Favorite Photo Collage?

Christine,

I have decided to stay with the Swiss Coffee that is on my walls, unless you have another suggestion.  It looks good with my chocolate sectional and brown flooring. 
The curtain panels are from a former house and they do not need to stay (I am tired of the dark green.) My big problem is the area above our land mass of a television.  I want to have pictures done of my family to put there, but how many and what size should I order? 

I'd love any suggestions you might have. 

Thanks

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,

First of all- the TV is on the wrong wall.  It should be on the wall that the long portion of the sofa faces.  Put it on the chest that is there. It is much more charming than your TV stand. 

Now- you have a nice big blank wall for your family photo collage- Maintain some great scale by filling the space.  here are some fun ideas I found:

from Apartment Therapy

From Young House Love

From Currently Coveting

from the handmade home

Anyone have a favorite?  I like to pull in some other photography in a larger collection- not just family photos.  I like to have some kind of unifying factor, frame color, all black and whites, something.  I like the combination of old photos from famly history combined with the newest baby photos.  I like adding the letters and sconces.  I like to add mirrors.  For more ideas on photo collages- check here.

Chery...  

Be sure to do what I said, don't you dare leave the TV on that wall.  I don't care if you have to hire someone to add a TV jack.  It is an absolute necessity and needs to be done. 

Your window treatments are as simple as finding a fabric you love.  I would use a print, that you can use to draw colors from.  For example:

This Amy Butler fabric has some chocolate brown in it, to make it look like your brown sofa was all part of a grand plan.  Then pull in some pink throw pillows.  I could totally see a wall of sepia photos in brown, pink and green frames.

Show off your new wall with some track lighting- like the one below from Pottery Barn.

Replace your table cloth with a runner like this one from Crate and Barell:

There you go- your place will look fabulous!

The Fence of Photos

I am always keeping my eye out for large creative wall decor. This picture came from my newest Coastal Living magazine. I loved the fence photo collage. Perfect for the cottage feel- and the perfect scale. Check out the shelf over the kitchen windows also- I like that look. It acts as a window treatment, and avoids the interruption in the line of the room.

Allison

Hi Christine.
Before marrying my husband (who has traditional taste), I would say my style was contemporary to almost modern. Now as I age, my taste is changing to traditional contemporary. I love decorating and with a one year old, I really do not have time to do the things I wish I could these days. This wall started with 2 pics....all black of white. I sort of patterned it after Pottery Barn sort of collection of black and white frames. I am torn...I think now it looks like a big mess and need some order....I know how, but honestly, I love my artwork and photographs and need help picking and choosing.
Also, should I stick one style of frame?
- Alison

Dear Alison,
You have four issues with your wall- relationship, scale, repetition and overlap

1. The wall decor above furniture should have a relationship with the furniture below it. You have a good 15 inches between your lowest frame and the sofa. Lower everything.
2. I told Laura this same thing- You need some large scale items. Why? You are not in a hallway. There needs to be some items that can be seen from more of a distance- because of the size and nature of the room.
3. I don't like the single shelf. Repetition is important. If you are going to keep the shelf- get a second one and stagger them. Maybe a smaller one of the same style. (I know that my picture has one clock. I am allowed to break the rules. You are not. :)
4. Overlap. I have said this many times- but you should have some pictures a little behind that lamp. There should be some overlap.

Don't worry about hanging every single picture that you want to hang. Hang the number and size of pictures that will look the best. Should you have just one frame style? No. Not from what I can see of your home. That is the more "modern" look- but your home is more "traditional modern", as you said, and for that- the mismatch collection is better. Draw it all out on graph paper- OR- lay it all out on the floor with some painter's tape showing where your walls and furniture are. This keeps you from too many mess-ups with the nails. You don't want your wall to look like a "drive by shooting".

The wall decor and clock is from Uttermost.

Laura's Wall

Dear Christine,

I recently found your blog and love what you are doing! As a former teacher, I really appreciate the "Decorating 101" lessons you include in each of your posts. I'm learning lots!

I'm hoping to get some advice for my living room, which I've been fussing with for years. I've rearranged the furniture in a pleasing (at least to me!) arrangement, that helps highlight one of my favorite features - the windows. I'm still looking for some blinds for the windows... something with a texture. My biggest sticking point right now is the big, blank, back wall. The wall itself is 11' 4" wide by 8' tall. I know I should bring in some height, but how? I'd love to do a picture gallery with photos I've taken from some of our favorite places. I'm not sure how to balance that out without it looking like a giant wall of pictures. I'd like it to have some variety - art and photos, etc. I welcome your suggestions!

Thank you for your time,

Laura Boquist

Hi Laura,

There are many good ways to decorate a wall like this- I will show you one. This is how I would attack such a wall.

1. Select a few key pieces. I like using a couple of larger pieces that keep the wall from being too busy. They also give the eye something to look at from a distance, as small photos are all a "close up" activity. Add a clock- add some art- add some alternative wall decor.
2. Go asymmetrical. Your furniture is asymmetrical- so your wall decor should be also. That is not always true in reverse. :)
3. Add pattern. You have a traditional interior- and yet, I see very little pattern. I think you are perhaps a scaredy cat. Use all future decorating projects as a way to introduce pattern. Starting with this one. (next I want you to replace your coffee table with a patterned upholstered ottoman...)
4. Fill in your larger pieces with your frames. When you do this all on paper- graph paper- to scale- you will know what size of frames you should get. Don't go too thin on your frames. Too thin will not blend nicely with your larger pieces- you don't want the thicknesses to be too different. Make sure you have overlap with your furniture and lamp. Don't hang everything above these items- remember overlap. It is much easier to design first- then purchase- not purchase first- then design.
   

There you go- the wall is done. What do you think? Any other ideas for Laura?

wall decor from Uttermost

frames from The Import Collection

Not Your Hum Drum Hallway...

At a reader's request I posted a few months ago on hallways. I came across one in my Jan/ Feb 2010 Elle Decor that I wanted to share with you. I can't really decide if I like it. There are definitely aspects about it that I like- but I think overall- it was perhaps a bit overdone. Maybe if not so many walls were turned into photo galleries... What do you think?

Cool things to notice:

1. Beadboard- even (and perhaps especially cool) on the ceiling.


2. Lighting. I would like to see a shot of this at night with the artificial lighting...


3. The black doors-- super cool. I love them.


4. The red frames. Far less common than black- and oh so perfect.


5. All black and white photos. - I'd say this is a must have in this type of arrangement.

What do you think?