A photo collage is a great way to preserve your special moments by combining multiple photos into a single piece. Whether you’re showcasing your favorite memories with loved ones or highlighting a specific occasion, your collage can make a great addition to any room in your home. In the age of Instagram, many of us have more photos on our phones and apps than we know what to do with. A photo collage lets you transform your digital phone gallery into a unique piece of art featuring anywhere from two to 30 of your favorite photos.
You can easily customize your photo collage to complement your room’s style. Metal and acrylic collage styles can put a modern twist on your display, while canvas’ and framed prints offer a warm and cozy wall art design. You can also show off your interior design capabilities by incorporating photo collages on a gallery wall.
Keep reading for photo collage ideas and to learn more about how to create a photo collage from the comfort of your own home.
Jump to:
Photo Collage Ideas
Creating a happy and beautiful home is a great way to spark joy in your life. Adding photo keepsakes is one of the fastest and easiest ways to dress up an empty wall or room and fill it with color and creativity — picture collages let you display multiple moments all at once.
Deciding on the perfect style for your space will depend on a number of factors such as theme, size, and room setup. Your personal style preferences will also impact your collage preferences, so consider the look you’re trying to achieve and the finishes you prefer before you commit.
Wondering what to feature in your photo collage layout? You can choose to display your favorite photos of loved ones or stick to a theme such as a favorite memory or important life event.
Consider where you’ll be hanging the collage as you select the photos and how these memories will impact you while you’re in the room. Displaying family photographs in a home office can help take your mind off work when you need a break, and photos from your favorite vacation can help inspire daydreaming.
Here are some ideas to inspire your photo collage project:
- Vacation: Choose photos from your favorite vacation or combine moments from multiple trips for a collage that will inspire wanderlust! If you have a travel buddy, order two copies to share the happy memories.
- Family: Displaying family photographs is a classic and timeless way to make your home feel cozier and lived in. Guests will love looking through your family’s special moments, and you can also give yourself daily reminders of everything you have to be grateful for.
- Pregnancy: If you’re looking for ways to decorate a nursery as you nest, consider compiling your favorite photos from pregnancy and displaying them in your little one’s future room.
- Life Achievement: Capturing an important moment in your life is meaningful, so why not commemorate it for years to come? Make a collage of a life achievement, such as a graduation, and put it somewhere you’ll get to enjoy often. An office is a great spot for a framed diploma and graduation photo collage.
- Wedding or Special Occasion: Some meaningful moments only happen once, such as a wedding or a parent’s 80th birthday. If you’ve recently captured a special occasion on film, create a collage for yourself and other attendees so the memories live on forever.
- Holiday: Instead of tossing out your family’s Christmas card once the season is over, consider displaying it in a collage with other memories from the holiday season so you can use it as holiday decor next winter.
- Pet Gallery: Do you have a furry friend or another pet that you hold dear? Display meaningful moments from their life to show how much they’ve grown up with you and your family through the years.
If you’re looking for even more creative themes, check out this list of photo collage ideas for every room.
Pick Your Collage Design Style
Since there are various photo collage options to choose from, it’s important to select a style that fits your space’s needs. Before you buy, consider how much space you’re looking to fill, how you’d like to hang or display your collage, and how much you are willing to spend on your work of art.
Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular photo collage styles offered by Shutterfly. We also describe where these styles work best, and details on how to hang or display them in your home.
Photo Collage Poster
If you’re looking for a large photo collage to display on your wall, a beautiful photo collage poster is an easy and affordable option. Like traditional posters, this style is printed onto photo paper and you can choose a glossy or matte finish. You can then mount or frame the poster print to hang it.
Combine up to 30 photos of family and friends, or of your favorite trip or destinations, using easily customizable collage poster templates. You can choose from six sizes and a landscape or portrait orientation. You can also add in backgrounds, different layouts, and texts.
Photo collage posters are perfect for filling large wall spaces in living rooms, bedrooms, and offices. Design a photo grid layout with photo editing tools to customize your own collage. Feel free to add stickers on the online photo collage maker for additional touches. They also make great college dorm room decor!
Canvas Collage
You can display your photo memories in hallways and living rooms with a canvas collage. Your personalized canvas print lets you showcase photos of your favorite memories for all to see.
These eye-catching images are printed from an inkjet printer onto a canvas. From there, you can choose whether to frame the canvas or create an unframed canvas collage using the gallery-wrapping technique.
This cozy and customizable display is perfect for rooms with lots of character such as bedrooms. It’s also great for sentimental spaces such as living rooms and home offices.
Metal Print Collage
This industrial-style, high definition wall art is perfect if you’re looking for a modern photo collage. The frameless design makes this display sleek and clean, perfect for contemporary homes. Incorporate black and white photos for a classic look.
Once you’ve selected your metal print collage, you can choose a matte or glossy finish and start uploading your photos. Metal prints are also treated with ChromaLuxe, which makes the prints moisture, fade, and scratch-resistant. This durability allows the prints to be hung either indoors or outdoors.
If you do have an outdoor space you’re looking to dress up, this is your best option to prevent wear and tear.
Acrylic Collage Prints
These premium, high-quality collages have a crisp and modern look, and their lightweight design makes hanging simple, no frame required. With five sizes to choose from, you can easily create a polished design to fit the needs of your space.
Acrylic photo collages do come with a higher price tag, making them the perfect gift for an anniversary or other special occasion! Customize one online for the special person in your life and they’ll find plenty of places to showcase it.
This elevated collage style is perfect for rooms with lots of foot traffic, such as a dining room, entryway, or living room.
Framed Print Collage
If you like the look of traditional framed photos, then this collage style is for you. These prints are displayed on cardstock and then framed for a decorative finish that’s easy to hang.
If you plan to display your collage in a room that already has framed photos hanging or on display, a framed print in a collage style will have a natural flow with your other pieces. This option is also great if you’re combining your collage with other prints and art into a gallery wall.
Choose from a variety of layouts and combine creative elements from our Art Library. We have hundreds of free photos, quotes, and patterns that you can add to your collage to make something truly unique.
Once you’ve chosen your frame style and layout, and added your own personal flair, you can display your framed print in a living area, office, bedroom, or stairwell. There really is no wrong room for this timeless look.
Ceramic Tile & Tabletop Prints
Elevate your photo collage with a ceramic tile display. Your photos are printed onto a ceramic tile and then typically showcased on a metal or wrought-iron easel.
Show off your favorite memories in a unique and sophisticated way. You can even add text and other design elements to your unique tile display.
We recommend setting your ceramic tile and or other collage-style tabletop prints in an area with counter space that needs dressing up, such as in a kitchen or dining room area. These tiles also make great gifts for special occasions, and their small size makes them easy to wrap and transport.
DIY Photo Collage
If you prefer DIY projects, you can make a photo collage using photo prints. This is the perfect DIY project to do at home, and you can complete it in an afternoon. Upload your favorite photos to Shutterfly and purchase and print your photos in as little as one hour.
Decide how you’d like to hang your collage and then purchase the appropriate materials. You can easily tape or glue prints to a piece of cardboard and then frame it, or you can elevate your look by mounting photos on a unique hard surface such as a piece of driftwood.
Other creative ideas include making a photo collage on a coffee table, vintage door, hanger, or wall.
How to Make a Photo Collage Online
If you’ve settled on your favorite photo collage style, it’s now time to make your art project! If you aren’t DIYing a collage at home with scissors and tape, keep reading to see how fast and easy it is to customize and order your piece of home decor straight from Shutterfly.
You can even use our Art Library to add unique photos, patterns, and quotes. We have hundreds of options for you to choose from so your design can be personalized and perfect for any space. Here are five simple steps to creating a photo collage online:
1. Choose a Template
Once you have a photo collage style in mind, it’s time to choose your template so you can start creating. Finding a collage style is easier than ever in our online store.
Search our home decor offerings to find tons of inspiration. If you find a collage style you like, check out the details section on the lower right side of the page to make sure it fits your collage needs before you begin designing.
2. Upload Your Photos
Now it’s time to add your memories! You can add anywhere from two to 30 photos to your photo collage, depending on the template you’ve chosen. Upload your photos directly from your computer, or if you have a Shutterfly account you can log in and drag and drop photos directly from your saved gallery.
3. Personalize Your Collage
Once you’ve selected your collage template and uploaded your photos, it’s time to personalize it with details such as size and finish. Consider the space where you will be displaying your collage when selecting your size.
Many of the collage products also allow you to add text or additional design elements during this stage. You can upload your own elements or choose from our Art Library. Also, be sure to browse our fonts to find the right fit for you.
4. Review Your Design
Once you’ve added some personal touches, it’s time to review your design to make sure all the personalizations and finishing touches are the way you prefer. Click the Preview button to the left of Add to Cart so you can see how your collage will look in real life.
Use our zoom feature for a 360º view to check out every angle. You can also click and drag the product to get a good view. If you spot something you’d like to change, you can easily adjust by clicking the Back to Editing button.
5. Place Your Order
Once you’ve reviewed your design and confirmed that everything looks good, you can place your order. Click the Add to Cart button. From here, you’ll need to make a Shutterfly account to save your design if you don’t have one already.
Preview your design one last time on the checkout page and enter any promos, gift cards, or gift certificates available. From there, you’ll provide shipping and payment information.
Don’t want to wait for delivery? Some of the photo collage templates we offer can be picked up from a nearby CVS Pharmacy or Walgreens in as little as one hour from the time you click print.
Related Resources on Photo Collages
Feeling inspired? Now it’s time to get creative! If you liked this guide on how to make a photo collage, check out these additional resources to learn about more ways to display your special memories.
You can begin making collages right now by uploading your favorite prints and saving them to your photo gallery as digital photos. From there, shop tons of collage styles and start building your new work of art. You’ll have the perfect home decor in no time!
