“Picturing” Your Home
Photographic Flair
Living in our homes often means taking them for granted. We assume the heat will kick on if it gets cold, the toilets will always flush, and the tap in the kitchen will turn on first thing in the morning when we’re making the coffee. In much the same way, we so often take the design of our homes for granted.
Unless you’re actively looking to change something about your home, chances are you’re walking past your design decisions every day taking them for granted. Things sit in the same space for years in the average home. Art hangs on the same walls. Furniture may be rarely moved. We’re too busy living our lives in our homes to always be noticing the details. But these moments before the big holidays may be the perfect time to look around with fresh eyes and focus on what may need to be changed up or changed out.
One of the most overlooked items in our homes? Photographs.
So often we take a printed photograph, stick it in a frame, set it on the mantel and move on. The pictures age as we do, get washed out from the sun, and the frames fall out of style. Meanwhile we move them around to dust (maybe) and hardly ever stop to look at the image, relish a memory, or consider whether it’s time to change out the picture. Here are some ideas for reimagining the photographs in your home.
1. Take a gander and swap out images for current ones
If you have a lot of pictures, take a walk about the house and rethink your framed photos by quickly laying the ones face down that are a little too overlooked or aged. And of course, you may absolutely love those old photos, but sometimes, it’s time to exchange them out for new ones or simply change out their frames.
Have three pictures of your teen grandchildren as toddlers? Choose your favorite but consider changing out the other two for newer photos of them. Need some new pics? Ask those kiddos or their parents how you can get your hand on a digital copy to print. Mpix.com and Snapfish.com are good, easy options for uploading pictures from a cell phone and having them sent as physical copies in the mail.
If you only have a few printed photos, consider which ones are most precious to you or which new ones you may want. Are you missing someone? Is there a time that feels more and more important about your past? Do you want to show your children or grandchildren what their family members looked like decades ago? Keeping the images fresh will draw more attention to them.
2. Consider how your photos can become a design element in your home
Black and white photos make a stunning gallery wall, especially when the frames are all gold, silver, or black. If you’re the family archiver, consider rifling through your treasure trove and pulling together a collection of family favorites to go above your mantel or on a small wall of the dining room. The gathering doesn’t need to be huge to become a beautiful space for honoring family and remembering the past.
3. Evaluate how many photos you need displayed.
A lot of pictures can be overwhelming for guests. You may find that all you need to do is cull your current collection, trade out frames, and declutter your images. But that doesn’t mean you need to get rid of your valuable photos. Albums are always helpful, but for the less organized, photo boxes can be easy, although inefficient, space-wise. For digital photographs, we love the services at chatbooks.com. Their inexpensive subscriptions allow you to print small, monthly books that are easy to store and a delight to get in the mail. And children love thumbing through each edition.
4. Upgrade your frames
Finally, whether or not you change out or store one photograph, a few new picture frames can completely update your entire collection. Scour TJMaxx or Marshalls for trendy frames at a great price point or invest a bit more in these classic silver beaded frames from Birch Lane. Whatever style you choose, you’ll make an instant upgrade with some of your most beloved possessions.
Rethinking the pictures in your home takes nearly no time at all and can make such a difference to your space. Ask a family member to help if you feel overwhelmed and don’t forget to get intentional about new family photos during the holiday season ahead!