So when I first moved into my apartment in Birmingham, I pretty much just used anything and everything that I had from my little house in Auburn. I didn't have much money to upgrade so it stayed for about a year and a half looking like a college dorm.
Finally I realized that I am a working adult and that my place of residence should reflect that. So my first area of focus, above the couch in the livingroom. While I still do love Klimt and think he was a genius, I just didn't feel a poster was the right look, so I went with the trusty old picture arrangement. As travel is one of my favorite past times and interests, I decided it should be the focus of my arrangement.
I picked the best looking pictures from all of the places I have been to in Europe, my current favorite travel destination, sorted through, and picked the 5 best vertical pictures from the bunch. I changed them to black and white through photoshop since I already have about three color palettes in that room already and didn't think it needed any more color.
For frames, I got 5 simple, black, 8.5 x 11 frames at Hobby Lobby for half off of $9.99 each. Now because they were so cheap, they didn't come with a mounting hook so I bought a mounting kit as well for about $5. They also had the already-cut sale section of mattes where I found this beautiful texture matte that, of course, they only had 3 of. So I got 3 for $3 each and then had to get the other 2 custom cut for full price.
All assembled and finally on the wall, they add a subtle conversation piece that reminds me every day of all my great European memories. Love it!
