August 2016

Art and Wall Decor | Family photo ideas

The passion that homeowners have for minimalism shows no signs of abating. Just check out any home for sale or rent on property sites such as Rightmove and you are likely to encounter it very quickly. You will see white walls, either wooden flooring or pale neutral carpets, beige or cream sofas, pretty sparse furnishings – and not much else. Everything will be clean and shiny and there will be no clutter to be seen.

Of course you could argue that when you are presenting your home to prospective purchasers or renters then you do need to make it look its best, especially for the photographer. You may also be a devotee of Marie Kondo’s Japanese decluttering concept of tokimeku – in which everything that does not “spark joy” is thanked for its service and sent on its way to a new, more appreciative, owner.

All well and good. But we wonder if too many people these days are guilty of throwing the baby out with the bathwater? Whilst genuinely minimalist homes can look very smart, they often tend to lack soul. You may sit down in the evening looking around your uncluttered pristine home with a sense of pride: but does it have anything that gives it a personal touch? Or has that somehow been lost in your well meaning efforts at good housekeeping?

So, how do you make a house a home? Is it possible to add a bit of character and personal touch to a room without it becoming a mass of clutter?

When you move into a new home you want to put your own stamp on it straight away. Maybe it is some kind of primeval territorial instinct, but most people have the desire to make it their own. If you have bought your home – particularly if you are a first time buyer – you may want to redecorate at least part of it to bring it more into line with your taste. It can be great fun choosing paint colours for each room: though if you’re anything like us you may find that once it’s on the wall it looks totally different and you’ve changed your mind! If you are renting a home and are not able to redecorate then you will find other ways of adding your personal touch to it.

Buying or renting: one thing that can really bring a room to life is some tasteful wall art. Art can brighten up a room dramatically and becomes a welcome focus to an otherwise bare wall. Everyone has different tastes and it is important to have the right kind of wall art that works for you, rather than the same thing you’ve seen in someone else’s home. Take time to decide what you want and what would look right in your home.

A lovely idea for wall art is for it to feature family photographs. If the photographs and framing are done well, it can look stunning, and can bring a totally personalised look to your room. The photographs do not need to look posed: they need be relaxed and natural and tell your story.

So if you do decide to go down this route then the best idea is to get together with your family and come up with some unique family photo ideas. For example, you could arrange a family photoshoot in one of your favourite places or with props that represent a hobby or passion. Or if one family member always bores everyone else with the same old stories then why not get them to do that during the photoshoot and the memory of the moment will amuse everyone for years to come!

Creating unique wall art from your family photo ideas could not only transform the look and feel of your home but would also give you and your family a precious reminder of happy times; some memories to treasure for ever. Your wall art will spark joy in your home without adding clutter!

To get an idea of what it could look like in your home do have a browse through some examples of wall art featuring other people’s family photo ideas here. Then if you feel inspired to arrange your own family photoshoot we’d be happy to help you. Why not get in touch today to get things moving?