DISPLAYING PHOTOS Here's how to frame your family

Planning out how and where you want to hang your photos is useful.
By MARY BETH BRECKENRIDGE
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Displaying a collection of family photographs on your walls honors your heritage while adding warmth to your home.
However, what's intended as an infusion of personality can end up a mess if it's not arranged artfully, said Karen Thompson, a design expert with Home Depot.
The first step to an effective arrangement is choosing a spot where the photos won't be subjected to damage. Avoid direct sunlight, heat sources and areas with high humidity, Thompson said.
Next, choose frames and mats that will enhance the photos and make the collection cohesive. Thompson recommended sticking with a limited selection of similar frames. If you can't afford new frames, paint old ones to make them coordinate.
A trial run
Now comes the creative part: arranging. Thompson suggested making a trial grouping on the wall using photocopies of the pictures in their frames and attaching them with low-tack painter's tape. It's helpful to mark off a perimeter as a guide and to treat the entire arrangement as one large piece of art, she said.
Aim for overall symmetry, she advised, but remember that a little asymmetry adds interest. Try to keep the distance between frames relatively consistent and the pictures no more than a few inches apart.
Make sure the arrangement is at or near the eye level from which it will be viewed most of the time.
When you're satisfied with the arrangement, mark the wall at the middle of the top edge of the photocopies while they're still on the wall. Measure the distance between the top of the frame and the hanging mechanism.
Hang the pictures securely using appropriate hardware. If you're driving nails into plaster, cover the spots with masking tape first to prevent chipping.
Use a small level to make sure the frames are straight.