Hanging framed photographs can liven up boring walls, personalise your space, and keep fun memories close at hand. However, not all walls and rooms are created equally. Your family portrait photos may begin to deteriorate if they experience too many extremes and variations in light, humidity, and heat. Here are several tips for hanging your images in a way that both protects them and adds to your home’s décor.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
Although bountiful sunlight is a selling point for many homes, those large windows and open blinds can wreck havoc on your framed images. The ultraviolet radiation in light can cause fading and discolouration. Start protecting your images by using conservation glass or another type of frame glass proven to help reduce UV rays. Next, reduce direct exposure to light, including sunlight, fluorescent lighting, and incandescent lighting. There are specialty bulbs that have UV shields, but at the very least you should avoid, for example, placing a floor lamp directly beside a framed image.
Protect Against Humidity
High humidity can encourage mildew and mould growth, even around and within framed pictures. Thankfully, there are several little tips you can use to prevent this type of damage. For starters, check the humidity level in your home. Seasonal high humidity can be controlled with the help of air conditioners and other dehumidifiers. Next, try to avoid hanging any framed art in high-humidity areas such as bathrooms and small laundry rooms. Then, make sure the space you choose has good airflow to help minimize humidity fluctuations. Finally, avoiding hanging the frame close to or directly underneath a heating or air conditioning vent.
Although low humidity does not pose as many problems, it could contribute to frame damage and structural weakening. Wood expands and contracts anytime it experiences extremes in humidity. Consider, for example, how your front door swells when it rains and may stick a bit in the doorframe. The swelling and contracting may not be noticeable in a small picture frame, but it could weaken over time. In seasons of low humidity, consider setting up a small humidifier in your home.
Limit Exposure to High Heat
Photos can be greatly affected by variations and extremes by heat as well as humidity. Excessive heat can cause deterioration, contributing to fading and cracking. You may think that preventing heat exposure is impossible, especially if you turn on the heat in the summer and open doors and windows in the winter. However, the key to protecting your images is avoiding large temperature fluctuations. If your home is kept at a relatively constant temperature, your images will stay in top-notch condition. Additional tips for reducing fluctuations in temperature include:
- Hanging items in areas with good air circulation
- Keeping frames away from heater vents
- Checking your fireplace and chimney for proper insulation before hanging images
- Hanging pictures out of direct sunlight
Once you have your lighting, humidity, and heat relatively under control, the next step is finding the perfect places to hang your images.
Best Ways to Feature Your Family Portrait Photos
The options for displaying pictures are endless, including gallery walls, staircase, hallways, living rooms, kitchens, and more. For example, consider combining one to three images with the rest of the room’s décor, including furnishings and other accessories. Alternatively, choose multiple images and create a gallery wall dedicated entirely to this purpose. There are many ways to display multiple frames. If you want a collage of frames, however, plan everything out on paper and by laying the frames out on the floor before hammering nails into the wall!
When choosing the frames themselves, try sticking with a single colour palette or texture. Here are a few examples:
- Use all the same style and type of frame
- Use different styles of frames in the same colour
- Mix and match colours within a set palette
- Choose all wooden frames, or another texture
No matter how you arrange your images or the types of frames you use, however, make sure each one is fastened securely to the wall. This is especially important in homes with children. Hallways see a lot of traffic, and other rooms experience jumping, playing, and furniture being pushed against the walls. Keep in mind that your new display can be changed up as often as you would like. You can rearrange the frames or rotate in new images every few months.
Need New, Frame-Worthy Photos?
Do all of these tips and ideas have you dreaming about your wall décor? Book a session today for professional couple, maternity, infant, or family portrait photos that are perfect for displaying in your home.
Talk soon,
Margherita :)
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