The other day I discovered to my horror that my university degree, for years sitting in storage in a locker, had been irreparably damaged by a water leak. It was covered in mould. The type was wiped out. And it got me thinking about how I need to make storing photos and keepsakes a priority, as part of our interior design, home reorganization efforts.
Related: Interior design tips for mixing vintage and luxury pieces
The memories you have made throughout your life should be celebrated and protected. But keeping meaningful photos, keepsakes, souvenirs, and sentimental items locked away in a box or stored in a bank vault won’t do them justice.
Instead, consider finding safer, alternative even stylish ways to preserve and display those memories. Because that will allow you to reminisce about your best experiences on a daily basis.
Turn your memories into art and create a gallery wall
If you are looking for an elegant way to safeguard and display your memories at the same time, consider creating a gallery wall. Collect photos, postcards from vacations, special occasion cards, or art prints. Then arrange them in matching frames for your gallery wall.
To create a unique gallery wall. Choose a palette to create a unified look. Alternatively, mix and match different media to make your gallery wall more eclectic. Choose the location for your gallery wall wisely and consider insuring all contents of your home against physical damage.
Interior design: Frame statement photos
If you have a handful of highly valued photographs, you are not alone. Surveys reported by the New York Daily News show that, for nearly 45% of Americans, their photos and mementoes are among their most valued possessions.
Luckily, you can make the most of your dearest belongings by hanging a statement piece on a wall and creating a focal point in your living room or bedroom. Consider choosing a quality customized frame or ensure that your selected photo fits with your decor for a more seamless look.
Create a shadow box
If you are looking for a unique way to display your photos and keepsakes while keeping them safe, consider creating a personalized shadow box. Shadow boxes derive from the military tradition that involved sailors carrying their belongings ashore upon retiring from shipboard service.
Today, creating a shadow box is an elegant way to preserve your precious memories. You can choose items such as photographs, jewelry or mementoes that are associated with the particular moment you’re trying to commemorate. Place these items in the shadow box. Then hang them on a wall for the best results.
Interior design: Create a custom photo book
Another great option worth considering is to create a beautiful photo book to remember your special moments and collect your best snaps. Thanks to dedicated services, it’s easy to do. And it will serve as something you can look back on in the future.
The type of photo book you’ll create depends on your personal taste. But make sure you choose online services that let you print photos, choose quality paper, format pictures into multiple pages. Plus add special effects or even a message for the recipient if it’s intended as a gift.
Take advantage of digital storage
If you are looking to keep your digital photos safe, opt for digital storage. For this, you’ll need to choose a specialized digital storage service that can help you back up your photos on a safe cloud infrastructure. Also, so you can search for snaps by time or location, and save media in high-quality formats.
Using your Instagram feed as a digital photo album might seem like an easy choice. That’s especially true as one of the facts you should know about the app is that it has an “Archive” mode. Nonetheless, Instagram’s photo quality might change over time. And your photo might not always be safe here.
Use souvenirs to decorate your home
It could be a fridge magnet you collected on your last winter luxury getaway. Or trinkets you have collected from a year-long world tour. Whatever they are, consider gathering memories from your past trips and using them to decorate your home.
A great way to do this is to set up vintage and collectable items on a dedicated shelf. Or use them to add texture to a bookshelf or library. If you have opted for a minimalist look for your home, opting for creating a memory box can help you maintain your home free of clutter while safeguarding your treasured memories.
Top image by Danist Soh/Unsplash
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
