How to Pick the Size of Frames for old Pictures

Antique or heritage photograph framing is a good way to preserve your old family photographs and add them to your home as decorative pieces of memorabilia. When framing old pictures as heritage pieces, choose matting and framing size options that complement the photograph rather than overpower it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide where you want to hang the picture. If you're trying to fill up a large space of wall, you may either want to use several smaller pictures and frames or choose a larger frame size for a single picture.

2. Choose the size you want the final framed picture to be. If you're working with a small photograph, you will probably want to explore large matting options rather than just going with a large frame, which would overpower the picture.

3. Choose a size of frame large enough to give an old photograph historic character. Many smaller frames are very simple, but you'll probably want to choose a mid- to large-sized frame to allow some room for decorative embellishments and an antique look.

4. Choose a frame that is not too heavy to hang on your wall. Old photographs look best in wooden frames, but very large wooden frames can be extremely heavy, so be sure that your wall can accommodate the weight of the frame you choose.

5. Frame multiple pictures in similar size frames. If you're framing a series of heritage photographs, even if you want to get larger mats for some of the pictures, get frames that conform to roughly the same range of sizes to draw the pictures together as a group.