How to Properly Display Family Photos

Hi All-

Just a quick post this week...as the weather is becoming cooler (kudos Mother Nature on the spectacular FALL you are providing us in Charlotte by the way!!), football overtakes our weekends & the stores are stocking CHRISTMAS (really?) items...our thoughts are starting to plan for the holidays.  We'll look at some ways you can prepare & make your home festive & welcoming for the holidays.

First off, I want to look at the FAMILY Life Area (Feng Shui, the FAMILY Life Area is located on the LEFT wall, center 1/3.  If you're new to Feng Shui & the Bagua Board listen to this intro episode on the Feng Shui Fabulous radio show & see the blog there for more info).  If there's any "issues" that come up over the Thanksgiving dinner table or you & your siblings go back to being 5 yr olds throwing tantrums THIS is the life area you want to look at.  Once you locate this area, DECLUTTER it!  You know the steps (if not, go here).  

This life area is activated by the WOOD element, the color GREEN & the shape of RECTANGLES.  You can also use personal symbols such as family photos, cherished family heirlooms or items from fun family vacations.  This leads us to what I wanted to focus on today: Family Photos!  One of the big issues I see when I work w/my design clients (or even a friend or family member's home) is how pictures are displayed.  A couple here, 1 over there...there's no cohesion or theme.  The following are some tips I offered for an interview awhile back that I thought would be good to re-post to help promote a COHESIVE family unit!

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How to DISPLAY Family Photos:

(1) Where is the best spot to hang a photo collage?   Any spot where it will serve to support you...Ideally by your desk, or if you 'd like to employ Feng Shui principles, hang in the RELATIONSHIP Life Area.  This area is the FAR RIGHT corner of the room when standing at the doorway looking IN.  If this is to be hung in a home, hallways, family rooms & living rooms are best spot for a photo gallery.

(2) What size frames look best in a photo collage?  A variety of sizes to add interest-largest one in the middle to serve as a point of focus/interest.  If you want a "cohesive" look, make sure frames are same color & same material.


(3) What types of frame colors look best in a photo collage?  To highlight the PICTURE, a frame should be minimal-either clear or black-something to create a border & definition.  A thin, less than 1", border works best to highlight pictures.

 (4) Should home owners mix and match the size and color of the frames in their collage? Why or Why not? Size yes, color...not so much unless you want to highlight the frame or pictures are blk/wht. Otherwise, it can be too "stimulating" & distracting from the pictures.

(5) About how many photo frames should be hung to make the best impact? Can't answer w/out seeing space where they to be hung & size of pictures.  A general rule is ODD numbers to create interest & in shape of diamond (1 in center w/other photos radiating out) or in an X.  For those that are very "linear" in their thinking, then think in even numbers & hanging in squares & rectangles for support & balance.

(6) How high off the floor should home owners hang their photo collage?  I personally like photo walls & galleries in homes/rooms & try to apply in my client's spaces when possible.  Then you can go floor to ceiling....If you don't have that many photos or just want to highlight a few, then hang at least 42" off floor & up 3' (3.5'x 6' of space to work with).

(7) What types of photos look the most striking in a photo collage? Anything that is distinctive & high contrast.  Anything that is blurred, muted colors require people to get "up close" to look at photos & depending how the furniture is arranged or room is space-planned, you may not be able to really see what is being pictured.  I like to group either ALL blk/wht or ALL color.

(8) Do you have any other tricks for making a photo collage really pop?  I think collages act as artwork in the home & should be treated as such.  Make them a focal point!  Otherwise, why display them.  Display in places where people can see & enjoy them.  Choose frames that are flattering & highlight the photo.  Only use "kitchy" frames (with sayings, lots of detail...) for pictures that you are displaying individually so as not to take away from the collage as a whole.

LOTS going on here in the South w/Bante Design LLC.  We've got a couple of workshops & LIVE events coming up which I'm really excited about, as well as a MAJOR project that will be debuted in early 2013!  Stay tuned.  Until next time...D :)