Collage picture frames are wall hangings which encase several pictures together, and come in two main styles. A frame matte is a thick paper border positioned between the frame and the picture, and is used to accent the framed picture. One style of collage picture frame has a single, outer frame surrounding one picture matte, which has several openings in it to accommodate many different pictures. For this style, the matte openings can be all the same size and shape or different sizes and shapes. A second style of collage frame is composed of many picture frames all linked together to create a wall hanging.
An unlimited number of different collage picture frames with one outer frame around a matte and several picture openings are available. The variations include the number of picture openings in the matte, the sizes and shapes of the picture openings, and the arrangement of the openings within the matte. Mattes are available in different colors, and the frames can be made of different materials, such as wood, plastic or metal. If the desired style or size cannot be found pre-made, mattes can also be custom cut to fit any frame and picture size. Openings in mattes can be cut in the shapes of letters so that the pictures become the filling for the letters spelling out a specific word.
Another style of collage picture frame takes many frames and links them together to make a decorative wall hanging. In this case, each of the linked frames can be the same size or they can be a variety of different sizes. The frames can each have a matte or no matte at all. Groups of frames can be randomly linked together in a pleasing pattern or they can be organized into a specific overall shape. These types of collage picture frames are rarely customized and are almost always pre-made.
Collage picture frames are a nice way to display several favorite pictures together or pictures with a common theme, such as a wedding or anniversary. These types of frames also make wonderful personalized gifts. Both pre-made and customized collage picture frames can be ordered from online framers, frame stores, and from most craft stores. When ordering a custom collage matte, be certain to have the exact dimensions for the collage pictures and the frame. Custom collage mattes typically cannot be returned if the customer makes a mistake.