Photos of family, friends and favorite places add a touch of personality, style, flair, and jazz to any room. Sometimes however it’s difficult to think of inventive and creative ways to display your treasured pictures.

First you need to take a good look at the photos you want to display. One of your favorite photos might be a large group picture, but it may not actually display well when hanging on a wall. Save that one for the scrapbook and look for pictures that have vibrant images that convey a message or a thought.

Older photographs can be brought to life with the advances in photographic reproduction technology. If you have a favorite old photo that’s fading, or has been damaged or crinkled through the years, take it to a photo shop to have it restored and reprinted. You might even be able to do this yourself at home with photo imaging software. You might want to consider added a special effect, enlarging or cropping the photo differently to add a new perspective to a familiar photo.

Mixing frames of different styles and sizes can be fun, but takes some planning and forethought. Lay the framed photos on a tabletop or the floor and rearrange until you find a workable arrangement, then employ a friend or family member’s help when measuring and preparing to mount on the wall. Have your level ready to be sure that a picture that looks straight actually is straight.

Photos don’t have to be limited to the walls. Tabletops, desktops, bookshelves, and your family entertainment wall unit are all great places to add a picture frame. Even a dressing screen can make a clever and unique backdrop.

You can even decoupage photos onto a table lamp base or mirror frame for an added jazzy effect. And by using fabric transfer sheets, you can even transfer a favorite photo onto a pillowcase, wood or wall hanging. Old window or door panes are a unique and cute idea to display pictures; gives it a bit of a rustic feel. This is also a great way to hang a collage on the wall or cork board above your desk or in your office. Individual laminated photos can be affixed to magnets to put on the refrigerator and other metal surfaces in your home.

**Sunlight Heritage Homes is a home builder in Ontario with current communities in London, Kitchener and Woodstock. If you are interested in more information on them, please visit our website at http://www.sunlighthomes.ca/ or view our mls listings in Ontario for current homes for sale. Upcoming projects include new homes in Drayton and more houses for sale in London in the Cedar Hollow community.**