September 17, 2014

framed - displaying family pictures


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For a long time, it was drilled into our heads, thru design magazines, interviews with designers and books, that displaying family photos in picture frames around your home was a design no no. "Keep those things in your bedroom," I remember reading some fabulous designer say. You could feel the disdain in his voice, as if he was talking about dirty underwear.

But we don't live on the pages of a magazine, rather a home where we raise (gasp) a family. And children and grandparents enjoy photographic evidence of life. They are weird that way. So inevitably there are going to be photos that you'll want to display. And if you follow the theory that I do, that your home should reflect your well lived, unique life, then photos should be apart of that.

So how do you balance displaying family pics while satisfying that craving for a well designed space?

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Following a tried and true rule of thumb helps - display 'collections' (in this case your picture frames) together to give them more emphasis. Mixing styles and shapes of frames is cool, as long as they all have some unifying element - touches of black in each, no mats, etc.

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This may put me in trouble with some, but I'm also a firm believer in ditching those JCPenny posed shots in favor of candids. The difference between candid shots and studio shots is like the difference between buying all of your furniture in one afternoon from a catalog and collecting unique pieces and styles over time. Those candid shots will give an original feel to your room, bring back great memories of when they were taken, and give visitors a reason to smile and kick off a great conversation. "When was this picture taken?" And chances are people will remember that funny shot of your kids in a mud puddle better than they will remember what flowers you had on the coffee table.

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So, what about you? Do you have picture frames all over your house? Just in a few rooms? Have any shots of yourself parachuting out of a plane? Picture frames always makes me think of Meet The Parents when they go over to Owen Wilson's house. But I digress.


28 comments:

  1. I tend to battle with myself over the number of framed pictures I have in our house - from a design perspective there are almost always other things that will look better in the room but from a family perspective, I'd prefer the framed pics! I love the third image on this post - may just do that in our family room!

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  2. This post makes me want to buy some new frames and sit some around. I love the feel of houses I go into that have family pics all around. (Not the JCP kind. Ha! I so did that with our first baby...)

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  3. I absolutely agree with you. I love displaying family pictures and change them from time to time, they make any home welcoming ...

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  4. wait - so no Olan Mills portraits?!? lol! i love some good candids too

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  5. we have them in a few rooms but that's only because i am not organized enough to order the ones i want....

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  6. I like them to be kept all together, with a purpose...and yes, ditch the JC Penney/Target/Olan Mills, etc. posey posey photos!! I have a friend who has pictures on every surface and her walls...mainly of her kids...not a fan of that look

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  7. I have a grid of six oversized framed photos of family/scenic shots I've taken above my sofa and a handful scattered around my living room. I'm just lacking the discipline to keep on top of updating them regularly! My good friend's mom always had tons and tons of framed photos throughout her home (even in the bathroom) and somehow it looked so inviting and artfully done. The last photo reminds me of that home.

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  8. I absolutely love having family photos hanging up in my home. My parents didn't really have family pictures displayed anywhere besides the fridge, but I want to see family photos all over my future home. We're in an apt now so we don't have tons of stuff displayed, but I do have black and white photos of my daughter and puppy hanging up in our nursery area.

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  9. Love this topic! We have family photos scattered throughout our house. The most private or sentimental are in my bedroom, but we have them in the living room too - and I like to think they're tastefully displayed ha! One of my friends once had wedding photos on almost every wall in her apartment, and that was a bit much, but I think several photos here and there is really nice. I always love seeing them in other people's houses, so I've always found that bit of "designer advice" odd. Unless your house is on the market, bring on the family photos!

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  10. I remember seeing Mariska Hargitay's home featured in a magazine once (I think it was her - maybe not....) and there was this beautiful big console table in her living room just full of family photo frames. I like that look even though I have few pictures up in my own home. I may just have to look for a table to do that to. I am not a fan of them scattered throughout the house as I love art too much. I also do not like them in a guest room. I just think it looks weird to have your family photos on the nightstand next to a guest bed. Great topic!

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  11. I think it would be different if we had children. I always joke and say I don't need pictures of myself because I have mirrors and I don't need pictures of Wayne because I already know what he looks like ;) And lots of pictures of couples on their own just feels a bit... I dunno. Weird to me. We have one picture of us on the gallery wall in our dining room from a trip to Iceland a couple years ago. That's it. But if we had children, I think it's a totally different ballgame. I like your inspiration pics - there's definitely a nice cosy way of doing it and a very forced way. xxx

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  12. I keep a set of framed photos on our entry table. I like how collected it looks and I can easily switch things around if I feel like it.

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  13. I do, in fact in every room except the Dining room and Kitchen! I try to unify them with the frames in each room. :-)

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  14. I used to have frames all over- I would pick up a frame like I do toliet paper at target. Now my kids keep me so busy that I rarely print photos, let alone organize them, so I have slowly started taking down frames. It's sad and this post makes me want to bring them back out!

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  15. In years past I had more collections of photos, but now just a few of special vacations or occasions that I love. I always think a collection on top of a piano is pretty, but I'd need a piano! :)

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  16. At this exact moment, all of our pictures are still in boxes. I love looking at my kids, and not so much at myself. I need to find prettier frames.

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  17. family pics are a must but to keep it a bit more design focused I do most of mine in black and white and mix them in with gallery walls! I love them!

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  18. I love this post so much E! Great topic. I used to keep most of our photos in our bedrooms, but years ago I realized that the homes I go into that I am most drawn to are ones that have a cozy and REAL vibe to them, that show signs of life and love and happiness. However little frames all over the place make me crazy. From a design perspective I think there is much more BAM to photos when grouped together, or singularly displayed, rather than a few here and there. Okay now can we talk about that black curved staircase against the white wall in that photo above? I'm dying over it!

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  19. I love that movie!!! "Nevermore, nevermore, nevermore." :D

    So yes, definitely have to have family photos up. It makes Izzy so happy to see her photos and ones with grandma and grandpa up on the wall. I love those groupings on the tables.

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  20. "...like he was talking about dirty underwear." Bahaha!

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  21. So true, I never got that rule! I'm definitely a rule breaker...I especially love candid shots framed around the family room. Love that first pic!

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  22. I agree!! I love seeing pictures all over the house!! I think it makes a house a home!

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  23. I don't have any pictures of my family around cause they get on my nerves and they're all old and ugly now :). JK There is no room on my surfaces with all of my accessories. Ha Ha. But I say anything goes!

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  24. I have a few around the house but I think the reasoning don't have more is because I'm terrible about printing photos!!! I like to display them in our built in shelves in our den!

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  25. Excellent topic! I personally don't display any family photos because I see those people all the time. Haha - I just don't have any surfaces to display pics so I have very few meaningful pictures I keep out. This is always a hot button issue with clients though and I feel we have to honor their preferences and find stylish ways to display family photos. Great inspiration shots - I'll be using some of these ideas!!

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  26. I love having them on the wall rather than standing around but I'm sure that will change as I get older and my kids move out :(

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  27. The worst picture I once saw online were family photos in the bathroom. In fact one was on the wall right next to the toilet. Imagine sitting on the john with smiling faces right next to you! Just plain tacky.

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  28. I have photos everywhere and love to decorate with them. For me it feels more like a home to see pictures of my kids, my family members, or places we have visited.

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