It depends where they are. If they're on one wall, (which I think they should be) then yes, frames should be in the same family -- silver, gold, wood stained. You can always buy spray paint, and just spray them whatever color you want.

I'm like you. I have a mix. I will likely paint them all black or white to match, depending on the space they go in. The shape doesn't matter and black (or white) is easy to buy when I need more frames. Heck, I could even buy "ugly" frames for less and paint them.

I wanted only black accessories in the hallway where I've hung the family photos, so I either bought new black frames (incredibly cheap at Walmart or nicer ones at my local craft store), or spray painted the existing wood frames. My mom gave me the old collage photo frames she'd hung in her house, along with the original photos in them, and I sprayed those frames with black satin spray paint...sure updated them immediately. So yes, all my family photos are in black frames. They're not all the same style, but all in black.

None of mine match. I have all paintings, however, and most are large and the only thing a wall. If I were to do a grouping of smaller frames, I would still have an unmatched look but with a coordinating, repetitive feel.

I like mixed frames. Actually I LIKE both looks, but for myself I love the play of a mix. The frame (if there is one) is selected for the picture itself and I love to see a gallery wall with a mix of art and frame styles and finishes. Like anything else, there is a knack to grouping and arranging things well but as for doing frames one way or the other, that's something which is really just personal taste and style.

I think the more contemporary look is matching frames, and random frames are more "salon style" and traditional. If there is a similarity in the pictures --which there often is in photographs, similarity in framing is nice. And it sometimes makes sense to have like things framed alike: all my credentials are framed in matching frames for example. None of my other frames match, but I also don't display family photos in "public" spaces or on the wall: they are on a bookcase in the bedroom. I sometimes have displayed them in the LR but on a table.

Its really a matter of taste and whether your style is more contemporary, eclectic or traditional.

I would love to see photos of your picture walls. Does anyone have any to share?

I want to do one with my nature photography and can't decide how to do it. All black frames? Mats? Black mats with white frames? 18% gray mats with black frames? I did keep this link from another thread http://www.atticmag.com/2009/07/understanding-picture-walls/ to study. I think I will hang mine on my brown DR wall (you may have seen that picture in the other thread about brown walls). I've wanted to do this for a couple of years but can't decide how to do it.

You could certainly match some of the gilded frames with new black frames.

The frames throughout my house are a little different depending on where they are.

The entry way wall has black frames/slight off-white mats. These are all dog-related photos and a drawing.

Take a few steps and you're in my combo LR/DR. There, on a long buffet, I have Mikasa-type cut glass frames holding photos of family members. Many frames, probably 15. And there are 4 more on a little table across the room. Having all the frames made of the same material (along with the "lightness" of glass) doesn't make it feel cluttered to me.

Upstairs in a hallway that leads to my office space is a wall that few visitors see. I have many photos (of people) in clear acrylic "box" frames (those cheap things you can get at A.C. Moore) and a version of those box frames that I found many years ago in brushed aluminum metal. Those work together, too. No mats on those photos.

So you might consider a certain type of frame in one display in one part of the house, and a different frame set elsewhere. No need to settle on just one for the entire home!

I agree with Spring-meadow. I love a wall with all sorts of art in varying frames. For how to do it successfully take a look at the last two pictures posted by Threedgrad on her thread about a headboard; scroll down, because there are two sets of pictures (so far!). As I wrote there, these are the walls of a collector; the pictures have been framed individually and appropriately for each one. These walls have a high interest value and the pictures are not overwhelmed by those heavy black frames that are so popular now. None of the frames in our house "match" unless there is a set of pictures meant to be hung together.

As for family photos, I also don't have many out for public viewing. Just a few in the LR, a few on the walls in the den, and a few in the bedrooms. IMO those pictures do look better if they are framed similarly or to match. Guess I'm also going against the trend now because all of our family pics are in color.

I think the key to hanging a lot of photographs of people without the clutter effect is four-fold...any or all of these things can help.

The first helpful thing is to put each picture in a frame much larger than the photo with a lot of white mat around it.

The second is to copy all the color photos to black and white.

The third is to make the group make sense either by using the same simple gallery frame type for all; or by painting all the differing styles of frame the same black or taupe or cream, or three shades of gray or taupe or tan; or by carefully matching each frame style with its photo, and then balancing the group so that each type is spread equally through the group.

And the fourth is to lay out the group so that the outside edges of all the bordering frames create a box that's even along the top and bottom and sides of the composition.

Then there is the now-for-something-completely-different idea, and my favorite of all...which is to take your three or four or six best-looking favorites (or the best one of each person in your family), blow them up big in black and white, put them in very wide white or cream mats and big simple frames, arrange them like a museum wall down a hall, and put everything else into a beautiful leather-bound photo album on a table.

Several years ago I came to the conclusion my frames were an un-matched, un-cohesive mess.

I got rid of the ones that stood out as completely weird in shape, or too themey & just didn't go.

I decided I wanted all my frames either black or dark brown depending on the room, so I spray-painted a bunch of them. Only had to buy/replace a few once I edited down the weird ones and painted the keepers.
Gayle

There are soooo many ways that it looks good! Matched, mis-matched, similar - whatever you like and I think that everyone here gave great advice. It really just depends on the feel or look that you want it to have and how you execute it.

Since I tend to go on visual overload on my walls I keep the frames all of similar small frame scale. I used to do only one color (black) but have recently begun mixing frame colors w/ the intoduction of brown.

Here are 2 walls that I did w/ black frames (the 1st pic has since been fixed - the children and dog are all upright now!):

And one area where I started mixing black and brown. The colors all relate to eachother so I think that's why it works.

Wow, ttodd! I just love how you have done your photos! Especially the ones around your desk area. Beautiful. Would you mind emailing me? sundownr313 at hotmail.

Every time I see a picture of ttodd's house, I want to move right in. I love your style, ttodd!

If I have photos arranged/clustered on a table top or a bookcase, I try to have the frames match. Not exactly all the same, but the same metal. So for instance I have a table with a bunch of small frames on it, and they're all pewter finished.

I have photos along the stairway, and they are all in matching frames. But nearby, on another wall, I have a mix of photos, small paintings, and a mirror clustered together and none of the frames match... but they are mostly in dark wood tones or antiqued metals.

Thanks Sueb20!

Sundownr - shoot me an e-mail w/ any questions you have! Just click on My Page and at the top there will be a section Send An E-mail.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

Yes, ttodd your room is gorgeous. When I figure out how to post pictures, maybe I can post a picture of the area in question for help! :)