I full-heartedly believe home should be a reflection of its inhabitants. A well- curated home takes time to establish….you can’t just make a trip to your local Homegoods or Pier 1 and acquire all of your home decor within one visit. The house would look “soul-less”.
I believe certain types of aesthetics lend themselves to display more personal character (think eclectic, global, traditional and farmhouse), while other aesthetics (minimal modern, neutral contemporary) present more of a challenge.
The more I study interior design, the more I long for neutral transitional/contemporary decor. Given my OCD tendencies, I love simple, clean lines which I find soothing. Aiming for simplicity, I feel that I have less of an opportunity to reflect my personal character…to tell my story within my design.
One way that I like to inject my personality into my decor is by displaying framed black and white photography that my husband and I have taken on our travels around the world. You see, once upon our time, before children, we actually traveled to some pretty cool locations…..France, Italy, and Spain to name a few.
With its versatility, black and white photography can be a staple in any style of decor. (and yes, the frame above is scratched to hell, but I have yet to replace it)
Not only do my black and white photos remind me of a time when I had the luxury of being more adventurous, incorporating the photos into my decor is quite cost-effective. The only cost involved is the matted frame and the $2 to $30 (depending on the size of the photo) it takes to print at Shutterfly or Walgreens .
So if you have some blank wall space and need a way to add some more character to your home, consider printing off some cool landscape photos you may have taken while on vacation. No photography classes required!! I have no clue what I am doing with my camera…I just point and shoot.
Once the kiddos are a little older, I cannot wait to get back to my traveling days. Until then, get out there and design some good vibes!!
Nathan Johnson
Friday 27th of May 2016
My wife and I just moved into our new apartment. We got rid of most of our decorations, so we are pretty much starting from scratch. I like your idea to frame and hang black and white photos. It is cool that you hang photos that you have taken from around the world. We will probably just start with some family photos. Thanks for sharing!
Designing Vibes
Sunday 29th of May 2016
I am so glad you stopped by and liked my idea, Nathan!! Black and whites of the family would be beautiful as well.