Try framing sentimental items as a conversation piece
AFTER months of deliberation you’ve hauled home a piece of art only to find it doesn’t quite translate from the cool, rarefied surroundings of a contemporary gallery to the more cosy environs of your home.
Even photography, which is much less intimidating, can meet a similar fate. Hanging art and photography could stump even the most accomplished interior decorating enthusiasts.
If you get it right, precious art and photography will be shown to full effect — get it wrong, however, and it might go unnoticed. Sheelah Moloney of the 2020 Art Gallery, says:
“Art can work in kitchens, stairs and home offices, and not just in the good room where it won’t be seen often. And it doesn’t have to hang on a wall — consider the mantelpiece and shelves for smaller pieces. Look at the scale of your piece too as it can change depending on room size and ceiling height. If hung opposite a mirror, its effect will double.”
The effect of a much loved painting or photograph can be compromised by hanging at the wrong height, or by the backdrop quality. Typically, art is hung a little on the high side as we try to allow for someone taller than ourselves viewing it. But as a rule of thumb, 1.7m from the floor does the trick.
A plain white or other neutral paint choice is the ideal backdrop, as seen in art galleries. Everything will look good against it, whereas fashionable flowery wallpaper might swallow your photography or shrink your watercolour into obscurity.
Lighting is an important consideration too.
“Daylight is obviously best,’ says Ita Freeney of the Lavit Gallery, “picture lights are more suitable for traditional art rather than contemporary, and should hit all of the painting and not just one spot. If the main light is on in a room, it will light the whole painting, but if lamplight is being used, then it’s best the art is near it.”
She also suggests leaving artwork on a chair in your chosen spot to see its response to different light before hanging.
Another hanging option is grouping smaller frames together to create an artwork in itself, regardless of the frames’ content. Choose your selection, keeping to odd numbers — three, five, seven and so on — and play with them until you get the configuration that is right for you.
Do make sure you have a common thread to pull your motley selection together. If you’re using different shapes, sizes and finishes in your frames, consider all black and white photography to give the arrangement unity: Colour photography would benefit from uniformly neutral frames.
If you’ve hung all the photos you wish and are not in the market for buying art, but there’s some wall space to fill, think about framing personal effects. They’ll have to be pretty much two dimensional, so gather together items of baby clothes, a lace handkerchief or napkin. When placed in an exquisite frame they create a conversation piece.
*Next week the dressing table is back
The right frame can make a huge difference to the impact of your art and photography. Niamh Lucey, framer at Studio 1 Kinsale, has top tips on what to frame and how to do it:
1. Choose a frame that will enhance the image. Often a small frame is chosen for a small image, but an extra-large frame can really bring you in to the image and focus on it.
2. Avoid choosing frames to match colours in the image. It works better if the frame colour enhances and flows with it.
3. Think about framing found objects as well as photos and artwork, like an unusual piece of driftwood, or an oddly shaped or coloured stone which can be put in a box frame.
4. Children’s paintings can look really great in contemporary coloured or white frames.
5. Bear in mind that frames are similar to any piece of furniture and are changing in style all the time, just like fashion.
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