Hang your pictures and photos like a gallery

With even numbers, pictures and photos will present their best self if hung symmetrically. To accentuate the symmetry, you can hang the even numbers within a large geometrical shape! For example, a big square frame can foster 4 different pictures that are aligned in symmetry. To be visually interesting and appear as a unifying whole, even numbers should have a narrower spacing than their dimensions.

Another way to avoid creating isolated units with even numbers is to pair their mats and frames for consistency.  The image above exemplifies how an even number of pictures can be aligned symmetrically on the wall, with the space in between them being narrower than their size, as their colour hues blend harmoniously. 

Arranging your photos in horizontal lines will give a more calming aesthetic to the room. As horizontal lines tend to elongate and widen the wall, they will bring a more casual and relaxed atmosphere in the room.

In the image above, the pictures are hung in a horizontal line, accentuating width to the wall while they bring a comforting relaxation to the living room. The contrast of black and white in frames, adds another layer of sophistication to the room, while their content depicting nature matches perfectly with the general restful peace.

In general, eyes tend to be very attracted to odd numbers, making them one of the most aesthetic compositions for hanging pictures. So, if you have little time to create a unique display with your pictures, go for odd numbers. 

They are, after all, quite easy to hang as it doesn't really matter if you hang the focal piece first or start with the sides.Another added benefit of odd numbers is that it makes their alignment with the room’s furniture easy, as you can just hang the centrepiece above a sofa and then determine the needed spacing for the rest of the frames. 

With odd numbers, you can adopt the rule of three by mixing three different patterns, whether that pattern is colour or frame type.  Also, you can hang an odd number of pictures, symmetrically, horizontally, vertically or even asymmetrically. 

Pay attention to detail when hanging your frames and pictures on the walls and think beforehand of what tone you wish to set to a given room. They can become a powerful decorative tool if they are treated with just the right way.

Vertical lines are filled with energy that will be released if they fall, making them appear rigid and strong. Hanging frames in a vertical arrangement will create an illusion of accentuating height, depicting a more formal and refined look.  

Take for example the image above; different frames depicting diverse themes are being arranged across the wall with virtual vertical lines connecting them. The living room automatically assumes the powerful display of the wall, creating an atmosphere that exerts subtle formality. The fact that the pictures are hung asymmetrically adds a casual undertone as well.

An intriguing aesthetic arrangement will be to group mixed frames with diverse colours schemes and offset placements. The messy composition creates a graphic montage that will please the senses. However it will be best, if in this visual assortment, there is a unifying aspect. 

For example, while your frames belong to a different geometrical category, may that be circles, rectangles or triangles, they can be connected with the same colour scheme. In the picture above, the connection can be found in the frame linings as they all assume the same colour.

Or you can go for a unifying theme in the pictures, depicting the same landscape while they are embraced by frames in different colours.  The offset placement can be a combination of vertical and horizontal lines and for an extra touch you include diagonal lines.

You can create a gallery look of a compositional display by placing three large frames of equal size and surround them with smaller frames. The large frames will become the centrefold of the composition. However for the gallery look to work, the bottoms, tops and sides of the frames must be perfectly aligned.

Hanging your pictures in a compositional organisation will require the colours and content of the picture to create a narrative. It will be a great way to tell a story of a family vacation and with the inclusion of some decorative features, you can create an amazing collage. 

Or you can take the cue from the image above, where a single frame organises a composition of pictures which, while they have different themes, still create an imaginative story.

If you're now feeling inspired you could try to: Create Your Own Fantastic Feature Wall.