| A Little Savvy with Framed Art Prints and | | | | Always make sure your mat and frame are not |
| Photographs | | | | distract!ing the viewer's eye away. They should |
| Can Help Successfully Pull a Room Together | | | | compliment the piece, not compete for attention. |
| By Celeste Teresi DeSapri | | | | And, finally, I suggest a level and a good sturdy |
| Maybe you're restricted by an older living space | | | | hammer, if you're doing the hanging yourself. |
| with existing furnishings, or overwhelmed by the | | | | Careful hanging, relationships, and grouping will help |
| possibilities a stark new space may offer. Maybe | | | | give a professional look. Unity is most important in |
| you're decorating with unlimited funds, or on a | | | | bringing a display of pictures, prints and |
| shoe string budget. What ever the circumstances, | | | | photographs together. Grouping frames for your |
| framed art and prints can offer numerous | | | | walls are will give character to the setting. Frames |
| solutions to decorating dilemmas, and they are | | | | in the same color and finishes unify a collection, |
| often key elements in bringing a room together. | | | | even if pictures are of various shapes and sizes. |
| To use framed art successfully, as wall | | | | Framing different subjects with the same color |
| décor, color, and grouping, proportions and | | | | mount also helps unity. |
| hanging need to be given careful consideration. | | | | Placing all the items you wish to group for a |
| Begin by thinking about the feeling or mood you | | | | particular wall, on the floor in that room is an easy |
| wish to convey. Consider the colors and styles of | | | | way to visualize a plan. You can rearrange the |
| existing furnishings, you may wish to reinforce, | | | | items until you are satisfied. Then, step back and |
| contrast or complement especially those that | | | | check the arrangement, before going to the wall. |
| would be difficult or costly to change, such as | | | | Remember, a consistent spacing factor between |
| flooring or bathroom fixtures. Study the space | | | | each item is important. Picture cords and large |
| itself. Is it large and expansive, with high ceilings, | | | | hooks may be hidden under bell cords, ribbons and |
| or small and intimate? | | | | decorative rosettes. For formal settings, chains |
| So, now that you've begun thinking about mood, | | | | can hang pictures on traditional picture rods. Large, |
| space, color and placement, here are some | | | | bold pictures can be further away, in more open |
| thoughts about materials and tools. If | | | | rooms. Small detailed pictures should be hung in |
| conservation is an important concern, the matting | | | | intimate halls and baths. The most common error |
| material should be one hundred percent acid free | | | | made in hanging pictures is to hang them too high. |
| rag board. This is what museums use. Double | | | | Standing eye level of an average person is fine |
| mats may work well in situations where you want | | | | for halls and entryways. In living and dinning |
| to maximize an accent color. The accent colored | | | | rooms, pictures should be at eye level when |
| mat is usually placed under the lighter mat so only | | | | seated. |
| about one sixteenth to one quarter inch (about | | | | Celeste is a free lance designer and illustrator who |
| three to five centimeters) of it shows. Mats are | | | | earned her BFA degree, with a major in illustration |
| usually four ply, but thicker, eight ply mats can | | | | and a minor in portraiture, from the Cleveland |
| really draw in the eye. They work best with | | | | Institute of Art. Her works can be found in |
| photos and very small prints. Silk mats may be | | | | various corporate and private collections as well |
| used in more formal and classic situations. If a | | | | as online at The Northern Ohio Illustrator's Society |
| mat is not used there are spacers, called fillets | | | | where she serves on the board. |
| that may be used to prevent the piece from | | | | For more works of art, please visit our Art |
| touching the glass. This prevents condensation | | | | Gallery of Fine Prints and Posters from Home to |
| from forming. UV glass does not prevent, but will | | | | over 100,000 art prints and posters, easily sort |
| cut down the amount of fading, over time. | | | | able by artist and style. |