Decorating with Portraiture

Many families these days are opting to decorating their homes with artwork of their own family rather than random and non-personal artwork created by others. This is a wonderful way to preserve that feeling of closeness in your home and at the same time, showcase a beautiful collection of artistic imagery.

When you are planning for your portrait collections to be used as decor for your home there are several important things to keep in mind.

Your Color Theme

All of the imagery that you display in your home should have a blended and unified color harmony. Achieving this blended color balance can be done only through the careful planning of your portrait. There is of course the subject of clothing, which should definitely be in similar tones to everyone else in the photograph but also keep in mind your background and the frame that you choose to compliment the subjects and the room decor. All of these colors will play off of each other adding to the room's ambiance. If there is too much difference, the effect will be lost. For example, you wouldn't want to display a portrait with everyone in primary color sweaters in a room decorated in rich warm brown tones. It just wouldn't fit.

The Style and Mood

Your portraits may come across as cheerful and bright, warm and inviting, or straight and formal. There is as many combinations of style and moods as there are people in this world. The key is to plan your portrait ahead of time with your photographer so that he or she can work with you to create the portrait that matches the style and mood of the room it will be displayed in. If you are looking for decor for a formal dining room, you may wish to have your family photographed in studio on low-key background in suits and dresses. Or for a family room with a casual feel done in neutral tones, you may choose a style that is fun for your family such as an outdoor session filled with emotion as you play with your children.

Determining the Appropriate Size

This is one of the biggest obstacles buyers of photographic art must overcome to achieve beautiful portrait decor. Many families were raised on the notion that an 8x10 print size was a BIG portrait. That is just not the case. Have you ever placed a single 8x10 alone on a big wall? It doesn't look so big now does it? When choosing the size for your decor, you want to select a size that will dominate the space it is displayed in but does not clutter or crowd the space. This holds true also for multiple image collections. Another thing to keep in mind is your subject matter. A single individual in a portrait will retain detail in their face at a much smaller size then a larger group such as a family. Generally, faces should measure 3-5" in an appropriately sized portrait. But you must also consider the furniture it is placed over and the viewing distance from the portrait as well.

With proper planning of your portrait session and the appropriate placement of your portraits in the rooms they are to be displayed in, you can use your fine portraits to make a personal statement about who you or your family truly are.