How to Decorate Your Home with Photographs

I'm what my friends and family call a "photo nut", meaning that I'm always the one behind the camera rather than in front of it. We recently redecorated our bedroom and I had been searching for some framed pictures or prints to hang above the headboard. Nothing I found seemed right for us. So, I decided to make my own "art". I took pictures of some beautiful flowers at my parent's house, using my digital camera. The best ones were chosen, enlarged, and framed. (That's the collection in the photograph here.) It's easy to create your own framed photographs and spend a fraction of the cost you would by purchasing someone else's photographs. Take these tips and decorate your home with your own personal photographs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Camera
• Creativity
• Inexpensive frames

1. Decide on the theme you'd like for any given room in your home. For our bedroom, the curtains had muted flowers and greenery in them. So, I chose to go with photographs of flowers.
2. Take pictures of scenes that match your chosen theme. For example, maybe you'd like to decorate your bathroom in a seaside/beach theme. This is easier of course if you live by the beach. If you go on vacation though, take pictures of everything – you never know what you might use.
3. Take photographs of scenery from far away. Take photographs of nature close up too. Have a variety of images from which to choose.
4. Decide on the best photos. Get them enlarged to either 5x7 or 8x10 size. If you go larger than that, make sure your photograph won't look grainy or odd at a larger size. Decorate your home with several different sized photographs for great visual interest.
5. Frame your photographs in inexpensive frames. I found several nice ones at the Dollar Store, Wal-Mart, and a store we have here called Old Time Pottery. Kohl's often has photo frames on sale as well, if you prefer a higher quality frame.

Tips & Warnings

• A few ideas for themes: lighthouses, beach, nature, water features (lakes, ponds, creeks, streams), animals, flowers, gardens, farms, barns, trees, etc.
• Your imagination is your only limit!