Inspiration Thursday: Hallway Picture Wall

When I was growing up we always lived in a small ranch house or an apartment. My grandest wish was to live in a big house with an honest to god staircase. Of course anyone that lives in a multiple storied house and gets sick, needs to move furniture, or is severely or even moderately injured (knee, foot, etc.) knows that staircases can be a pain. Now I'll show you what I have so far, I'm not done by a long shot and it changes now and then, but whatta ya think of this:




You will notice it is mostly vintage pictures, all genuine ancestors - no cheating with garage sale or flea market pics. The top left one is a really cool old fashioned wedding photo with my grandma as the flower girl. The one below it - my grandfather looking handsome in his Marine uniform - he fought in the South Pacific in WWII and was nearly killed, but saved by his helmet when a bullet hit it and stopped just short of killing him. Thank goodness for that or my dad and I wouldn't be here. :) There is another older ancestor picture copied from my grandmother's album, a large D to stand for my dad - Daniel as that is his side of the family.

Below the D, though, starts my mom's side of the family: my Yiayia and Papu (grandma and grandpa in Greek). Yiayia gave it to me and I display it with pride.

A look going up the stairs, you can see that there is a golden M for my mother, Mary. I like how it stands out and goes with the frame of her parents. (I have my initial, N, painted white with gold showing through for an antique-y look, but I keep it in my room. I'll show it off sometime.)

Here's the best pic I could get leaning on the shaky banister of a close-up of my mom's family - unforutnately I couldn't avoid the glare in the first pic of my Yiayia as a young woman. The rest are actually pictures of me at various stages of childhood. There are more of my mother's family photos not shown. One of them is a really cute one of my uncle really young in full cowboy getup on a horse. lol

Looking up the stairs you can see the picture I have there at the moment, I change it frequently. It's a painting by my very talented mother of a folk art rendering of their wedding photo. It's beautifully done and reminds me of the Frida wedding portrait - folk art clothes and making the way she paid such attention to detail. She did it in the mid-eighties when I was about five or six - made the most gorgeous and perfect painting and then just stopped. Always promised to paint me - never did. She's a great artist and it's so frustrating her lack of time and commitment. I won't show you the painting up close because...well, I fear copycats. Yes, it's that good in my opinion. And if she won't make anymore I want it all for myself, selfishly. Sorry. She's slowly losing dexterity in her hands now thanks to Lupus, Reynaud's and early arthritis, I really wish I could get her to paint again, but I've pretty much given up.

And just for fun I added this to the wall, a silhouette on a Vintage French book page. I like it and I think it suits my family wall. It's my small contribution.

Just a glimpse and maybe inspiration for making your own wall of photos. I suggest different shapes and maybe a color or two, but try to keep a little unifying theme or color going throughout. All, but the heirloom picture of my Greek grandparents, are in black frames. I feel the gold M balances it out, though. No white frames or stained wood ones.

That's what is slowing me down - finding the right sized black frames for certain photos. Also having to have someone hang them for me and help me keep it looking balanced. I'd love to add also a small antique mirror or two to let light bounce off the wall and help lighten up a rather dark lower hallway. The skylight above isn't quite enough.

Anyway, that's my wall for now - it's the only place we really display personal photos - everywhere else is full of art we pick up. I have a few pics of art that is up for early spring and I'll share them wih you another day.