Design Tips

Frames

  • 5 Steps to Decorating Your Home

    1. Inventory all the photographs and memorabilia you have. Separate groups of photos and memento's into categories. Some ideas include vacation shots, weddings, birthdays, children etc.
    2. Survey your home. Take some time out to decide what walls and areas of the home you would like to display your pictures in. Stairwells are a popular choice for displaying photographs. You can also use wall space in the living room, dining room and bedrooms. Hallways are also a great area for displaying pictures and frames, as are foyers.
    3. Don't forget, you won't have to mount all frames, like digital picture frames. These picture frames look great as stand-alones. You can decorate your office, bedroom and den with them.
    4. Assess the number of frames you need relative to the photos you have.
    5. Decide the style frames you want in each area of the house. Try to match the style of the frame to the theme of the photograph and then to the decor of the room.

     

  • Choosing Your Moulding

    Consider these questions when choosing your frame moulding.

    What is the overall size of the art?  The wider the piece of artwork, the wider the mat margins and moulding width.

    What is the size of space where the art will be displayed? If the space is tight, you might have to adjust your plans to incorporate a smaller moulding or mat. Artwork should be framed to suit itself, not to the room where it will be displayed.  Always choose the frame moulding and mats to compliment the artwork taking into consideration where the art will be displayed.

    Is the artwork a single piece or part of a group setting?  A single piece of artwork will look great in a wide frame.  This is also true for a pair of pictures.  But when you start framing multiple pictures in a group setting, wider frames take over, appearing to dominate the wall.

    Can depth be used to enhance the design? Deeper frame mouldings can add drama to the finished presentation of the artwork.  A deeper moulding can either project the artwork out from the wall, making it appear more prominent, or the artwork may be recessed deeper into the frame giving it a more three-dimensional perspective.

    What is the color scheme of the art?

    Ø  Warm colors (pinks, oranges, reds, yellows) tend to look good with gold frames, wood tones such as mahogany or other warm colors.

    Ø  Cool tones (blues, greens, purples) look good with silver frames, grayer wood tones and cool colors.

    Is the art casual or formal?

    An ornate gold frame probably wouldn’t be the best piece for a casual piece of art.

    What is the mood of the art?

    What is the era of the art?

    Is the art light or dark?

    What are the predominant colors of the art?

    What is the focal point?

     

  • Tips:

    Ø  Choose a moulding color that coordinates well with the art it surrounds, without competing for attention with the art.

    Ø  Select moulding finishes that relate to the era of the item being framed to create a look of period authenticity.

    Ø  Use a moulding the same color as the area in the art that is the center of interest.  This helps to tie the moulding to the most vivid part of the art.

    Ø  Know that gold, silver, and some wood tones are used so much that they are often considered neutral.

Art

  • Framed Art Hanging Tips

    • Consider the shapes in the architecture of the room as if they were part of a framed art composition. • Doors and windows can look magical with framed art hung on either side. The door or window will provide another framed vista. • Fireplaces have long been favorite places to accent with framed art. Consider the mantle to be another frame and balance a large painting or mirror over it. Because fireplaces are inherently a focal point of the room, this is not the place to hang many small prints. There should be something of weight above the fireplace to balance the strength of what's below. • Don't be afraid to accent curves with framed art. A curving staircase or hall can look charming with a series of framed art prints drawing attention to the curve. Country Casual decorating demands an informal approach to picture arrangement. The colors and tones of the cottage are enhanced by warm, mellow woodwork. Pictures and their frames look at home in this style when they are filled with warm tones, reds, browns, and earth colors, and framed in natural wood or even rich gold. Painting subjects for this style include rural landscapes and traditional still life of fruit in the kitchen or dining room. Contemporary decorating can be beautifully complemented by dramatic works of art. When framed art is exceedingly bold, it needs the space a sleek interior can give it. If collections are hung in contemporary home, they should be exceedingly orderly in order to not distract from the simplicity of the line. Traditional picture arrangements will incline toward formal symmetry. Framed art can be hung in large groupings in a traditional home, and although overall symmetry should be considered, the individual framed art pieces need not be framed or matted exactly the same. In fact, the richness of difference will give the impression of being collected over time. When hanging a collection, it is important that the individual items have something that links them to each other. Perhaps they are all works by the same artist, or they share a common theme, from architecture to botanical prints. They may celebrate a period or use the same medium, photography, for example. When displayed together they will convey an impression of abundance and richness.

Photo Keepsakes

  • Get creative with a photo gift collage

    Find easy step by step instructions on how to add multiple pictures to your mousepad, mug or canvas tote! Remember to crop and edit as you wish prior to building your photo keepsake. Enhance your photograph and make a keepsake that is totally unique! Add sepia tone, or make it black and white. You can also add borders to really define your photograph and make it just how you like it!

  • Get kids involved!

    You can build and share photo year books, have contests, create projects and share with parents, teachers and peers with these fun photo activities. This is great for classrooms, clubs and sports teams! Add an artistic project to any curriculum and get an A+ with parents in this controlled and secure site. Is your refrigerator full to the max with your child's Piccaso’s? Scan your child’s art and build a calendar of all the one-of-a-kind masterpieces that they have created. They will see just how proud you are when you can fit them into a calendar and enjoy them all year long.

  • Spooky Halloween Photo Tip

    For dramatic pictures, photograph at dusk or twilight for great results! This small amount of light will reek of drama and illuminate scary subjects for the ultimate trick or treaters.

  • Capture the theme of autumn.

    Before you take autumn pictures, think about what you see that symbolizes the fall. Emphasizing the elements that say “fall” in your photos and removing the ones that can distract from your focal point. Be careful when taking autumn images that while you are enjoying the riot of bright fall color, you don't overlook bare branches or telephone wires or anything that may take away from the picture. These kinds of pictures make your digital keepsakes unique.

  • Let your pictures tell a story by creating the perfect photo story

    Try photographing an eventful day from start to finish. Begin your story with the preparation, arrival or start of the event, a variety of moments throughout and end with a closing picture to wrap up the event. This is great fun and can be incorporated into any photo keepsake to be treasured for all time.