2. Most people pay little attention to the frame that surrounds a picture,
dismissing it as simply a convenient way to hang the piece from a wall
However, frames have been around almost as long as art and, over the years,
have become appreciated as something more than the “finishing touch” that
adds dramatic flair to the pictures they enclose There is a wide variety of
decorative picture frames available, whether you choose to shop for them at
the local mall or have a custom frame designed specifically for a particular
piece of art Brightly-colored, ready-made frames can proclaim “It’s a boy!”
while providing a spot to show off the newest addition to the family
3. Others are designed to look like everything from the family car to a favorite pet
with slots for the pictures you want to display If your budget will allow you to
spend a little more on the frame for a particular piece, there are styles that
reflect the elegance of bygone eras while others add dramatic flair to the art
you want to showcase in your home It pays to shop around and look at
different types of decorative picture frames before you decide which ones are
right for you There are Internet sites where you can download a copy of the
art you want to frame, and then see how it looks in a range of styles
4. This free feature can be especially valuable if youÂ’re just starting to decorate
or are considering renovations to your home Sometimes, homeowners prefer
a unified look, adding the same type of frame to the art that decorates every
room, while others choose different styles that reflect the taste of individual
family members While it may not seem at first as important as where youÂ’re
going to place that new sofa, decorative picture frames can add or subtract
much from the overall style of a room When hanging pictures, remember that
some pieces are best shown individually, while others are more effectively
displayed as a group
6. Some people enjoy using just frames to decorate their living space A variety
of gilt-edged, ornate frames, interspersed with different colors or textures of
contemporary styles, can sometimes create an interesting accent in a room It
can also be an inexpensive decorating choice because unique finds often turn
up at flea markets and garage sales  The history
http://www.dhshardware.com of decorative picture frames can be traced back
centuries to the early years of the Christian church
7. While a type of border or frame appeared around art about 3,000 years ago,
the church first used the type of frame we are more familiar with to define
religious art The heavy, jeweled-encrusted frames sometimes were as
elaborate as the colorful images they enclosed With the advent of the
Renaissance in the 15th century, wealthy aristocrats and merchants decided
that their portraits deserved an equally fine setting, so they commissioned
craftsmen to create elegantly carved frames that reflected their social status
8. The value of hand-crafted frames increased as the importance of art grew in
the western world Over the years, decorative picture frames have changed to
reflect contemporary tastes But classic styles, such as Baroque and Rococo,
are still favored by many homeowners for traditional art
9. So, even though you canÂ’t sit on them to test their comfort, or you canÂ’t
taste them to see if theyÂ’re the right flavor, decorative picture frames are an
integral part of creating a home that is uniquely yours Choose the ones that
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