carlyn yandle/for metro vancouver
A trio of postcard replicas of 1920s advertising posters from Hungary serve as unique wall décor.
I recently met with a client who was stumped at what to put on her bare walls. Several months after moving into her new home, she didn’t want to make a mistake. Paralysis had set in.
The first thing I do in this very common situation is ask to take a peek at the pile of framed items already on hand. Almost everyone has a space-sucking stash of mass-produced, tired images picked up or inherited in a moment of weakness.
After we haul out the clutter of frames, I ask for the client’s opinion of each one, and we start building three piles: Keep, Give Away and I Don’t Know.
Funny how it takes a conversation with another person to decide that most of those generic images bought for the sole purpose of adding a little life to a space have no life of their own. In fact, sometimes a bare wall is better than some meaningless florals or those bland landscapes better known as bank art.
At least an empty wall can serve as visual breathing room, enhancing other elements in the space like the architecture or the view outdoors.
Once we finish weeding through the “art” we go through that other stash: Mementoes, childhood photos, souvenirs and other cherished bits and pieces that deserve a little daylighting.
Wall-worthy items can be anything from vintage postcards to Grandma’s gaudy clip-on earrings, to old maps or kids’ paintings.
Framed and hung on a wall, a collection of humble items can start conversations and turn even a tiny apartment into a personal, unique gallery.
A good way to decide how to present those important pieces is by touring an actual gallery where it’s clear that it’s all about lighting, framing and the space itself.
All the works are hung so the centre is at general eye level, and set in frames that enhance the subject — nothing wimpy or overwhelming. Smaller framed pieces look best set on a smaller wall or in a smaller space, like a bathroom or narrow hall. Three-dimensional items — from an antique christening dress to a seashell collection — can be mounted and set into a recessed frame. Any full-service or do-it-yourself frame shop can provide ideas for how to best present those treasures.
Finally, family photos can be raised to personal-art stature by scanning them in black and white and hanging them in simple black or silver frames.
