# Am I "over decorating" my rooms?



## scrapperluv (Jan 29, 2013)

Am I "over decorating my rooms"?

I just bought a house that has great potential! All the walls are varying colors of neutrals and it looks like it's out of a magazine. I'm so nervous about where and how to hang framed prints. I have TONS of framed art I've been playing with (botanicals, antique maps,etc.). I'm getting really into the textured fabrics and burlap.
Here's my question:
I'm wondering if there is a formula or rule of thumb for how many photo sets should be in one room. For instance should all 4 walls have framed pics on them??? Seems a little overkill to me. Or should I have one wall that's a focal point and really arranged with framed prints and decorative items that accent it THEN have the other 3 walls more sparse?

I have a big framed piece over the mantle with lots of decor and books placed on the mantel. It looks great! But now what do I do to the other walls? I'd like to hang a series of 3 vintage butterfly artwork in this same room. Then a large Cassat print on another wall. For the 4th wall should I hang something other than a framed print? I love lots of art on walls but I still want it to all tie in well together. One cluttered wall looks great, but what to do with the rest of the room to balance it out.

Also, the hallway leading off this room has an eclectic picture wall gallery.. Am I just cramming too much in one house?


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Welcome, first it's hard to tell without pic's. 
how about posting some? It's really a matter of
what you like, a lot of stuff or a little bit of stuff.
I happen to like a lot stuff. But, as far as overkill,
I think it depends on how big the rooms are; if the 
rooms are spacious enough then it can handle more
artwork.


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## Joshua Conix (Jan 31, 2013)

My suggestion is do not put too many frames in one place because it will only make the room crowded. Instead put them to a place that looks boring to you. You can put 1 or 4 frames in one wall - 1 if it's really big. The rest scatter them around your house (same rule 1 if its really big them up to 4 frames if small).


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

I actually think that you can incorporate a lot of pictures on walls, provided that they have some relationship to each other. 

You can have a gallery wall where you can put pics from top to bottom. I have seen it done and looks great. 

They can have all the same shade of frame to them to bring them all together.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

I agree, as long as the pictures have some type of relationship to each other, it would be considered a grouping and not really individual pictures.

I have some people who have purchased up to 7 of my photos and have an area of their house with a long hallway, where they hang all of them. I've been to a couple of those clients, and the way they lay them out and chose scenes that flow together, it seemed to work out well. They also chose all the same style frame when hanging them all on one wall.

I remember years ago on a talk show, it might have been Oprah :laughing:
where they were talking about decorating. They showed how you can have a wall filled with family photos with all different color frames. They then showed the same photos hung on the same wall with all the same style frames of the same color, as in all the same wood tones, all brass, all pewter.. whatever you choose, as long as they were the same, the pictures then became the focal point, and not a wall filled with all colors of frames. It looked a lot nicer than the first scenario.


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## henrylarry6 (Nov 2, 2012)

Do not put frames everywhere but where it actually needed especially on the blank and bright wall. Keep your decor simple and sober with little bit trendy look.


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## henrylarry6 (Nov 2, 2012)

It sounds like you have a lot of new space to fill…what fun projects! Have you considered adding some edge with wallpaper? I added some beautiful prints to a few of my rooms recently and I am so happy with the results. In my living room, I added an accent wall behind the couch and hung some family portraits on it, and it is absolutely stunning. It catches everyone's eye and has received so many compliments! Good luck with your decorating!


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## alexjoe (Jun 10, 2013)

Upload some pictures of living room.


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## DIY-Her (Feb 19, 2012)

well its been just about 11 months and no reply from the original poster, guess we won't be seeing any pics to help further


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## alexjoe (Jun 10, 2013)

Yes so many framed pieces shouldn't be in the drawing room as it will give a messy look.


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## surfboards123 (Feb 13, 2014)

Hi,
It is a good idea to put art on walls but if you are doing so you should have to keep in mind that don't hang it on all the 4 walls . And also if you are putting it on a particular one then try to add arts of different shapes and size. On other walls you can try various different things like bookshelf or paint like stripped wall painting or can add texture to your wall's paint by furling yarn around the roller.


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## Lillu (Mar 4, 2014)

the walls can really get too "crowded" when you put up too many pictures, but on the other side - You and Your family are the people living there, so i think as long as you all like it there is no problem.


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## bawilliams1 (Mar 9, 2014)

I had the same problem with my house. Less is more! You can always add later.


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## bawilliams1 (Mar 9, 2014)

I agree. Do what you like. It's your house!


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## Afossas (Mar 17, 2014)

I would think a few larger focal pieces is enough. You could then do clusters or varied items on the remaining spaces. Sconces, sculpture, etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## LynnMiles (Feb 18, 2014)

You have to decide on how your room should look like, that's the first and foremost thing you need to plan. If you need the walls with frames, you can have frames crowded or just one, but it should depend on how you showcase it. I've seen walls with lots of ceramic plates with a theme, or just showcasing different color and shapes. At my place I tried incorporating old stuffs that most people keep as memories, I am a regular visitor to Jiffy Storage, Toronto, you can find a lot of collectibles like old bags, cases toys that will bring back memories of old and beautiful times. I buy such collectibles and design my living and bathroom with it. Like I have an old floral steel case, which is now used as beauty kit in my powder room and the whole room has been themed of a little girl, and I simple love it.


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## mayagreen (Feb 27, 2014)

the point is you must have focus for your home decoration, and others are decoratings for it. once you have done this, there will not have "over-decorating" problem.


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## Devz (Apr 16, 2014)

Depends on what you like. I prefer minimalism, so in my opinion, perhaps?


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## alexjoe (Jun 10, 2013)

Its always dream come true for someone who has his own house. Now you can spent your time on the decorating on it.


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## Jonathon C. (Mar 11, 2014)

It is good when pictures are placed in long narrow hall (if you had one). My friends have placed all the pictures they wanted on the both walls. I think it looks great like a small gallery.


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## ColePenner (May 17, 2014)

Sometimes simple and minimalist is better. Depends on the space, but you will probably hit a point where the Pareto Principle comes into play (80% of the results come from 20% of the effort).


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