look complementary.

While shopping for frames, looking for ones that are more simple in design can help in preventing one frame from competing with another. Simpler frames can be tailored to any style. If you are wanting to add a vintage feeling to your space mixing in ornate frames can help you achieve that look. Use overly ornate frames sparingly and keep the sizes in mind.

When it comes to the sizes of your frames they will be different from space to space. Making a visual template on the wall you want to add frames to can help you better see the sizes that will work for your space. There are some general rules about how to hang art but please don’t feel pressure to stick to these rules all the time. Use them more as a guide to help you.

What height to hang your art?

As a general rule hanging art 60 inches from the center to the floor and 4 to 6 inches above furniture like a couch, bed, or dresser is the best visually and a tip most interior designers use when staying homes. When it comes to hanging multiple prints the rule is still the same but instead of looking at each frame individually look at all of them as one. So the center of the gallery wall should be 60 inches from center to floor. If you want to put multiple frames above a couch then having the gallery wall be 2/3 the width of the furniture helps create balance in your space.

Using a roll of craft paper and cutting out varies sizes that can be easily found. In the states 8x10, 11,14, 16x20 and 24x36 can be great sizes for a gallery wall. If you already have a few frames you want to use measure the width and height if those frames and cut out the paper to that size. Once you have your sizes you can arrange them until you like the look. When you have a few different layouts tape them using non destructive tape to the wall you want to add frames too and step back. If you have more then one layout you like take a photo of each one so you can flip through them all at once.

Decided on your subject matter?

Do you want to create a gallery wall of family photos and memories or do you want to make an eclectic wall by including art prints? It’s often nice to mix and match personal photos with art and decor to give the eyes a break from a large spread of photos.

There isn’t a right way to hang a gallery wall with a mix and match of frames. Go with your gut. You know how you want your home to feel and look. Go back to your mood board to refresh yourself on how you want your space to be. Look at the frames you have and see what types you can add. Keep in mind your spaces, tone, and the size of the wall you want to add frames to. The more variation you have with frame sizes and spacing the more unique your wall will be!