I as many others, no doubt, in their lounges have some really good studio portraits of the family dotted around the walls. As my family gets larger so does the collection.

Does anyone have any good ideas on how to display these in a modern way, on walls etc that frees up space for other things such as mirrors or paintings.

I had been toying with clustering them on the focal chimney breast, but I think this could be too much.

Any ideas?

A B&B I visited once had all the family photos, dating back to Victorian times in little frames and they were all hung in on the wall going up stairs and on the landing. Looked really nice to have them all in one big cluster, and not much spaceing between them, rather than sprinkled here and there.

Yes I have seen similar, and already have some photos going up the stairs, but knowing my family they will question why so-and-so has been relegated to the stairs etc...

Another thought is, we have bought one of those leaning shelving units from Homebase that is tubular metal with pine shelving and no back this has a 4 stair effect with the shelves. Putting the photos to the back on the wall of each shelf area might be a solution it would have the effect of keeping them together keeping the focal but not in your face and allowing the rest of the room to be used for something else. Unfortunately this would work for just 6 of the photos.

The other thought is to get a very large frame and arrange them all in that and put this on a less imposing wall.

I inherited a lot of family photos from my mother's house but found them odd when displayed in my own home. I have just bought a very large good quality album, photo mounts and they are going in there!

It has made me decide to declutter the tops of units, shelves and mantel piece.

I know some people who have a very stylish display in their hall - everyone is framed in stainless steel frames and all the frames are on a narrow, ridged stainless steel shelf, so that the ridges hold them in place without the frames needing to have stands. Looks great!

This thread interests me cos I just don't know what to do with my family photos either. Being a "non clutter" person, I don't *really* want them dotted on every shelf but I do quite like the idea of having a bunch of them on one sideboard - quite an "old fashioned" look, but it appeals to me!

Edit - Ossie, I love your daily signatures!!

Would it be too naff to have designed a free standing, silver tree, in the shape of an oak, and hang portraits from it?

Well it would mean you would just have to put lights on it in December you would already have the baubles in the shape of photos, how cool would that be.......not!

No I have seen some tubular sculpted shapes in the image of a tree somewhere, or I could have been dreaming.

I like the idea of pics in all sorts of styled frames on top of a grand piano but few of us have the opportunity.

How about covering the walls of your downstairs loo (if you have one) with the framed pictures, your family will be thankful that you took down that horrific picture of them taken at their 18th, only to be glared at by themselves whilst on the throne!

The mother-in-law staring at me while doing me business, would make me quite constipated.

No! Just her photo Ossie, silly!!!

Trust me the photo would make anyone constipated...

More for the snaps than the bigger photos in frames, as you have to cut them, a nicely structured collage, in a good quality frame works as a way of getting all the favourites (people and photos!)together. I made one for my mum, which she hangs in the hall - seen and commented on by visitors, too

Like most others I'm sure, we have boxes of b&w photos dating way back. Trouble is, very few have any references on the back so we have no idea as to who, where or when, which can be frustrating. Just a thought, as I make a point of writing details on the back of all mine so someone in years to come doesn't have to wonder. We just have one corner with pictures of 3 generations, weddings for the couples and separate kids ones. Trouble is we went about 20 years taking slides , which are a pain to record or view.

Mr P
You can buy a slide scanner which will store images onto your PC - you will have to go thru them to find the ones you want but it can be done.
We found lots of b/w photos when my mum died without any references. Some we did identify but a lot we couldn't. The only thing to is to keep any youlike and maybe dispose of the others if no-one wants them. Id did buy some lovely frames and had some choice photos displayed on an Edwardian circular table which looked good but now I am renting again I no longer have the room and can't put things on the walls. I always think that a cluster of photos whether on a table top or other surface always makes a focal point - there are some lovely frames about - there is a framed photo of me as a child and the frame is worth a bit now! We had a major sort-out of my mum's photos at Xmas and my summer projects is to put most of them in albums! Mind you we made new friends swopping photos amongst relatives etc.
I had a faltmate once who was an only child - we visited his parents once and their TV room was covered in photos of him - it was like going into a shrine!

We used to have our family snaps up the stairs in our old house, but I haven't put any up in our new house. I just think they're naff. Especially those blown-up ones on a fake canvas look, with a gilt style frame,or having your children dressed up in Victorian clothes, or heaven forbid a 2'x3' blow-up of your wedding picture with soft focus around the edges..... *barf*


(Sorry if anyone likes this kind of thing)