Hang a group of pictures to fill up a large wall space

Creating a grouping of pictures on the wall is a great way to fill up space as an alternative to using a large piece of art, in places like above a sofa or side table, or on a feature wall. Here are three strategies you can use to make your grouping of pictures look more consistent and balanced. They involve considering both the size and shape of the frames, as well as the overall look of the content in the frames.

A) Use identical frames for the grouping. This is perhaps the easiest way to fill up space in a consistent way. For an even more contemporary look, use similar artwork, as well as the same size and color of  mats and frames. For example use all black and white photos, or all record album covers, or all children’s drawings – anything with a common theme.

B) Different styles and sizes of frames, but all the same color. For a more informal feel, select items in different sizes and styles of frames but paint them the same color to provide visual consistency. Once again to make the grouping more impactfull as a whole, choose a consistent theme for the items displayed in the frames.

C) Different frames, but a consistent visual theme for the content. Choose items with the same color palette, the same theme (family / faces / places / colors / textures etc) or items that together tell a story – this will tie the arrangement together and give it the visual balance that it needs.

Ultimately there is no single right answer, but remember this: the eye looks to establish patterns and relationships in things that it sees, so take advantage of that fact to tie your groupings together and you’ll create a great piece of design in no time.