A landing at our home is hung with maybe a dozen bits of artwork and photos our children produced when young. I’m pondering whether that has run its course? (I have been reading about how mothers hang on to their kids too long and need to step back, which got me thinking)
DHs folks have one of those “frozen in time” aesthetics where photos, etc are all 50+ years old. My parents never displayed any photos at all, barely anything outside the entirely plastered refrigerator. Those both worked for them.
Yes, I keep some art project and some old pictures, but yes, I also rotate things out. So a combo ; )
I use a pinch pot that my D made in 3rd grade for my tea strainer every morning. I have a little pot on my desk that she made me that says “if mother’s were a garden, I’d pick you” that was a mother’s day gift when she was young. There are also a couple of other “treasures” that are in a display cabinet. He has some of her art work in his office. And, we have pottery that she has gifted us as a young adult too -
We have a big photo wall on the landing leading up to our family room. There are a combination of photos there and we definitely add and change those. There are some treasured favorite old photos though that will probably remain up until we move some day.
We have some framed kid artwork hanging in a bedroom. We do rotate the artwork. We have family photos hanging on our stairway - they have not been updated since our D’s wedding. It’s time to add a couple photos of our GD, but she is young & always changing … we prefer the Aura frame & a couple framed photos (that change often) placed around the house. Not sentimental in the way that kid art and family photos are sentimental, but we have a large collection of artwork that we love. We do rotate that artwork. It’s from various sources - favorite artists, art from students at the art school where I worked, art collected over time.
Our home is a reflection of us, and we decorate it with things that bring us joy. I recently took a piece of art out of the rotation because it has faded despite being framed for preservation - it made me a little sad, but I reminded myself that it brought us joy for years, and now it’s time to replace it with something new that sparks joy.
In our house, children’s artwork was hung to make them proud. At a certain point, it no longer fulfilled that purpose, so Ihad no trouble putting it all in a folder, which over time, I haved culled to very little.
As empty nesters, we’ve been trying to update a little bit. I have less enthusiasm for it than when we first decorated, but admit that I am generally very happy when we do make changes that better reflect who lives in the house! Changing artwork is a big win for little effort.
Having said that, I still like photos, and I enjoy them in other people’s homes too. There are a lot of decorating techniques (matching/coordinated frames, mats, etc.) so my opinion is that if you’d like to display these, go for it. The alternative, of course, is an electronic display or (my fave), the photo album. So old school!
We have migrated from having my daughter’s artwork as part of our decor, to having the lovely knickknacks she buys us (some from her travels) instead.
In our house I had a set of shelves which housed, at one point, over 40 framed photos of the family (all sizes, from wallet to 8x10). I did rotate and change them over time, adding new ones and getting rid of older ones. When we downsized to our 2 br apartment, I got rid of almost all of them. I now have only 5 framed photos on display (all 5x7). I update these, usually after we go on a trip and we have a new photo that we like.
Do what makes you happy. If you walk by it and love it, keep it. If you walk by it and or don’t even pay attention to it, change it.
I look at this way - I understand keeping memories but also if you don’t change it how are you honoring newer memories and interests??
I personally dislike my house to look like a “frozen in time” memory. I like updating photos and art depending on my personal tastes. I also get a LOT of satisfaction by what’s in my walls. Nearly every piece has to bring me joy.
We used to hang their (pre-school through elementary age) artwork on the refrigerator. A couple of H’s favorite posters hung on his wall at school until he retired. At some point he took pictures of them and they get texted to the group chat every so often. Now, they’ve been added to the digital picture frame. I love, love, love my digital picture frame rotating 1000 memories… and that’s easy to update
I had some of the funnier pictures hanging in my office. A dinosaur breathing fire on Ruldoph always cracked me up, but that was classic younger S. He also liked to make me clay figures. I still have “Wormy” and a red/pink hippo looking thing on my windowsill.
A couple of older S’ nicer from middle/high-school things got framed and are in his room. For the most part, the best of their artwork is stored in Rubbermaid containers in the attic along with other memorabilia.
Walls - most of the pictures are from when they were little or our cats. I did update a family picture from 2005 with one this year after younger S got engaged. It has the 2 FDIL’s in it and sits on my piano. At some point we will have wedding pictures, and I’ll have to figure out where I want to put them. Replace what I have or add to the walls. I’m not sure yet.
My all time favorite picture that will hang forever is over our living room fireplace. We had a photo session done with the kids when they were 2 & 5. They were barefoot, wearing just overalls, with old timey hats. The pictures are done in black and white in the historic, but also run down, area of our city. I have an album with all of the shots. Most are not really posed. She just followed the kids wandering and playing. Older S is always looking out for his brother showing him things. I had one blown up portrait sized. And as I said, that one will never come down… It’ll be in my nursing home room.
I hung up artwork when my kids were young but most of it has been thrown out now. My kids have no interest in it. I do have a few mugs they decorated or have photos of them (as kids). I have current photos of the grandkids displayed.
The photos displayed are mostly current except for a few “vintage” ones as in my parents wedding portrait. I had a picture of my mom at her prom (in the early '50’s) restored and need to have it framed. (she was prom queen!). I also display a large panoramic photo of my hometown in the 1920’s, have gotten a lot of positive comments on that.
I am very much in the camp of, “people should have what they want.”
We have a set of six white frames that are matted in white that hold black and white photos. They are different sizes and hold different sizes of photos. Four are individual, one holds two photos, and one holds three. I changed out the photos when we first moved back from Florida, and I will probably change them again when we move into our new house. Other than that, I have three framed 5x7 photos that are propped among the bookcases is dh’s office And a digital frame in my kitchen, which I love.
I personally don’t like gallery walls that have 20+ frames, but that is just me. I also don’t like framed photos that sit around. I had two friends that had countless framed photos atop their respective baby grand pianos. All I could think was: 1) what a pain to dust, and 2) you can’t raise the lid on the piano.
We never displayed a ton of ds’s art work as he was growing up. Limited and on the fridge. But, art wasn’t his, “thing.”
If I ever have grandchildren, I may invest in one of these:
Seems like a great way to rotate art. You could have one for each kid or grandkid. It does only accommodate one size of artwork, however.
Put it all in a large scrapbook, or in a few. Better, scan some of the best and create shutterfly books or similar for your kids.
I started making photo albums back in 2012. I have a stack of them. I honestly look through them all the time. It’s like a nice little surprise every time I see a fun memory from many years ago. It’s more special than “seeing” these things every day and ignoring them. But I am very anti-clutter, so having all those precious memories on the walls and such would actually drive me crazy.
I also have an organized stack of kids’ artwork, granny’s cook book recipes, and other family paraphernalia that I am planning to put in albums.
or don’t even pay attention to it, change it.