AboutSara Tro Expertise I am a professional custom picture framer and designer. I have experience in all areas of
picture framing, and own my own custom framing shop. I can answer questions relating
to the design of a piece, the preservation of the artwork, color theory, photograph
restoration, decor, art placement, room balancing and installation questions.
Experience I have owned my own retail custom frame shop for 5 years, and managed a high-end shop before that for 5.5 years. I worked for a professional restorer and archivist for 8 months prior to the management position. I am also a fine artist myself, with a BFA in Photography and Printmaking, and have been framing my own work for years and years.
Education/Credentials BFA Fine Arts, NYSCC at Alfred University, NY
Expert: Sara Tro Date: 4/11/2008 Subject: Choosing frames
Question Hi Sara. I'm so hung up abou this...I have so many professional pics of family, some black and white and some colored, and I pick frames out for them. I want to get these on the wall so here is my question, or two....
Can you mix the different colored pics? BW with Color?
Can you mix brown and black frames?
Can you mix different times, like engagement/wedding photos and children pics and family photos?
Do I go with the color of furniture and other colors of frames on the walls, or should every frame in that room be the same shade.
AGHHHH
My husband gets tired of me not hanging anything, but I want it to be right and look nice.
Thanks for your time.
Sarah
Answer Hi Sarah,
Great question!
This is the time tested, long-standing dilemma of many many home-owners, so don't feel alone in your confusion! There is hope, though, in that you're thinking about all the right things! As there are no "rules" with decor or framing, I'll try to give you the best possible answers I can, and I hope I can help..
So, Can you mix B&W photos with color? I usually say not to. Sad, but true. As a photographer and framer, I tend to see that when color pictures hang near black and whites, they tend to look sort of casual and pedestrian, like snapshots. The B&W look great, but the color shots look less professional next to the black and whites. I usually advise clients, if they have a lot of photos to hang, to either take some of the color photos in to be scanned and turned into sepia (brown and white) or black and white prints. From prints and a scan, you can make a very nice looking B&W, and then they'll blend better with the collection. If the budget doesn't really allow for REprinting all the color pics, then I would recommend separating the photos into 2 groups, and hanging the black and whites in an area that is a little more formal, such as a living room or a stairwell. Hang the color collection in an upstairs hallway, or ina family room.. (a more intimate space where you and your family will enjoy them, and very close friends and guests). If you go with the reprinting option, you can frame the sepia prints in the brown frames, and the B&W in the black frames, and make a warm, interesting and varied collection that looks good together!
Which brings me to the next question..
Can you blend black and brown frames on the same wall/collection? Yes! You can!! Yay! Sometimes, a slightly different frame color on a variety of pieces in a collection will add visual interest, as long as the finishes aren't too different, and the styles are similar. You want, above anything else, the pieces to look "purposeful" in the way they're displayed.. Like you meant it to be exactly the way it is.
And, you asked whether you can blend times/themes within the photos in a collection? And, I think, yes! Again, Yay! I think you need to make sure you have a nice variety of different moments that are displayed, so I would avoid having 5 wedding shots, with one family portrait. I'd recommend a nice blend.. three from a wedding, two full family portraits, a few close ups of children and babies, etc.. Adding variety, warmth and intimacy is easy with a lot of photos to chose from.. Just lay out all the ones you have and choose your favorites, (making sure to choose photos that have people from different distances.. some from far away (family portrait), and some tighter close-ups).
The last question is the hardest you asked, because this is a huge issue with decor and planning.
*I USUALLY say that if there are fewer pieces of art in a room, the frames should be similar, but unique, and don't have to match each other. If they're large, they need to stand on their own, and the furniture/colors/decor in the room should not be taken into consideration for the framing until you get to a point where several frames look good for the piece, then you'd choose the one that looks best with the couch/wall color/etc..
*If there are 24 family photos going up a stairwell, I would opt for choosing maybe 5 different profiles (frame types), and mix them all up, using the same finish (color) and similar style. Using the same exact frame for each of the 24 pieces can make for an almost agressive and more modern look, and most homes want a warmer, more traditional approach. A whole block of the same frames will make a subconscious "wall" in the space, and this can be used to an advantage if necessary.. Mixing the frames up will create a softer, more random "collected" feeling, instead of a super planned one. This creates a feeling of homeyness, or a slightly casual feeling.
Please feel free to write again with more specifics.. size of the photos.. (are they all small, random, or wall portraits 16x 20 or bigger?), where you're trying to hang them, etc..
I wish you tons of luck in your project!
Best,
Sara
