submitted by: Jennifer
05/12/11
Thanks to Geri for posting this frequently-asked question on Designing Diva’s Facebook page! ”How do you decide which pictures to hang on your wall? How do you decide it when enough is enough pictures?” While artwork is pretty subjective and everyone has a preferance (“Less is more!” to “show it all!”) there are a few rules I go by when hanging artwork and family photos for my clients. Read on to see what works for you!
1) When you prefer a bit less. The Rule of Three works with just
about everything but it really helps when trying to keep walls from looking cluttered. Examples: A mirror with one wall sconce on each side. A large family portrait with two smaller ones off to one side. One print closely paired with a lamp and a shorter vase (as pictured, courtesy of Hello Metro). Three prints of the same size hung paralell to one another either vertically or horizontally.
2) When you just can’t decide what to use. The Rotatation
method is your best friend! Your family is gorgeous and you want to show them off! But if you’re not ruthless with choosing which prints make it onto the walls you may quickly get a “shrine” look going on and nobody wants to be the wierd neighbor on the block. Your wedding portrait hanging above the fireplace is one thing. 90 pairs of eyes staring back at you in every room, well that’s just creepy. I keep only a handful of family prints out at one time but keep an organized folder in my office of great memories that I don’t want to scrapbook- I want to show them off! So about every two months or so I rotate the photos out which also allows for the most recent ones to get fair play as well. I don’t recommend this for households with more than twenty or so frames in a room as this gets tedious with the number like that.
3) When you like to get busy! I’ll give you a moment to get your
mind out of the gutter…. all better? For you artistic types you may prefer a more eclectic look with a mixture of portraits, hand-painted canvases and other forms of art to grace your walls. For this look there isn’t a stead-fast rule (but that’s okay because you creative minds don’t like rules anyway!) so I tell my clients to use whatever invokes the emotion they’re aiming for. If you want your home office to be a hodge-podge collection of local artists’ work because it makes you happy then so be it! If 100 black and white framed snapshots of things you find on your nature hikes calms you down, why not put those in your living room? My only recommendation is to watch how low and how high you hang pieces. Think eye level. And try to keep like art together (no abstracts with Western oils on canvas, for example). Art shown above/right is the 8″x8″ mini abstract “Radiant” by Oklahoma artist Mark Yearwood.
Tags: abstract, art, canvas, family photos, hanging, portraits, prints, wall decor
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submitted by: Jennifer
03/14/11
Our family portraits, those vacation memories, the snapshots from your son’s wedding… those are too precious to keep locked up in scrapbooks. Houzz.com wants to change the way we display those beloved smiles with the following ideas:
- Purchase matching frames (both in size and color) but hang an even number of photos in a puzzle format so that some of the photos are verticle and some are horizontal.
- Have your top picks transferred onto canvas and hang above a sofa or going up the stairs. Affordable Art & Frame in Oklahoma City (720-1284) offers this affordable service.
- Paint your wall grey, scan your photos into black and white and frame in black with white mattes. Hang in a horizontal cluster for a sleek look (photos go the length of the hallway/wall).
- String wire, twine or 2″ burlap ribbon across a wall or the front of a bookshelf; secure with decorative push pins. Use clothes pins to secure unframed photos to the wire, twine or ribbon (my personal favorite).
Tags: art, burlap ribbon, canvas, family pictures, frames, glass, photographs, portraits, twine
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submitted by: Jennifer
10/12/10
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve purchased reproduction artwork from a major chain store just to save a client some cash. But I also believe in putting more than just filler on your walls. The walls of a home say a great deal about the residents inside it, or at least, they should. If it doesn’t speak to you on some level, if it doesn’t catch your eye and stay on your mind for days after you’ve seen it, it doesn’t belong.
So your walls are baren and you’re stumped; what to do? Below are a few of my current favorites from original abstracts to metal reproductions. A little something for everyone!
Steampunk Collage Pressed Tin Wall Art, $56, www.plasticland.com
Rose Stretched Canvas Wall Art, $52, www.plasticland.com
"Ripreso", original abstract, www.markyearwood.com
Tags: abstract art, canvas, original art, tin wall decor
Posted in Design Trends, Eye On Art, new products | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
08/31/10
Have you ever received a beautiful canvas or the latest family portrait only to let it sit in the corner for six months? You’re afraid to hang it- what if you don’t hang it with the right nail and it falls? You don’t know where it should go. You hate damaging the painted walls. The reasons why folks avoid hanging their treasured artwork go on and on. Real Simple Magazine is here to help!
- Beware of sunlight and heat, both of which can damage art. When you have pieces framed, ask for UV-coated glass. And take note of windows and radiators before you choose a spot for anything precious.
- Tighten slack wires on the backs of frames, especially if your goal is precision hanging (lining up art in a grid, say). A loose wire makes it hard to control the height of a piece.
- To protect walls, use peel-and-stick clear rubber bumpers on the back corners of frames. Rubber pads, $4.50 for 18, dickblick.com.
- Choose the right hooks for the weight of your art. Ook brand hooks offer a range of up to 160 pounds and leave tiny holes that are easy to repair if you change your mind. Shields professional hangers, from $5, ooks.com.
- Fix mistakes on a white wall with Spackle (sold at hardware stores) and a fingertip. Apply a tiny dot over a hole, then smooth with a damp paper towel. (White toothpaste can do the job in a pinch.)
Tags: canvas, hanging artwork, photos, portraits, Real Simple Magazine
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submitted by: Jennifer
06/28/10
I like change. I love to rearrange my furniture, paint it every couple of years, sell tired accessories and find new ones. But with all of the coming and going there are at least five types of home accessories I make sure to keep around. They may vary in color, style or shape from season to season but the rules for possessing them are the same: they must be versatile (able to serve various purposes). They must be affordable. They must be special (I never purchase anything for my home that doesn’t inspire me). So what are the five types of accessories I think every home should have?
5) Vases in various color, sizes, materials and shapes. Ceramic, wood, metal, its all good! Set large ones on the floor holding tall reeds and let the smaller ones create smiles at the dinner table by holding tiny cut flowers from your garden….or your neighbor’s garden if they’re not home 
4) Lamps. Floor lamps and table lamps can be moved from room to room and greatly increase a space’s vibe- no overhead lights with four or five lamps turned low sets an intimate tone while the right desk lamp says “time to get to work!”. Lamps are cuter and more affordable than ever these days and the shades can be changed out when you’re bored with it.
3) Black and white photos. These can be framed or on canvas with the subjects being your loved ones or some far away waterfall that makes you relax when you look at it. It doesn’t matter what the photo is, but a collection of them makes a huge statement in any room, in any frame.
2) Books. Old law books, architecture books from the 60′s, hard cover books from museums- any book that makes a statement about who you are or where your interests lie also make great decorating accessories. Stacked on the floor, piled onto an ottoman or lining bookshelves, these little treasures can be found for pennies at garage sales and when arranged properly make a room!
1) Huge pillows. On beds they scream luxury; on sofas they make everyone feel welcome and when used on floors they give added comfort to movie night. Thanks to designers who have gone main stream with their brand these over-sized cushions can be found in stores all over the place in amazing patterns and prices!
Tags: black and white art, books, canvas, interior decor, interior design, lamps, photos
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submitted by: Jennifer
09/18/09
for homeowners and small businesses in need of DDI’s custom interior decorating service!
Tired of your 90′s artwork and worse-the 70′s furniture? Faced with the empty nest syndrome and need a practical solution for the empty bedroom? Starting from scratch can be refreshing, exhilerating and just the inspiration you’ve been needing to make changes in other areas of your life. Whether you’re starting over in a new home or just clearing the canvas in the living room, DDI’s expert can bring her experience and value to your doorstep!
*Expires 10-1-09
Standard rate is $40.00 per hour.
*Does not apply towards Redesign or Homestaging Service.
Tags: artwork, bathroom, bed, bedroom, canvas, carpet, chair, custom decorating, interior design, kitchen, living rom, living room, lobby, rug, small business, sofa, table
Posted in General, Monthly Specials | No Comments »
for homeowners and small businesses in need of DDI’s custom interior decorating service!
Tired of your 90′s artwork and worse-the 70′s furniture? Faced with the empty nest syndrome and need a practical solution for the empty bedroom? Starting from scratch can be refreshing, exhilerating and just the inspiration you’ve been needing to make changes in other areas of your life. Whether you’re starting over in a new home or just clearing the canvas in the living room, DDI’s expert can bring her experience and value to your doorstep!
*Expires 10-1-09
Standard rate is $40.00 per hour.
*Does not apply towards Redesign or Homestaging Service.
