Family Portrait

During this holiday season I thought it would be fitting today to share our new family portrait. These are the people I love spending time with most.

This portrait was taken along with the others we displayed in the family room gallery wall. This image was by far our favorite and even found it’s way onto our Christmas cards this year. The beautiful light and vibrancy of the colors in this image make it stunning. We ordered a large 16 x 20 size portrait to lean in the niche adjacent to the gallery wall.

We originally ordered the portrait unframed, but our photographer suggested this gorgeous frame and I could not pass it up. It goes so well with the olive tones in the picture.  The frame is now nestled in amongst the other decor on the built ins.  I planned to hang it in the niche, but my hubby thought it looked to shrine-like.  He was right.  We prefer the more asymmetrical, casual look.

On the shelf above this we have our last family of three portrait (I was actually pregnant in that photo).  It has found a special place amongst the DIY mercury glass vases and wood sphere, which were displaced from the dining room to make space for the leftover ornament centerpiece.  I really like the mercury glass on this shelf.  Thankfully the flameless candles inside can be remote operated.

In the spirit of keeping it real I feel compelled to show you the wide angle shot.  These beautifully styled shelves live with two young boys.  The brown bin on the upper left shelf holds “naughty toys”.  Those are the toys the boys get in trouble with.  They go live in this bin for a few days (usually until the kids remember and plead to have them back).  The brown bin on the bottom right holds their library books.  They go every week.  We try to keep the library books contained in one place.   The gallery wall lives above our personal Legoland.  Most days there is an elaborate sculpture in the works on the play table.  I choose my battles wisely.  The Legos get to stay, because they keep the boys from playing with my decor.  When the legos are cleaned up, they tuck away neatly into the rolling cart under the table.

Have you added a new family portrait to your decor recently?  Where is your favorite place to display family photos?