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DESIGN

Changing your frame of reference

By Terri Sapienza, The Washington Post

If there’s one household item that I have plenty of, it’s picture frames. Many are family heirlooms or gifts, and I can’t resist bringing home a new one, when I find a good deal at a flea market or antique shop.

Yet, rarely do any of the frames I already have, seem to fit the bill when a new photograph or print needs showing off, so off I go, in search of another one.

But rather than let my growing collection gather dust in a closet, I’ve looked for ways to use my picture frames other than for their intended purpose.

Putting frames to work in unexpected ways, I’ve found, not only freshens up a room, but also revives the frames themselves.

Here are a few ideas:

* Swap the glass in any frame with a mirror. A grouping of shapes and sizes on a wall can be striking, and bounces light around.

* Turn a large, sturdy frame into a tray for an ottoman.

Display a collage of photographs or postcards behind the glass, or let the fabric of the ottoman show through.

* Buy decorative cupboard handles from a hardware or home store and attach them to the sides of a frame, creating an accent piece and an organizer on a dressing table or nightstand.

* Adding handles also can turn a frame into a serving tray. Silver frames work especially well for this.

* Let the frames be the artwork: Take out the glass and backing, and let painted or papered wall show through.

* Place a grouping over a bed in place of a standard headboard.

* Hang frames at odd angles, turning a square into a diamond, for instance, with or without art inside.