Wouldn’t it be great if we all had an unlimited art budget? My house doesn’t have enough room for all the gorgeous originals I’d buy. Oh, and then there’s the opinion of my bank account. I guess a girl can dream, but then she’d better get creative. Which is exactly what one of our clients did last month …
Framed Art Postcards
She’d been to the museum and picked up postcards of some of her favorite pieces. Not content to just let them languish in a box or scrapbook, she brought them to the Gallery to be framed.
To keep viewers focused on the bold colors in these modern abstracts, we chose heavy 8-ply bright white mats and moulding in one of the main colors of the artwork. Since we used identical moulding, except for color, the finished pieces will look great hanging together as a group. Or, they can be split up and stand alone.
More Ideas for Decorating with Postcards
This got me thinking about postcards as inexpensive artwork. Turns out, I’m not the only one. A friend told me she framed a large set of travel postcards to create a dramatic display in her bathroom. Then I starting finding ideas for decorating with postcards all over the place. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Blow up postcards and have them framed. Now that we have digital printing technology, the sky’s the limit–within the bounds of copyright. Have some vintage postcards you love? Take them to your local print shop and have large prints made. Then bring them to the Gallery for framing.
- Assemble groups of postcards based on a theme. Pull together postcards from trips you’ve taken or collections based around a special interest, such as botanical prints, architecture, or comics. Have them mounted in matching frames to increase visual consistency and hang in a formal grid shape or more casual free form arrangement.
- Got Photoshop skills? Go wild. Scan postcards you love and overlay the graphic image with text: perhaps a favorite quote or the note from the back of the postcard. Then have your new creation printed and framed.
Great Spaces for Postcard Decor
Postcards are inexpensive enough to use anywhere, which make them a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. If the humidity gets to them, it’s not a big deal. But, don’t stop there. Anywhere you want art but don’t want to risk losing an original, such as an office or vacation home, is another excellent spot for framed postcards.
Wall art doesn’t have to be expensive. With creativity–and the help of a great frame shop–you can enjoy your favorite masterpieces or make a personalized statement in your home or office. For help, bring your postcards to Village Frame & Gallery. We’re open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm, at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.
While you’re thinking about your postcard project, here are some close-ups of the project we just framed:
