I’ve been working on mini-projects throughout the house while we figure out which baseboards look the best. In the living room with the walls painted and the floors in, I really wanted a fun frame arrangement to look at, especially when people walk in the front door. I picture this arrangement with an antique buffet table under it. But the antique buffet table has yet to be found!

For about two weeks now, I’ve walked around the living room with frames on the floor, adding and taking away pictures to figure out the right mix for the space. I try to have a theme to my arrangements. I think it’s fun and a neat conversation piece to the curious eye. There’s a lot of fun themes you can do: family, landscape, color, world, travel, type of medium, etc…  this is my “travel” wall. I have two meaningful Wisconsin locations, Missouri, France, Africa, and two pieces of wisdom. I’ve been adding and taking away all week and finally found a a great combo for the space.

Once I figured out the right arrangement of photos and the amount of photos/frames needed for the space, I started arranging them. I like disorganized or asymmetry in terms of frames design. One day, I’ll have an arrangement that are more symmetric, but not this one. These are some ideas of framing techniques and design.

Tight framing.

Symmetric framing.

Diamond/Mirrored framing. 

An illusion of a mirrored image. (I really want to do something like this with my entry way!)

Ledge framing.

Once the arrangement looks the way I want, I cut out pieces of paper or newspaper the size of the frames, so I can arrange them on the wall.  Believe me, this is a little time-consuming but worth it when you don’t have to make five or fifteen different holes in the wall for one frame!  Also, you’ll see a line of blue painter’s tape below my frames – this is the anticipated height of my future buffet table.

Then, all you have left is the measurements to align the nail hole with the back of the frame. This step is the best! Once you get all the holes in the wall start putting up the goods! Finished product!

It’s always fun to hang up old frames and photos in new spaces. Oh, and I don’t believe you need to have all black or all gold or all white or all wood frames; the array of colors work most of the time. Like in my kitchen for example, I would be more likely just to place gold or white frame on my brown walls as opposed to dark woods and blacks.