Displaying Photography In The Home
Whether you’re keen on photography or have friends and family who are, there’s nothing quite like displaying your favourite artworks, including photographs, to add that personal touch and make your house feel like a home.
It’s interesting that even rooms decorated in neutral colours, as is the case with many rented properties, are transformed once you move in with your personal belongings, and, beyond the furniture, what makes your home uniquely yours are the images you choose to display. They sometimes include family photographs that are very precious. Here are a few ideas for how to make images look their best when hung on your walls.
Monochrome Images
Black and white images have a stylish quality that can define a space as being supremely elegant and chic. When used in your bedroom your favourite photographic art will create echoes of bygone times and timeless glamour – think classic old Hollywood movies and beautiful, tasteful boudoirs. Whether you favour family photographs or black and white prints you have purchased matters not, as long as you love them and arrange them in such a way as to make the most of your wall space and display surfaces.
If you’re going for a cool and classic effect choose larger images that have an impact and will stand out on a white wall. You can style your bedroom in black and white too – add pristine white DIY shutters on your windows from California Shutters and pure white bed linen topped with a luxurious black faux fur throw. With black or white bedside lamps, a white carpet and black sheepskin rug your stylish monochrome, Hollywood style, bedroom will be complete.
Colour Photographs
Colour photographs bring warmth to any room in your home so you may want to place some in your living room, children’s playrooms and your kitchen. These are all areas associated with being sociable and busy, and introducing cheerful images brightens your décor. Creating groups of colour images is an effective way of displaying them to their best advantage, and you can arrange them in selections that are themed according to the seasons of the year for example, or activities, such as family holidays.
If you want to display favourite black and white photos in a stylish way in your living room an option is to use black frames but with different coloured mounts. They can then be arranged in a stunning and uniquely colourful pattern, perhaps around a mirror or a wall lamp.
Often, you can use colour photos in such a way as to complement the décor in your room. For instance, if you have decorated with a specific colour theme in mind, such as blue, you can experiment until you find the perfect arrangement and location to artistically display a group of photos that have a pop of blue in them.
In a study, there are some contemporary ways of displaying photographs, whether colour or black and white. You can use a minimalist approach and enclose them in plain mounts without frames, before pegging them on to wires stretched across your photo wall, just as you might do with Christmas cards.
Frames and Framing
The way artworks are mounted and framed changes their visual impact so don’t underestimate the importance of seeking help from someone with a professional eye in this respect. Black and white photographs look best in black, white or metal frames rather than natural wood. Why not take a quick photo of the image and play around with framing options on your laptop, tablet or phone to help you decide what might work best? With original photographs that are particularly treasured it is advisable to use archival materials for mounting. They should also be hung so that they are out of direct sunlight.
With colour photographs and those that are easy to replicate you can relax a little and have fun with the frames. In a room with a lively décor, such as a children’s playroom, feel free to mix and match the frame colours to work within the room. Use plastic frames and primary colours if these suit the environment.
Finally, if you’re determined to make an impact, find the biggest frame you can and pack it with photographs that are an essential part of your life and your memories, then hang the whole thing on whatever wall in your home is big and sturdy enough to hold it.