There's a knack to using photographs in your home -- and not everyone has the perfect place for a portrait -- but with a little de-cluttering and some smart planning (ugh. there's that word every busy parent dreads...planning ) your home could be a beautiful place to celebrate your family.
First, let's figure out what you would like to see on your walls -- or if not a wall portrait, maybe a coffee table book with a collection of the images from that day (photographers call casual in-home portraits LIFESTYLE photography). Maybe it's a casual portrait of the kids playing on the grass with the parents somewhere in the background? Or maybe it's one of those magic moments when brother and sister are sitting quietly together reading a story or playing some imaginary game?
If you don't want lots of color on your walls to compete with other colorful elements in the room, maybe is an artsy black and white portrait? The point is, let's think ahead a little bit. It may be as simple as creating a wall gallery in some special spot in your home (a hallway? a stairwell? or a wall leading to a casual living space like a breakfast room or the master suite?) Look below for a quick and easy solution from POTTERY BARN. Think about room lighting. No point hanging a beautiful portrait in a spot so dark that it doesn't "live" on the wall. Sometimes a track light or directional recessed ceiling light will make your hallway feel like a posh gallery at not a lot of expense.
Determine your style preferences - do you like frames vs. a canvas stretched around wood (we call it a gallery wrapped canvas)? The gallery wrapped canvases have been popular for years, mainly because they easily match any style of furniture in any room. No framing costs or decisions about frame color or style -- we know you don't have time for too much of that. The down side? They look smaller on the wall -- and if your home has high ceilings, your artwork will look even smaller. A frame gives your photograph weight and more of a presence on the wall.
There are also some fun contemporary options like metal and wood mounted prints (no frame, they just appear to "float") and even frameless acrylic prints that look so sleek you will want them in every corner of your home.
Another great framing option is FRAMEBRIDGE. We have featured them as a resource in past blog articles and they continue to impress our clients for simple custom framing jobs. It's custom framing done online (they send you a box or tube for your artwork - all shipping is paid in advance. Visit their website for more information and a coupon for signing up for their newsletter!
Whichever look you choose, get your tape measure and figure out how much space you have for portraits. It may be a spot on a bookcase, or it may be the focal point of the room, but you will feel more prepared if you at least come to your order session with a general idea. Standard wall portraits are 11x14" or larger. Standard sizes include: 12x18, 16x20, 20x24, 24x24 and 36x24 (keeping in mind that a standard mat adds 6" and a standard frame adds 6-8" more). If you have trouble seeing the size as it would appear on your wall, We have great software tools to help you visualize your new portrait gallery and ways to help you "grow" it gracefully over the years.
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