Cottage Living
Lulu DK for Lonny
Desire to Inspire
Palmer Weiss for Lonny
A New Kind of Family Photo
I've heard more than one decorator say you should never display photos of yourself or your family in your own home. I say do what you want to do. I think it's so cool to blow up a fun family photo to hang as art. Bonus points for using shots that are a little off - or at least not posed.
Cottage Living
Lulu DK for Lonny
Desire to Inspire
Palmer Weiss for Lonny
Cottage Living
Lulu DK for Lonny
Desire to Inspire
Palmer Weiss for Lonny
Don't use photos of your family in your own home? That is crazy! I love all the creative ways the photos above were incorporated into those homes. I would smile every time I looked at them!
ReplyDeleteFun examples! And, I think it's silly that decorators say that. If not in your own home, where else are they going to be displayed? :)
ReplyDeleteyikes. if you want a house...don't put your photos up. if you want a HOME, put photos up! your examples are perfectly inspirational and immediately bring interest, meaning and conversation to the room. :)
ReplyDeleteLove these I D E A S ! ! ! ! Especially the 1st and 2nd photos. I'm really digging the modern super-size …this has given me an idea for my own bedroom :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. Any time I see one of those oversize, candid photos in a space, I just melt!
ReplyDeleteI love the modern supersized family shots and am itching to do this for my master bedroom- In think they are so charming and really give such great impact in a room. The inspiration shots you gave as examples are amazing- love them all! That Palmer Weiss bedroom is one of my favourite all time kid room- love it to the ends of the earth!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Photos of family are fantastic in a home.
ReplyDeleteAs a photographer... I would die if my clients didn't use the photos and display them
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not so sure about that "rule". Seems pretty ridiculous to me.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos. I also love to look at people's photos in their homes. Where else would you put them??
ReplyDeleteI agree with you - do what you want in your own home. Love the family photos shown here! Karin
ReplyDeleteI don't like a lot of photos of ourselves in the "public" areas of the house, but love them in bedrooms, etc. This my personal thing. This approach definitely turns the images into art and absolutely LOVE it!!
ReplyDeleteIf not to fill with family memories, than what's the point of a home? My whole stairway is covered in B&W family shots (going back 5 generations!). I also snuck pictures of the Kennedys and Abe Lincoln and other people I WISH where in my family in there... nobody's really noticed yet!
ReplyDeletei so want to do this in taylor's room!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post. I agree with you - do what you want, it is YOUR home! Plus, I think my clients would be appalled if I told them "no more photos of the kids, sorry!" ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you no photos of your family, I never got that, it's what makes your house a home right? I also like photos that aren't posed, the posed ones remind me of the old Olan Mills (sp) photos my mom dragged us to when we were kids!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, so true. Do what you want -- these snaps all make the rooms personal and add lots of visual interest.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Alcira
thenerochronicles.blogspot.com
I definitely think it is a personal preference, and at times I think I got a bit overboard on the pictures, but I just love all the memories they bring back for me!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine anyone making such a statement. I have family photos every where and some large framed photographs in the hall and bedroom.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
I agree that it's creepy when someone has tons of photos of themselves plastered everywhere. But I don't get that decorator rule. Ummmm, so if not your family, who should be pictured in the photos? Someone else's family? LOL
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have a good resource or good tips for blowing these up? Do they have to be a certain image quality? I am inspired.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It makes me smile every time I walk by photos of my family so why wouldn't I display them? I love the pictures in the little girl's bedroom - may have to try that. Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in interior design school, the head of the department said that exact thing. He said never have pictures of family in rooms where other people can see them. Keep them to the bathrooms and halls! I've always thought how crazy that is. Your home is a reflection of you, and it's a place that makes you happy. I think people have a hard time "breaking rules" and get hung up over them. I love your examples
ReplyDeletewhat is the rationale behind the rule that says you shouldn't have a picture of YOUR family in your very own house? Assuming that seves absolutely NO function so it must be all form...but why & how?!?
ReplyDeleteAnd who are these designers so I know how to avoid?!?!
What?!?!?! That is crazy, I completely disagree with those decorators. I think there should be pictures of you and your family in your home. When people come over they always look at personal pictures first. I love these ideas for updated pictures, very cool.
ReplyDeleteDecorators really say that?!? If you can't display pictures in your own home, where CAN you display them?? And then, what's the point of taking pictures? Silly! That is one rule that is meant to be broken!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that, too, but I don't spend money for a professional photographer JUST to scrapbook the pictures! I also like to frame them around the house, and I think it's perfectly normal -- AND within the bounds of classy decorating -- to do so. :)
ReplyDeleteDitto to that! Those are amazing examples of fab family photos used as art!
ReplyDeleteIt is amusing how riled up this made so mny of us!!! Stuffy designers who think no photography should be displayed. Oh brother...
ReplyDeleteGreat examples of how to blow up family art for your home. I am a big believer in adding family pics. We have a long hallway that has four large pic openings and I am adding blown up family pics.. can't wait.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the last photo with the girls' photos above their beds! Definitely keeping that idea locked up for the future.
ReplyDeleteWhat! That's crazy talk. How can you not have any photos of yourself and family in your home? It would look like a model home....boring!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are perfect examples of how it is actually the best idea!
Love this Idea. We actually did this with our engagement picture! And we love Black and white.
ReplyDeleteActually a good tip - IF you’re looking to blow up a picture Black and white - Go to your local print shop and get the Original picture plotted to the largest size you want on just regular paper (The stuff they use for Blue prints)
It costs so much less!
We framed ours and we get TONS of complements on it!
These are gorgeous! I am definitely a fan of the blown-up candids... I have a few in mind that I'd like to get into my house :)
ReplyDeleteHow dreary NOT to have family photos around. Those are the best kind! Love the giant family photo prints--especially since they're not the staged family shots filled with people in matching outfits.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely use your own family photos! Thats what makes it YOUR HOME!
ReplyDeleteIF I wanted a house ( not a home ) but a living space that was generic and showed no signs of the people who live and love within those walls, then I can understand some designers saying that .
ReplyDeleteBut I live in a home full of photos from places we have all been, children, pets and although my husband, Pup and I are a gazillion miles from Everyone we know and love, at least we can see them in our rooms.
Of course, I don't have family photos in the living room.. but the rest of the house, you can't avoid it.
I love that huge photo of the baby, the underwater photo and well, I love them all.
I think I have to do some photo enlarging now ..
Gosh, I cover my world in pictures. I couldn't imagine my home without them.
ReplyDeleteI think I generally break lots of traditional decorating rules though.
Because we all know we just want a house that makes us feel at home.
The Home Improvement show does it all the time. It gives a personal touch to the home of memories to cherish.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. Totally agree. Our homes are not magazine layouts. We live in them. I would feel sad to not display some photos of my family.
ReplyDeleteThe photos of those adorable girls above their beds is awesome!
ReplyDeletehow silly, I think your home should be filled with photos!! and I agree, natural un-posed photos are the best
ReplyDeleteMaybe when you show or photograph a home, that makes sense. But to live in a home? Family photos are part of what make a house, a home.
ReplyDeleteUmmm... I probably follow the opposite of this advice. I love having photos of our family hanging everywhere. In fact, I love this post because I'm always looking to incorporate personal photos into our decorating design. Do you have any more ideas like these? If so, I'd love to see them...
ReplyDeleteThat's just crazy talk to not have family photos. Isn't family what life is about? I definitely don't follow that rule in my design business! These are great examples!
ReplyDeleteI always think it's strange when homes are decorated entirely with photographs of other people and none of their own. Sad (to me) when you can spend time in a home and still not know who really lives there. I wonder in these cases - don't you have any experiences worth documenting and sharing? A ban on personal photos sounds like self-conscious decorating to me.
ReplyDeletei agree...photos are memories. show them off!
ReplyDeletethis is something that i feel quite strongly about. i've based my company on the philosophy that you shouldn't have to choose between good interior design and having family photos. the trick is to incorporate the space when having family photos taken. by keeping the space in mind and having artistic pictures of your family, you can have the best of both worlds. it is definitely possible to have a beautiful room and beautiful family photography.
ReplyDeleteLove the post! serendipitous though because I did a very similar post on this too! Great minds..
ReplyDeletehttp://roy-g-bivblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/interior-inspiration-large-photographs.html
Best,
Anna
lulu's photo in that issue of lonny was my favorite thing - PERFECT!
ReplyDeleteI am guessing that "rule" is a throwback to the days when people entertained in parlors and formal dining rooms, and living spaces were far less casual.
ReplyDeleteI likely would not do a huge photo wall in a foyer, but that's mostly because your average homeowner spends very little time in his or her own entryway. A living room, dining room and hallway though are perfectly acceptable places for personal photos. With the prices charged by good portrait photographers, it's insane and a total waste of money to NOT show off their work.
I think the best kind of art is that of your family!
ReplyDeleteI have heard that comment before"dont display family photos" I think it's ridiculous. Your home is your sanctuary, your refuge and your place to relax. Which is exactly why you should have family photos if you want them. It make you place more personal. If I want to go to a place where there's no family photos I'll check into a Holiday Inn. That's all!
ReplyDeleteoh, i love that too...i just took pics of my daughter in her costume and can't wait to blow it up and hang it on the wall....
ReplyDeleteI have a huge b/w canvas of my daughter blowing out her birthday candles in my kitchen and I wouldn't have it any other way!
ReplyDeleteDo you know where the grey couch in the Desire to Inspire photo is from? I'm looking for a grey couch and that one looks gorgeous. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteErica: The gray sofa looks to-the-trade/custom (read: really pricey!). You might want to check Ballard or Wisteria for a similar look. If you have a Restoration Hardware outlet nearby, you might get lucky.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of not using family pictures in your own home. Sure if you are selling it but other than that what makes a home a home but pictures and items that your family loves.
ReplyDelete