If you’re a visual person, you probably know that your environment can affect your mood and daily productivity levels. It is also likely that you place importance in using your home to channel your personality and individuality. If so, you don’t need a huge budget. This can be communicated through home decoration using your own family photos! Hanging pictures is a balancing act of spacing, colour, and proportion. The way a photo is displayed can be significant and transformative not only to the space it is in, but it can further express the feelings in the photograph itself.
Image by decorpad
Here are a few brilliant tips by our friends at Clover Buildcon Interior Design on how you can use personal photos or artwork to show off your most precious moments in a stylish way!
Which wall should you choose?
Choosing the right wall is essential. Not all walls can be used to display photographs. When we place photographs in the wrong place, it can look odd and confusing. So picking the right wall to feature is fundamental, don’t just pick one randomly. The wall you choose to highlight should ideally be a space where your eye is first drawn towards when you enter the room. Which wall is that?
Also, photographs look best when they are placed on a solid wall without doors or windows. Some common examples are the walls behind sofas and beds. Avoid placing your photographs on walls where there is too much competition for attention or walls that are too small. When we place photographs on the right walls, it creates an interior that adds excitement and importance to the space.
Colour
Now that you have found the perfect wall, it’s time to pick a colour. To make your photographs stand out and look natural, make sure that the chosen wall colour is related to the existing décor. The best way to create this connection is to repeat one of the colours that are already present in the room. Pay attention to your throw pillows, pictures, artwork, or other decorative pieces and use one of those colours for painting the wall. Or you could choose colours for your textiles that complement the wall instead – that could be easier than repainting a wall! If you’re open to painting your wall, consider the objects that will be placed around it when you select your paint colour. You need to ensure there is enough contrast and that the colour will complement your wall art and not blend in or disappear in the background. Creating harmony between your photographs, the colour of the wall, and the rest of your furnishing is a good way to unite a room. It makes it feel and appear more complete.
Image from talirothdesigns
Embracing a Scandinavian style, this bedside is decorated with a table lamp stand atop a mirrored cube. The colours are muted tones of taupe, ivory, and sage. Black-and-white photography, olive branches, and a small brass bowl all serve as minimalist decorative accents to complete the look.
Image from Pinterest
The furniture of this style is a combination of modern and classic styles. If you find that using large swatches of colour in your home is a bit intimidating, start small. On a neutral background, add some colour to your frame and pair the room with colourful furniture and texture. This will instantly add dynamics to a space.
Lights
Image by homedesigning
Beautiful art enlivens everything in a home and good lighting enhances that effect. The most stunning photographs can be reduced to a mediocre ones under incorrect lighting. Firstly, avoid direct sunlight as it causes pigment in paints and prints to fade. There are many ways to light a photograph correctly, but never use fluorescent bulbs as they are too bright and white for an artificial light source. A better option would be to use lights that replicate daylight. Nevertheless, you can choose ceiling-mounted accent lights (best for making the art the sole focus), track lights (best for a constantly changing display), wall washers (best for a flexible setup) or picture lights (best for an intimate display).
Lighting is also dependent on the pictures and its environment. In a contemporary interior, opt for discreet track and spotlight solution as this will provide more flexibly in your lighting scheme if you have a curated gallery wall. However in a classical setting, picture lights would be better. Picture lights are a precise lighting tool that can create scallops of light above your images.
Picture Ledges
Image by ChrisLovesJulia
We know of people who feel so overwhelmed when it comes to decorating their walls, that they end up not putting anything up! However, a great and simple way to decorate with display photos or artwork in your home is by using picture ledges. We love photo ledges – long or short, single or grouped, picture ledges create an orderly and streamlined look. They can be placed at entryways, above sofas, in hallways, or even in odd empty spaces where it is either too big for one print but too small for a gallery. Picture ledges are DIY-able; so you can make your own in just the right size. You can infuse more personality into your picture ledge by having a mix of art and family photos on one ledge. Combine different sizes and frame colours on a single photo ledge to create a dramatic statement piece in your room.
Canvas Prints
The primary aim of interior decorating is to create a comfortable and happy home. So if you are moving into your home for the first time, or you purely just want to spruce up the place, you can give your home a fresh new look through canvas prints. They look great on any wall! Canvas prints combine the best of two worlds – photography and fine art. Your canvas prints are a great option for being that focal point whenever anyone walks into a room. For instance, if you have an accent wall in a bold colour, you can present your print on it to give the space a new ambience. You could also experiment with different colours and textures. Canvas prints look better and more pronounced when displayed on a wall which has various shades and patterns.
Image by adorablehome
Alternatively, split canvas prints are also an incredible outstanding wall-décor that will create a visual interest for you and your visitors. These are prints of a single image transferred onto a few separate canvas panels, and they are arranged in close proximity, set slightly apart from each other.
Black-and-White
Images by Freya Home Interiors and keystoinspiration.com
While we love colours, sometimes photographs with different colour palettes clash with one another. So black-and-white family photos or artwork always look timeless and elegant in a group. We adore them for their chameleon-like ability to adapt to their surroundings. You could simply opt for an oversized black-and-white photograph to make a bold statement sans colour – setting up a look that is both evocative and transporting.
Mix up the size, scale, and subject matter of your black-and-white photographs to create a look that feels varied and layered but still consistent and coordinated. Although they do not add any colour, black and white photographs complement an all-neutral space very well. If you are not a fan of all black-and-white, liven it up with a little pop of colour – alternate black and white photos or choose a muted colour for the frame.
Create a gallery
Images by Alice Lane Interior Design and Wildflower Home
A collection of photos can be the perfect way to decorate hallways and staircases. The blank wall lining your stairs is a perfect spot for a collage of your favourite family memories. Make a statement by grouping and mixing up different framed photos that you’ve taken throughout the years. The varying textures, shapes, and photo finish will tell a story that accentuates those images. However, if you prefer only minimal contrast in frames, you can combine photographs in similar colour or textures. A collection of framed photos looks great on a flat surface but remember to vary heights, and maybe add in a plant or other tall objects to the frame the space.
Picture-perfect
Image by Pinterest
Why not spread out your photograph of art piece across an entire wall or even a whole room? Imagine bringing the view of a natural landscape or city skyline right into your home. Enlarged to fit comfortably onto the entire area of the wall, this noteworthy element will be the pinnacle of the room. To prevent an overwhelming interior, keep the room ambience moderate. If you are an artistic person, you can also showcase your work as a mural to visiting guests and it can help communicate and visually reinforce your identity and personality. The artwork will be special and carry personal value too, making your display even more meaningful.
When we decorate our homes, we express ourselves through the furniture we buy and the colours we choose to select. But perhaps no element of decorating says more about us than the photos we display. Customize your own wall-artwork and display any image of your own choice, be it the faces of your loved ones or precious moments to remember. There is a beauty in turning your favourite photos into useful design elements to create a show-stopping focal point in any interior space.