The Best Picture Frames and Ideas for Families
I’ve been terribly neglectful of this site. I’ve been buzzing but mostly about really irritating morning talk shows. So what should we talk about today? How about something really exciting, like cocktails and playgroups? No?
Right, boring.
How about picture frames and display? I mentioned in an earlier post my intent to frame and display more of my family snapshots this year and I got an email from Wood from Sweet Juniper asking if I could share some because she would also like to put up some of their shots at their place.
The thought of me trying to find picture frames for Wood’s husband Dutch makes me feel like a pure midwesterner, the kind which calls K-Mart ‘K-Mart’s’ and Target, “Targets”. I’m trying to say I have pretty simple mainstream taste in picture frames. So I’ll start out and you can add your favorite frames in the comments. If you can’t do it for me, do it for Wood.
My taste is a little more simple classic, but I thought West Elm offered some simple modern frames worth looking at. The first is this ‘sectional frame‘, The brushed metal is sleek and I like the slightly off center picture opening. It draws your eye to it and if you’re OCD, it will drive you completely insane. Weee!
Another offering from West Elm is this ‘Mother of Pearl‘ version. Mother of pearl is so pretty and makes me think of a more romantic/floral look, but on these frames it plays very sleek and contemporary. I also love Mother Of Pearl because it’s a wonderful swear word to use in front of children. Although sometimes when something really bad happens I’ll slip and say, “Mother of F’ing Pearl” and that sort of defeats the purpose doesn’t it?
I know I just made fun of Kmarts up above but you know I can’t resist the Martha line. These are well priced and well made frames, I like this dark wood version with center rope detail. It’s not modern but a more classic look and at $8.99-$12.99 you can easily get a few versions. There are many online, but I’ve found more of the wide mat wall frames in the stores and have spent around $10-$25 on them.
I have a hallway in my house I use to display a bunch of photos. In order to tie all the pictures together, I use frames like these from Exposures. (The ‘s’ is supposed to be there.) I like the simple lines and the wide mats around the photos. The wide mat and simple lines makes both colors of wood make sense together and allows your picture really pop out.
I like to change out my pictures and wanted to be able to move my pictures around, add more and take away others. These picture ledges are great for that. Less holes in the wall, a sleek look and flexibility to change things around. Also, you can make these yourself for very little money and effort. I know you think you can’t but you really can. When my husband goes out of town for work I often feel some sort of pioneer spirit take over. It’s as though I want to prove I can do everything on my own when he’s not around. I’ve hung new wood blinds (friends scoffed they’d fall down in a month, 4 years later, still up!), painted rooms, installed under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen and I build picture ledges.
I’ll give you a quick tutorial: Print out a picture of the picture ledges at Room and Board, go to your favorite home improvement superstore. Find a nice looking lady worker near the wood aisle, show her your picture and she’ll help you figure out what you need. Stain and seal your wood, cut to size, nail the pieces together, install brackets on the back and hang on your wall (with a level!). Ta-da.
Maybe frames make you tired. So boring. So played out. You need more excitement in your photo display. Okay, I’ll share but I’ll warn you, if you’re bored by picture frames pretty soon you’re going to be heliskiing for excitement because your need for excitement is going to take over. But let’s start with these things.
A photographer friend of ours has one of these in his living room. I love peeking through the pictures and they’re always changing. Their home is very sleek, a 1960’s California style ranch and this clip on photo organizer looks right at home in their living room. It’s about the size of a floor lamp, only more interesting to look at. Of course, his pictures are so beautiful he could display them in a cardboard box and they would be breathtaking.
I like sticking photos up on my fridge, I think of it like a revolving time capsule. My refrigerator is ridiculously cluttered at this point and it’s kind of embarrassing. Plus my realtor informed me that cluttered refrigerators don’t sell houses. Darn it. I think this magnetic rope display from PhotoJoJo could be my answer. The simple metal cable comes with 8 tiny (but strong) magnets you use to attach photos or other notes to the cable. Your choking fridge (and your realtor) will be able to breathe easy once again.
Another idea I think kids would love is this DIY Photo Block Kit also at Photojojo. The kit includes everything you need to make your own photo block set at home, you provide the 4×6 photo. Four wood blocks, photo safe glue and sealer all come with your kit, you put it together and end up with a unique way to show off your favorite pictures. I love this idea and can imagine how much fun my kids would have mixing and matching their faces.
Where do you find your best picture frames and display?