A disclaimer for this post: Photowall were so kind to give me a voucher to use on their website and create this spectacular poster for our home. I’m very keen on their services, have been using their website for years and recommend them wholeheartedly!
That pile of old family photos that’s buried at the bottom of a drawer (which is probably to be found in a chest in the furthest corner of your attic) is not just a burden that your ancestors threw on your shoulders. Apart from the fact that these photos are your own personal piece of history and treasure, they are also an incredibly inspirational pieces of art that you can use to create unique pieces to adorn your home. Literally no one else will have this particular piece, it’s special, it’s you and it’s personalised to your home. Let me show you how you can turn an old photo into a majestic wall art in seconds!
Meaning (and value) of old photographs
As you might already know I collect vintage photographs in an attempt to find the family they belong to and eventually return their family heirloom to them. You can find my little ancestry project over here – perhaps you can spot your great grandma in one of the photographs! And if you look closer you can see that I make most of them move – there’s something oh so enchanting about a 150 year old couple wink at each other again! Vintage photos are insanely unique and precious, a very undervalued commodity in my opinion. I have photographs in my collection that show eskimos travelling across Europe in 1880’s, knife throwing cowboys from the 1920’s, children clutching their favourite toys and proud gardeners showcasing their larger than life chrysanthemums. Some of these captured memories are historically valuable, some are valuable only to the families these moments belong to. But every single one is a piece of art that can be used to create something new, something less dusty, something we can use today.
Where to find old photographs?
My favourite way to discover new old photographs is to browse antique and second hand book shops when on holiday or whilst travelling to a new city. I have created a short guide on my favourite second hand book shops in Prague over here, but you can find gorgeous exemplars of vintage photography in just about every city and country you visit. They make for the most special souvenirs, they are very affordable (in many instances they cost less than a pound) and easy to pack in your carry on!
How to turn your favourite old photographs into wall art
You might remember my favourite aPRAGUEment 101 posts where I shared my secret wall art partner in crime – Photowall. We have their magnificent posters in our bedroom and also the living room. When I decided I wanted to blow up a 150 year old photographs of three cheeky gentlemen from Vienna and their dog to go into our dining room, I made a beeline straight for their website.
To create a poster on Photowall is super simple. First of all scan your vintage photograph in high res (mine’s at 600dpi). Then you upload the image onto the Photowall website, choose the size you wish to create and adjust the sizing accordingly. If you’re unsure about the quality of the image and want to avoid unpleasant pixelation, you can drop a line to their customer service who’s ever so helpful to check it’s all good to go!
You receive your poster together with wooden panes and a faux leather string to hang it in your home. I’m always amazed at the fast delivery and high quality of the prints. I mean, just look at the perfection of my Viennese trio. In all honesty I was pretty worried the poster was going to be blurry and hazy for the photo is over a hundred years old, but it has turned out sharp, well saturated and just as lovely as the original photograph. I’m so in love!
And here’s a Photowall discount for you!
Should you wish to create your own photo wall art (or any wall art, canvas or mural), the team at Photowall were so kind to create a special discount code for you. Use “cityscape25” at the checkout for 25% your order! Thank you Photowall! And if you do turn your great great grandad into a poster, please do tag me in your creation on Instagram, I would love to see it!
