Wall galleries look simple, but they are not an easy task. We found an article that breaks the process up into steps that will result in a beautiful, slightly offbeat but still balanced wall full of photos and prints that mean the most to you.

1. Selecting photos and frames -- Choose a theme and/or a common color palette as a guiding force in your selection process. Remember that displaying simpler images in large scale and more detailed/complex images in small scale results in a more pleasing, less cluttered layout.

2. Designing the layout -- Remember that achieving the asymmetrical-but-balanced look is easier said than done, and it will take a lot of patience.

3. Defining the dimensions -- Start by placing tape on the wall to define the outer boundaries of the photo area so that you can design an arrangement that works well within the available dimensions of the wall.

4. Arranging and re-arranging -- Place all of your framed photos on the floor in the same relative dimensions as the outer boundaries and then experiment (over and over again) with different layouts. It is even okay to eliminate a couple of photos and add some new ones. Give yourself time to get used to the layout before attaching it on the wall to make sure that you really like it.

5. Documenting the layout -- Once you have an arrangement that you are set on, document the overall layout by taking a panoramic photo on your phone (which is easy to do with the iPhone camera app.) Take detailed shots of smaller sets of groupings. The panoramic image allows you to remember the layout of the photos, while the details hots allow you to see the specific alignment of the one image to its neighboring image. To maintain a sense of order, pay close attention to the alignment of the frames and the spacing between them. Different sized frames cannot be consistently aligned or have consistent spacing throughout the overall layout, so work in small groupings and make mini arrangements of consistent alignment and spacing. Remember to have fun with it!

6. Installing on the wall -- When you are ready to transition the photos to the wall, start in the center of the collage, where the largest images are, and work your way out from there. Use the detail photos on your phone to ensure that the alignment of the frames and the general spacing between them are matched up. 3M picture hanging strips are useful for most of the installing process, except for particularly large frames. These will help you hold a picture in the approximate position while using a tape measure to ensure the correct distance from the neighboring frame to make sure it is straight. Press the frame to the wall when it is ready.

7. Remember that this is not the easiest nor the fastest process, but it is something that you will be sure to enjoy for many years to come. Put in a little patience with your work, and it will be worth it.

Source: Julee, warmhotchocolate.com.