The Art of Collections

When it comes to decorating walls, it can be an arduous process for some, but others don't seem to care what is hanging on their walls.  I like to think that what you select for your walls deserve as much time and attention as anything else you put in a room and sometimes even more.  If I could cover my walls with original art, or should I say if I could afford to, I would definitely do it.  There's just something about an original piece that appeals to me.  I'm also a big fan of decorating walls in an unconventional way with a collection of smaller items.  

This grouping, in a breakfast room, started around a clock the clients had.  I combined new items I purchased with their family photos.  This is how you can take different types of wall decor and bring it together to create an interesting focal point.

This grouping, in a family room, was everything the client had.  She recently moved and really wanted to use pieces she had collected over the years.  I combined newish art, art that was 50+ years old, a mirror and even some ceramic pieces.  She was thrilled with how it turned out and is looking forward to adding new things to it.  Sorry for the dark photo - I really need to take a photography class!

I've also had the privilege to create some family photo galleries these past few months.  Each client had very different homes (and budgets), but I was able to give them exactly what they wanted.  A place for them to enjoy photos of their loved ones!

This gallery is in an upstairs hallway and the client had a large family!  We purchased ready-made frames, in similar finishes, and went to town.  There are four generations represented here and the client couldn't have been happier with how it turned out.

This gallery, located in a home office, is a more contemporary example of a photo wall.  We used the same style of frames with black and white photos.  It turned out really well and will be easy to change out the photos as their children grow.  Also, check out the amazing feather painting behind the desk - an original!

This photo wall is located in a staircase.  We started with the large photo in the center and hung smaller photos around it.  Again, the frames are in similar finishes to create a more harmonious look.  The most challenging part of this installation was to make sure each child was represented equally. :)

This is how I start...I put the pieces on the floor and come up with the best arrangement.  I then take a photo of it so I don't forget.  This arrangement is hung in a client's hallway.  Before we did this, she only had the small black framed photos hanging.  By bringing in larger, more colorful frames she had around the house, we created a great gallery wall.

 

 Here are some inspirations of art collections from my Pinterest board that I'm crazy about.

Finally, I have to share this photo of a shadow box we installed a few months ago.  The client had found these treasures in his parent's house.  They are really old beer bottles, along with a certificate that was presented to his father.  The map (behind the bottles) was already torn, but we had to include it.  If you look really close, in the top left corner, there is an actually piece of barley or wheat or it could even be hops.  What do I know?  I LOVED how it turned out!

If you need help creating a collection of your own, give me a call!

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer