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 Trend Update 1 of 2

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We spoke not too long ago about collages, remember?  We learned about the cardinal rules of collaging and got to see some stand-out examples.  But, as the trends would have it, collages are in.  And, two of my monthly subscriptions included spreads on the subject.  So, I wanted to fill you in on what some experts, other than the experts at Small Room Decorating, are saying.  Here were some of their most helpful highlights:

Ellen Hamilton

Real Simple included the spread "Artful Ideas for Every Room"...

Get Started! "...Start by hanging a favorite piece at approximately eye level. [or] ...with a low center piece, then place your largest works on the ends to provide boundaries and visual weight. ... Hang the lowest items first, starting in the center, then work your way up." 

Use of pairs: "If you have pairs, keep them close to each other for unity."

Before Hanging: "Tighten slack wires on the backs of frames, especially if your goal is precision hang (lining up art in a grid, say).  A loose wire makes it hard to control the height of a piece."

Jeffrey W. Miller

Martha Stewart Living included the spread "Walls That Talk"...

Commit! "The couple [the editorial director of Martha Stewart Living and her husband] adhered photcopies of their favorite images to pieces of white paper that approximated the size of the frames (to stand in for larger frames, they taped pieces of paper together) and stuck them to the wall using removable tape in the grid Stephen created."

Freedom: "By not following a time line [with their arrangement], the display feels surprising and lively.  A black-and-white prortrait of Gael's granfather (the obstetrician who actually delivered Martha), for example, hanges below a shot of Maud [presumably, the couple's daughter] at a stable as a young girl."

Working with Your Budget: "The couple achieved this effect by combining vintage frames they already owned with custom designs from Skyframe and Brentano's, semi-custom frames from Larson-Juhl, and ready-made options from West Elm.  This provided a nice mix of styles and kept costs down (they used the pricier custom frames for larger pictures, and affordable store-bought frames for smaller images)."

A Luxury: "Finally, they printed the images, had them framed, and hired a professional to handle the hanging."[emphasis added]

   West Elm

So, now, I would say we are equipped to begin our own collages.  Get started!

P.S.: Brentano's, one of the frame shops mentioned in Martha Stewart Living is located in Manhattan--not too far from where I lived (Oh, to live in Manhattan again)!  I visited their site and it includes a fabulous resource: Art and Framing Terms a-z.  Check it out.  Then, if you decide to splurge on one of the pieces for your collage, you will be armed with your education.

Miller, Jeffrey W. (2010, September). Artful Ideas For Every Room. Real Simple. 214-222.

(2010, August). Walls That Talk. Martha Stewart Living, 98, 100-01.