Posted by No matter what your design style is, one commonality we mostly likely all share are the presence of family photos that tell our stories and the stories of those we love. We tape them to our refrigerators, proudly show them off on our phones, and display the smiles through the years down our hallways. In today’s post I’ll show you’ve how I’ve chosen to display our family photos along with a few tips and tricks to weave the most important aspect of any home (the people you love) into your design.
This is a perspective of our home I don’t often share on the blog as it is basically the front door, and the wall behind me is soooooo much more exciting (our fireplace). But from this angle you can definitely get a glimpse of family photos scattered throughout.
I’ll start with the far wall next to the window and the gallery I just completed with photos of our three daughters.
Black and white canvas is always a classic approach for incorporating your favorites into your home decor. It doesnt matter what color shirt anyone was wearing that day, by changing the color scheme to black and white, you ensure that the photos will always mesh with your design for decades.
I also did a few of my favorites from our wedding in black and white like the square canvas above and the acrylic shot below after we’d changed for our reception. (We were in our 40’s when we got married so let’s just admit now that black and white is always forgiving. My name is Audra and filters are my friends.)
You’ll see a lot of black and white scattered throughout for the purpose of keeping things timely from a decor perspective.
In addition to displaying black and white favorites on our walls, I have several framed family photos throughout our home.
My kids are pretty much grown now so displaying photos from their childhood is a lot of fun. I love having photos up from all of their ages and stages! Here’s a tour of the ones I have displayed here and why: Soph is three in the one on the far right – glad that one is in color. Get a load of her piercing toddler blue eyes. Karrly is only 10 in the one in the white frame and this was taken shortly after Matthew and I met, I can’t believe how much she has changed. The one of just the girls and I was taken when Matthew and I separated for a time in 2015 and almost divorced. (I am very forthcoming about that season in our marriage in my blog post Rebuilding Us.) Life isn’t picture perfect for anyone and the memory of that time behind our smiles is bittersweet, but this photo represents faith and hope to me and how trust in The Lord pulled us all through and reconciled our family. The photo on the left is of my mother-in-law, Judy, as a child. She had a very idyllic childhood and a very rough road as an adult, but her strong faith in Jesus continues to be a light for those of us who were lucky enough to be loved by this woman. We lost her in February, but I love this photo of her innocent joy, a joy I believe is now her new eternal life, her struggles on this earth vanishing like the morning dew.
As for incorporating these family memories into my design, you’ll note the color scheme of the picture frames is consistent with the decor choices in the rest of this space: neutrals, whites, and blue and green pastels. By choosing frames that compliment your color scheme, your family’s story is showcased proudly.
The photos above show all the little nooks and crannies I’ve tucked family photos into, again keeping the frames consistent with the color scheme as well as incorporating contrast whenever I can (dark frames on light walls, light frames on dark surfaces). The last photo above is in my office and was taken of Matthew holding Karrly for the very first time when she was just a few days old. This picture tells a story that would take pages to do justice. Let’s just say that this photo represents the magnificent work of God, it is very special and tells a tremendous story of faith, hope and love. We display it with great joy.
With that, I hope you find inspiration in this little post about an aspect of our homes that we all have in common, displaying the photos of those we love and who love us. If you’re struggling a bit with how to incorporate your favorite photos into your design, it is my goal that you’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. And of course, remember always, there are truly no rules in home decor – just guidelines. Your home is yours and how you decorate, display and live is up to you. If you love it, then it’s perfect.
God bless!
Peace, Joy and Blessings,
~Audra
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
P.S.
Yes, I get my creative buzz from decorating my home – it’s my jam. And I started this blog to not only nurture my own creative passions (home decor, photography and writing) but to hopefully inspire you guys to nurture yours, whatever they may be. From cooking to landscaping to physical fitness, whatever it is that calls to your soul – go there. Jump in, share your interests with the world. You needn’t be the best at it, you just have to love it. So if you love it? Be it, live it, do it.
That being said, I want to acknowledge that not everyone gets into throw pillows and home decor color schemes like I do, and that’s ok. My dear mother-in-law, Judy, who always wisely counseled, “We can’t all be the same or the world would be a boring place.” Amen! Her calling in life was to love others. And trust me, she perfected that calling. As for throw pillows and color schemes? She could have cared less, and I loved that about her. She was who she was and that is all any of us can and should be – ourselves. In all our authentic and genuine unique glory.
On the topic of family . . . we have lost a fury member of our family recently. Our ten year old orange tabby, Kip, has been missing since the middle of May. If you know anything about him, please give us a call, 701-306-4249. We miss him very, very much. ❤
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