Image via Anthropologie
Why have some people stopped decorating with family photos?
I wonder if it’s a reaction to what we grew up with: JCPenney and Sears portraits, matching outfits, big hair, and those unmistakable backdrops. Add in the beautifully sanitized interiors we see online, and suddenly we’re wondering whether a school portrait belongs on the bookshelf.
I have those photographs too. Sometimes I don’t know where to put them, so I don’t put them anywhere. And don’t get me started on the annual school portraits.
But I love walking into someone’s home and seeing pictures of the people they love. Those faces and memories tell us something about who lives there. And there’s something especially lovely about finding yourself in a friend’s home.
A friend once said to me, “Wow, you like me that much you want all your visitors to see me.”
She was right.
Making your history visible
I have family photographs dating back to the late 1880s, along with photographs from my husband’s family. I want my children to see where they come from. Having those pictures around gives us opportunities to talk about the people in them.
We spend so much time finding things that bring character into our homes. Sometimes we already have something deeply personal tucked away in a drawer.
Three ways to decorate with family photos
1. Keep the scale intimate.
I prefer smaller framed photographs to poster-sized portraits. A picture on a bedside table or a few frames among books can fit naturally into a room.
2. Create a heritage wall.
Gather photographs from different generations in a hallway, staircase, or landing. Include both sides of the family, and record names and dates on the backs for the next generation.
3. Give the frames some thought.
Antique frames bring character and make a display feel collected over time. For a quieter arrangement, keep frame colors similar while varying their sizes.
This is something I want to work on myself. Start with one photograph you love, find a frame, and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day. There should be room in our homes for the people who make our lives what they are.
Salvick Studio creates personal, layered homes in the Hudson Valley, NYC, Long Island, and Westchester. Get in touch if you’d like help making yours feel more like you. Contact form.
