Memories are well-preserved through photographs. Perhaps you still have your college graduation pictures but do not have any clue at all how to properly display them in your condo unit? Or maybe the pictures from your 18th birthday already have their fair share of dust, since they are left alone inside those boxes which you never unpacked.
For one, hanging pictures in your condo unit gives off a better aesthetic appeal of your home. It is one of the many no-paint wall ideas you can do to your condo. It offers variation to the dull wall painting or wallpaper you have in your condo. And to simply put it, displaying your pictures adds more life to your humble haven. Now the real challenge with this is how to properly hang those pictures. You should remember that your condo cannot accommodate all your pictures due to the limited space it has. Well, worry no more because to help you manage this well, here are some tips that you can consider when hanging pictures in your homes.
Know the Frame
One thing that most people get wrong when hanging pictures is the frame used. There is a 90% chance that you only use whatever frame your friendly, old salesman suggests at the furniture shop. Of course, they probably would be one of the best people to ask since they should know their items, right? But if and only if they are as confused as you, then you definitely should do your homework and research about this.
The kind of frame should depend on where you want to hang your pictures. If you will hang it on a concrete wall, then perhaps you should buy a fiber-cement or plywood-based frame. This is more durable than other frames and will surely stand the test of time. Of course, you need to drill a hole on your wall first to be able to put on the hook. Now if you will hang them on wood, then you should use plasterboard for this. Furthermore, you must make sure that the wall can handle the weight of the frame.
Handle with Care
Buying the right frames is only the initial step to successfully installing those pictures on your condo wall. But what good would it be if you don’t know how to do the actual installation? Another thing you need to know is how to use the various tools needed to mount those photos in place.
The hammer is one of the tools you need to get yourself familiar with. Nails go side-by-side with the hammer. They are the most basic tools there is. Aside from these two, you also have to know how to use drills, screws, and hooks. They may come very handy when dealing with concrete walls. You can opt to have a friend come over to help you or you can just buy a beginner’s guide in using these tools. Just make sure that you use them with utmost care and with proper supervision, in case you have absolutely no knowledge on how to use them at all.
Angle Them Fashionably
When hanging pictures, you should bear in mind to use the eye-level guide. Place them in such a way that it centers at the eye-level of a person with average height. Do not put them too high or way low. Remember that a major reason for hanging these photos is to show them off to your guests. They wouldn’t be able to appreciate your precious pictures if they wouldn’t see them properly. In addition, you should always see to it that pictures are comfortably viewed by everyone. May they be standing or even idly sitting.
Arrange in Harmony
Before drilling any holes or putting up any hooks on your condo wall, you must also consider how you want them arranged. Most people tend to use the classic way of arranging pictures on walls – arranging by type. You can opt to group all related photos in a single arrangement. For example, photos related to your life’s milestone can be placed in one canvas. Family pictures can also be classified as one arrangement. Your goal is to create one vivid story of the photos in relation to your life. Your guests should be able to see the relationship of the grouped photographs at once.
But if you are more free-spirited and do not want to conform to any rules, then do as you please. Because what is important is you arrange your pictures based on what you think is attractive and appropriate to your home.
Ask for Permission
Unlike stand-alone houses, condominiums may have a set of rules and regulations that you have to follow in designing your condo space, and hanging photos may also be one of them. The issue here lies in securing permits when drilling holes or anything that may damage the condo’s interior.
The first thing you need to do is to revisit your contract. Perhaps there is already a section there covering agreements on alterations in your condo unit. Or you can directly seek assistance from your condo administrators about this. They will be more than willing to help you.
And although you own the unit, make sure that you do this with the consent of the administrators to avoid any unnecessary disputes. In addition, you should also inform your floor neighbors about this to give them a heads-up of the possible inconvenience.
Have Someone to Do It for You
Now if you have the luxury of hiring a professional contractor, then by all means do so. This will ensure that your photos, and condo unit for this matter, are in good hands. Hire someone who you think will be able to transform your vision into reality. It is very important that you brainstorm with the contractor and guide him step-by-step of the way. Make sure that he captures your aesthetic taste and be open for his recommendations. After all, he is the professional. It would be better to ask for samples of his work to gauge his ability and capacity.
Clean Up
Well this is already a given, but you still have to really imbibe this. After successfully installing your photos on the wall, it is quite important to fix all the mess. Sweep of any residue left from drilling your condo wall. It would be better if at first, you place old newspapers on the floor to make the clean-up easier after. Also, throw out any remains of the photo frame, like the box, wrapper, etc.
