In this age of digital everything, it is very rare for families to actually have printed photographs, let alone those of heirloom quality. We take photographs with our phones, and then our phones are lost or stop working and those images are lost. Maybe we take photographs with actual cameras and then fail to download those images from our camera and the memory card is lost or corrupted. Or maybe they stay on the memory card for years. Maybe the images actually make it to a computer but there they stay, until the computer crashes and they are lost. Maybe you are very efficient and actually make an album or ibook with the images you download – kudos to you! However, we are all so very busy, it is unlikely that many of us actually complete a project like this on a regular basis.
Creating a visual legacy is a more than just a pretty wall. It is a way to link our children to the past, to make them feel connected to us as children, their grandparents when they were young, and to those relatives who might have passed on. It is a way to spark conversations, to ignite curiosity, to offer a different perspective of our family history. Below are walls that I have created in my own home that have done just that.
One side of a hallway wall in my home with older photographs of my parents, grandparents, myself and my husband when we were children.
Another side of a hallway in my home all my children as they have grown.
Wedding photographs of myself and husband, my parents, his parents, our grandparents and great grandparents.
I was lucky because my grandparents put a high value on beautiful photography and saved to be able to have those photographs. During that time, photographs were created in a beautiful way that ensured the image would not fade off the paper and would stand the test of time in both quality and style (the same that we still offer our clients here) But, don’t worry if you don’t have all of these beautiful heirloom photographs! You can always start with what you have now – your beautiful family! Below are some examples of what I have created in my clients’ own homes. You do not have to have a large wall to be able to create a visual legacy – one portrait over a console table or a small grouping in a bathroom can also be very beautiful and enhance the warmth of your home!
These walls were created over time as the family and children have grown. They can be framed in different but coordinating frames as above, or the same frames as below. They can be in a hallway, family room, or any other area that you and your children see often – because it is for you after all!
It is fun to incorporate different sizes and layouts on a wall, adding to the visual interest. Depending on your style, space and decor, we can help you create something that is unique to you.
Perfect on a wall in her bath!
Over a console table
A grouping of three on a small wall between two windows
Let us help you to start your visual legacy – beautiful, archival, timeless portraits that your children and grandchildren will be able to share with their families for generations. What a gift this will be – rather than having a cd of 100 images, that goes in a drawer and creates more work for you! Yes, it is an investment. But isn’t that designer purse?