"Say Cheese!"

A quick thought for this week. Many people decorate with photos because they don't know what else to put on display. Typically they are photos of family and monumental events in their life. Photos get haphazardly put in frames one at a time. Not only can you tell the decade of a photo by hair and clothing style, but also the frame style. Yes, frames go out of style, too!

Here's a thought...instead having frames randomly placed on bookshelves and side tables give them a moment of thought. How can you make the great ones a part of the design of the room? Give them more presence. Create a design and match your design style.

A gallery wall is a good option to consolidate the "keepers." Pick a spot that is regularly visible to you but not the main feature in the room. Not in your dining room or formal living room. An upstairs hallway or wall in the family room that is not the focal point is best. You can get gallery hanging kits on line that make it super easy.

Put those "keeper" photos in a frame that is bigger than the photo. For example a 5x7" photo in a frame with an matte that has a actual frame size of 11x14" makes a big impact. The photo becomes art.

Don't just plop the frames on a shelf. Hang them in places that are unexpected, like between two windows.

Make the photo the only thing on the shelf. Let it be the star of the show.