Get the Luxe Look with Antique Picture Frames

Add a dash of instant luxury to your wall with an antique picture frame. The muted sheen in silver or gold picture frames or the classic white, paired with the elaborate woodwork molding provides a luxe atmosphere that can only complement your well-chosen period furniture.

Here are some tips on how to use vintage picture frames for that instant air of elegance:

• Choose the right finish. The Victorian Frame Company has a number of finishes you can choose from: solid gold or silver spray, gold or silver leaf, gold or silver in burnished, champagne or desert tones. The burnished and champagne tones provide a texture finish. For white, you can choose between linen white (with a satiny and semi-glossy finish) or taupe (with an optional addition of a gold or silver lip). Use metallic-toned elements sparingly, such as using a large gold frame as a centerpiece for your gallery display. Also, consider the finish of your furniture – your selected finish for your frames should complement the rest of your design elements.
• Choose the right item to frame. Antique frames work well for formal portraits and landscapes. It can also be used for mirrors. To add more visual interest and a more authentic look, you can take an antique oval picture frame and fit it with a convex lens to display a sepia or black and white portrait. For your music room, you can have a printout of your favorite music sheet framed with a vintage picture frame. For a feminine bedroom, use your frames to highlight fashion sketches.
• Go large. Use large picture frames with wide edges and ornate woodworking. This can house an extra-large mirror, which can serve to give a more spacious feel to the room. You can hang the mirror at the foyer or as a living room or dining room centerpiece. For mirrors, you can also simply set the frame on the floor, allowing it to lean on the wall (make sure that the base is secure, though). Another option is to a large picture frame to display a family tree that traces back your family’s origins back to a few generations. Other items you can display in a large picture frame include a tapestry or a photo montage of family members, past and present. Yet another idea is to hang a large world map with markers for the places you have been or the places you want to visit.
• Use empty antique frames. Get four or five antique picture frames in different sizes, but preferably the same shape. These should have no backing and glazing. Set these on a fireplace mantle or picture ledge, layering each so that you add texture and depth to the wall.
• Use effective matting. When making use of gold or silver antique picture frames, add to its classic look with white or beige matting. These neutral shades tie together your photo or artwork and the gorgeous trimming of your frames.
• Framed sweet nothings. For your living room side tables, use small vintage frames to hold print-outs of sayings, your monogram letters, mounted antique keys and other small but treasured mementos.