What’s Your Style Identity?

Jan 29, 2021 | Gallery Walls, Picture Framing

What’s Your Style Identity?

Your design preferences make up your own personal style identity!

We all have a style identity when it comes to interior design. You know what you like, but you might not know the name or the specific characteristics of that style. Have fun answering a few questions to find out what your style is.

What is my style identity?

Does your house look like an English garden or a beach house?
Do you love the casual look as opposed to straight lines?
Do you enjoy natural light to indoor lighting?
Would you rather be outdoors or at the beach instead of stuck inside?

Your style is Shabby Chic / Coastal

Characteristics: Casual furniture in natural materials such as wicker and rattan and worn looking white-washed woods. Stripes and florals dominate fabric patterns.

Color palette: Layered blues, crisp whites, rosy reds and greens.

What is my style identity?
Does city-living appeal to you?
Do you like the linear look of urban architecture?
Do you have suspended lamps with Edison bulbs in your home?
Do you like bare building materials seen in old factories and converted lofts?

Your style is Industrial

Characteristics: Spacious, simple design that includes wood and metal elements. Exposed pipes, ducts and brick walls are often seen. High ceilings are common.

Color palette: Neutral palette – gray, brown, grayish-white, tan.

What is my style identity?

Do you read about art and know furniture designers’ names?
Are you a fan of low sleek furniture with style and comfort?
Did you have a serious addiction to Mad Men?
Would you describe yourself as simple and uncomplicated?

Your style is Mid-Century Modern

Characteristics: Clean, often curved lines mixed with simple geometric shapes. There usually is a variety of materials (woods, metals, plastics) used in this design.

Color palette: Background earthy neutrals (browns & grays) paired with bright, bold colors such as oranges, chartreuse, pink and blues.

What is my style identity?

Do you prefer simple design with clean lines and geometric patterns?
Do you believe ‘less is more’?
Would you describe yourself as organized, methodical and efficient?
Is your home free of clutter?

What's your style identity, living room setting

Your style is Minimalism

Characteristics: This is a bare essential look. Simple, uncluttered, clean lines typically in an open floor plan. Functional furniture with flat, smooth surfaces and strong lines.

Color palette: Monochromatic – a variation of one color, usually whites, beiges and greys.

What is my style identity?

Do you appreciate history and tradition?
Does your home have a “timeless” look?
Are you a planner who rarely acts on impulse?
Do you prefer stately color palettes and elegant furnishings?

Your style is Traditional

Characteristics: Curved, heavy, dark wood furniture is the norm, paired with stuffed patterned fabrics, hardwood floors, and classical art.

Color palette: Deep, rich jewel-tone hues in reds, blues and greens.

What is my style identity?

Are you trendy, yet classic and chic?
Do you love to shop at the flea market for well-loved décor items?
Do you have more seating than you need because you love to entertain?
Is your home known for its warmth and simplicity?

Your style is Modern Farmhouse

Characteristics: A comfortable mix of old and new with heirloom hand-me-downs. Texture abounds with organic and natural materials.

Color palette: Dominated by natural colors such as soft whites, stormy grays, greiges, browns with accents of purple and blues.

What is my style identity?

Is The Great Gatsby your favorite book or movie?
Do you love rich metallics and sumptuous fabrics?
Is your home filled with stylized geometric patterns?
Do your friends describe you as glamorous?

Your style is Art Deco / Hollywood Glam

Characteristics: Bold and opulent, yet elegant and functional. Angular, geometric forms are common, and fabrics have exotic patterns or high-shine finishes. Deeply colored polished wood, often with a lacquer finish, is frequently paired with metallic accents.

Color palette: Accents of deep yellows, reds, greens, blues and pinks, offset by softer colors of creams and beiges.

Additional Topics

Still not sure what kind of frame you want? Let us help! Our designers know how to match your art to the perfect frame for your style.

Want more fun? Take this Style Identity Quiz!

https://www.tryinteract.com/quiz/what-s-your-decor-personality/

*Frames shown are an example of what may be available…

Color trends for 2021

Jan 4, 2021 | Gallery Walls, Picture Framing, Projects

Color trends for 2021

Illuminating Yellow & Ultimate Gray are Colors of the Year!

Aren’t you ready to kiss 2020 goodbye and embrace 2021? It certainly has been a challenging year for everyone. We don’t know what this new year will bring, but we’re ready for a change. With all the pressing uncertainty and unanswered questions, why should we concern ourselves with color trends right now? Because color reflects our mood. By changing the color around us, we can change our mood. We need comfort and hope. We need the soft, solid colors of familiarity – the caring, ‘we are all in this together,’ dependable color. We also need the happy colors of optimism that promise better things to come in the year ahead.

Many companies make predictions about color trends, but this year their forecasts all have one thing in common: solid, soft neutrals paired with bold accents. The palettes are filled with comfort colors to promote a sense of calm and wellness.

Pantone’s Illuminating Yellow & Ultimate Gray

Pantone©, an industry leader in color forecasting, has predicted that Illuminating Yellow and Ultimate Gray will dominate color trends in 2021. You could call the pair ‘Happy & Dependable’. One color plays off the other to create synergy, union, and balance between practicality and positivity … just what we all need for 2021!

Using this year’s color trends in design

We’ve all spent much more time in our homes recently – plenty of time to notice how our rooms need new color! How can we use these color trends to update our homes?

Benjamin Moore©

Aegean Teal

Foggy Morning

Gray Cashmere

Sherwin-Williams©

Urbane Bronze

Messenger Bag

Modern Gray

What’s are the popular design and color trends for 2021?

design and color trends in the home

Look for bold color trends, good quality and comfortable minimalism

Deep, bold color has a stabilizing and comforting feel. A rich color can feel like a warm hug and have a feeling of elegance and sophistication. Look for the colors in paint, window and floor treatments and cabinet coloring. We can show you how to use these new colorings with matting and framing.

Craftsmanship, comfort & durability is key for 2021. Look for furniture, fabrics, and accessories that will last, that are made with sustainable products, and that can be passed down through the generations. We have always prided ourselves on the quality of our frame mouldings so you can enjoy your framing for a lifetime.

Soft minimalist design is here to stay. Organize your home with intentional, clutter-free spaces that make you feel calm. It’s about having less things, but the right things. More relaxed, casual, comfortable minimalism allows for an escape, with a feel of innocence and whimsy. You will see color trends and patterns that make you smile. Now’s the time to frame a playful piece that will make you happy every time you look at it.

← Float frames make your project stand out! What’s Your Style Identity? →

Float frames make your project stand out!

Nov 3, 2020 | Family Framing, Gallery Walls, Gift ideas, Picture Framing

Float frames make your project stand out!

Float Frames: A versatile frame moulding for stretched canvas

Have you seen these frames and wondered what they are used for? They are called Float Frames. Instead of the frame sitting on top of your art, a float frame rests under your art. It is a frame designed to lay behind a painting or stretched art to make the art appear as if it were ‘floating’ within the frame.

Why would you use a float frame? Float Frames:

Allow the viewer to see the sides of a canvas
Give stability to a canvas and prevent warping
Can appear minimal or invisible
Are available in a variety of colors, sizes and materials.

A float frame is more versatile than you would imagine.

Using a float frame can be a great way to add another frame to your moulding stack, leave a visual distance between your art and frame, extend the depth of the moulding for shadow boxes, or add character to your framing. We’d be happy to show you our float frame collection!

Traditionally float frames are used to rest behind a stretched canvas. It gives a clean, contemporary look.

You can also add a frame within a frame for a dramatic, multi-dimensional effect.

Sometimes you need to raise the art above the frame.

gallery wrap vs traditional wrap on canvases

Gallery wrap vs. traditional stretch

With traditionally stretched canvases, the fabric is wrapped around shallow stretcher bars (plain wood frame) and secured to the sides. The edges are unpainted and staples are visible. The canvas is usually intended to be framed before presentation. The shallow depth ensures the canvas can fit inside normal frames.

With a gallery wrap, the fabric is wrapped all the way around the edges and secured to the backside of the stretcher bars. Edges are painted and finished; no mounting methods or staples are visible.

When using a float frame, the depth of the stretcher bars is a matter of preference, based on the look you want. Ask us about your options. Either way, when using a float frame, it is best to have the edges painted (even if it is painted black) since a little edge will show.

← Framing newspapers, articles, and other printed media A framed gift for the host! →

How to choose the right size of artwork

Apr 7, 2020 | Gallery Walls, Picture Framing

How to choose the right size of artwork

When you frame artwork, you want to make sure the art is the right size for your space. You don’t want your artwork to overwhelm the room, but you also don’t want it to be so tiny it gets lost. Follow our guide to choose the best sizing for your room.

What size is the right size? First consider…

In which room will it be hanging?
Is this a focal piece? Do you want guests to notice it as they enter the room?
Is it above a sofa or dining table?
What other items are in that area?
Will there be lighting, plants, etc., overlapping the art?
Which size is more important for your art – height or width?
Are you planning on one piece or a collection?

Measure & Calculate

Calculating the ideal size for framed art can be tricky. Use our worksheet to get the exact sizes picture-perfect!

Plan your framed art to cover a little over half, but not more than 75% of your available wall space. Remember that framing adds size to your artwork!

Step #1 – Measure the open area or blank wall space.

Step #2 – Calculate the width & height needed for art. This is the ideal sizing for your framed art.

If you are using the worksheet and your art will be hung unframed, subtract approximately 4”- 6” from each side of your dimension.

In the Living Room

Just because you have the space doesn’t mean you have to use all of it. Your framed art should not exceed 75% of the furniture size.

In the Bedroom

Your framed art can exceed your furniture (bed) size because there is usually a night stand or dresser on either side of the bed, extending the space.

In the Dining Room

Because you’ll be sitting down, hang pictures a little lower than you would normally. That way you will still be at eye-level with your artwork.

Need a Different View?

Make a paper cut out of the biggest size in the range and hang this placeholder on your wall for a couple days. You can always cut it down to view a smaller size. What do you think?

Planning a Collection?

Allow 2 to 6 inches in between each piece. The larger the art, the more space you can allow between each piece. If the room already has many items, consider adding one larger piece so the space doesn’t look too busy.

What about height off the floor?

A basic rule of thumb is that the center of the art should be 60” (give or take a couple of inches) from the floor. But there are some things to consider:

If the art is hanging above a sofa or headboard, allow 6 to 12 inches between the top of the furniture to the bottom of the art.
If the art is hanging above a mantle or foyer table, there doesn’t need to be any clearance; it can be a much more subjective choice. You can also experiment with leaning your artwork on the mantle.
If the art is hanging in a dining room, it can hang lower since people are sitting.
Also consider the height of your ceilings: If you have lower ceilings, you may want to lower the center of your art so that it isn’t too close to the ceiling. If you have really tall ceilings, you can experiment with the space more.

You’re all set!

You can confidently go to a gallery or come to our store knowing what size range of art would be best. Even if you are only thinking about one specific wall area, take different wall sizes with you; if you fall in love with a piece of art, you won’t want to limit yourself if it doesn’t fit in that one specific area. And remember, if it’s unframed add some space to each side to account for framing.

← Interview with a Frame Are the walls closing in? A new framing project can help. →

A gallery wall, when one is not enough

Jan 17, 2019 | Gallery Walls, Picture Framing

A gallery wall, when one is not enough

Displaying framed image groupings or creating a gallery wall

Traditionally when hanging pictures on the wall, one picture would be hung by itself and that was that. While a single piece of art can be inspiring and lovely to look at, sometimes you need your wall display to do more. Does it need to tell a story? Is it a conversation piece? Does it continue to capture your attention?

When one picture is not enough, you can group images together for a more cohesive display. Framed groupings are very fashionable right now, often known as gallery walls. No longer do you have to decide which piece goes on the wall — put them all up!

It’s easy to create a grouping that is completely unique to you, your style and your home. The good news is there are no rules, and lots of different ways to achieve an interesting grouping for your gallery wall.

Assemble a collection for your gallery wall

Framing is a great way to enjoy a collection of images. If the images are linked items, a series, or visually similar, consistency is the key to making your gallery wall feel like a collection. The images in our example are the same coloring, so it is easy to frame them all with the same matting and moulding. Consistent design emphasizes that the grouping belongs together and brings focus to the art.

Unite your art

Your gallery wall should be united in some manner. It can be by image style, image subject, size, frame moulding, or by mat color. In the design world, this is known as the theory of gestalt — the idea that humans have an unconscious tendency to group things together visually, whether intended or not. So apply this theory to your gallery wall and figure out what connects them. Why are you combining these particular images? Use the design to reinforce your reason.

Use a mix of frame styles (ornate, traditional, modern), but make all the frames the same color. This can be easily accomplished by simply spray painting a bunch of random frames the same color — boom, they look alike. Use a completely different frame style for each image, but all the images are the same subject. Or, the images could all be black and white, or landscapes. Use the same size image, matting color and frame. For example, random images that are all in square black frames will look like a cohesive group.

Fill an odd sized space with a gallery wall

An extremely long or tall wall can be intimidating to fill. For a wide horizontal space, consider multiple pieces hung side by side. Buy a panoramic print, cut it into three pieces, and frame each piece individually but in the same style. For a tall vertical space, consider stacking multiple pieces in a column. Buy three of the same print and rotate each so that the grouping looks like one piece. Because wall groupings are so flexible in their layout, it’s easy to customize for an odd sized space. You can even create a gallery wall to fill an odd space that goes around a corner.

Choosing the layout for your gallery wall

A symmetrical layout for a gallery wall is even and organized, creating a formal, structured arrangement. They tend to be grid-based, with equal sizes and consistent framing styles. Images may either line up horizontally, vertically or both based on the number of pieces, shape of individual pieces and overall size. Treat a grouping of pictures as a single unit.

An asymmetrical layout is more casual, using different sizes, styles, and colors to create a eclectic visual collage. It takes a little more planning to ensure that this kind of grouping does not feel chaotic or random, but the overall effect can be very creative. This is a time when ‘different’ works together.

When creating the grouping layout for the wall, there needs to be a sense of balance. A general rule is to begin in the center and work outward, making sure that the larger pieces always have a counter balance. It’s ok to mix vertical and horizontal pieces. For symmetrical layouts, measure your available space to make sure your pieces are properly centered. If you have an uneven space to fill (like by a staircase), keep the heaviest piece to the bottom as your eye naturally goes from bottom left to top right. If your asymmetrical arrangement is in a normal sized space, the heaviest piece should be placed in the center.

When deciding placement on the wall, be creative. These black & white glossy pictures of movie stars in a home theatre are framed and arranged so that the overall unit resembles a film strip.

Hanging your gallery wall

Plan. It. Out. Having a set plan of how the grouping will hang will save you a wall full of nail holes! The ideal situation is to choose which pieces you want to have framed for this area, and get them all designed at the same time, so that you will have a cohesive look.

Spacing between each piece should be proportional to the overall size you have available. If pieces are placed too close it will make the art look crowded; too far apart will make it feel disconnected. Varying spacing can seem chaotic and random. Generally, 2” to 3” apart is a good distance between each piece. Correct spacing sometimes depends on the amount of room you can devote to the grouping.

After the images are framed, make a template of each piece to be hung. Trace around the outside of the frame on kraft paper, cut out the shape, and label it. Note on the paper whether the art is vertical or horizontal. You may also want to note which picture it is. Secure the templates to the wall with painter’s tape. Stand back and look at the arrangement. Do you like it? Or do you need to rearrange? Once you have decided on a plan, leave them up there until the pieces are actually hung.

Additional Topics

Museum Glass

When you have multiple items hanging together, that’s a lot of glass. The more surface space, the more chance for reflection. Eliminate glare by using Museum Glass. Museum Glass has exceptional clarity, so that you can really SEE what is behind your frame!

Delivery & Installation

Lots of framed pieces? We would love to deliver & hang your new collection for you. Ask us for details on how we can help you arrange your frame grouping.