When you are decorating your home, two things are worth remembering. However stylish the furniture and paintwork, there is something sad about a bare wall. And your rooms should have some of your own personality in them. So hang framed photos, prints and posters, and choose ones that say something about you.
If you are more likely to go to the cinema than to an art gallery, a film poster in a frame may be just the thing. There are some brilliant ones to choose from.
Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' is iconic in many ways, from its terrifyingly simple theme music to the line 'You're gonna need a bigger boat'. The poster is a work of art in itself. The head of the shark rises from the deep, within biting distance of an unsuspecting swimmer. With its blood-red title, it is one of the simplest, most eye-catching and most frightening posters ever made.
How to frame it: in a slim black frame, next to your film collection.
Vertigo (1958)
'North by Northwest', 'Rear Window', 'Psycho', 'The Birds': name a film by Alfred Hitchcock and it is probably on a list of the greatest ever made. Hitchcock explored the human mind, and he was also a great stylist. Even if you have not seen 'Vertigo', you probably know its poster. Designed by Saul Bass, it shows the figures of a man and a woman falling into a swirling spiral, an image that captures the thrilling, unnerving and sometimes stomach-turning depths of the film.
How to frame it: in a minimalist white frame, in a study.
Rocky (1976)
This influential, if slightly cheesy, sports drama is loved all over the world. It is famous for its rousing theme, 'Gonna Fly Now', and for the scene in which the hero runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It also made Sylvester Stallone a star. One of our favourite things about it is the black and white poster, with its tagline: 'His whole life was a million-to-one shot'.
How to frame it: being black and white, it goes with any frame and any colour scheme. Our first choice of room would be a home gym, or at least wherever you keep that dusty yoga mat.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The Indiana Jones films are among the best loved of all, and as with most series the first is the favourite. Harrison Ford plays the archaeology professor and adventurer who fights Nazis, outruns a boulder, faces a pit of snakes and falls in love, all while searching for the Ark of the Covenant. Several posters exist. Our favourite shows Indy facing us with his familiar grin and his whip in hand, ready for action, with a colourful crowd of friends, enemies and temple pillars behind him.
How to frame it: a bright, busy poster like this suits a sleek wooden frame. Hang it in the hall, to send you out on an adventure every day.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
In her most famous role, Audrey Hepburn played the eccentric and spirited Holly Golightly, a socialite set on marrying money who falls for a penniless writer. Today the film may be best known for its poster, which shows Holly in her most celebrated outfit: a long black dress, a huge necklace and evening gloves. With its beautiful illustration, it is the dream poster for anyone who loves old Hollywood romance and 1960s glamour.
How to frame it: in an elegant gold frame, in the bedroom. We all need some style inspiration in the morning.
Framing a film poster
- Get the size right. A full-size poster can overwhelm a small room, so keep the big ones for halls and open-plan spaces. Smaller prints are ideal for a bathroom, bedroom, study or kitchen ('Chocolat' or 'Ratatouille', perhaps).
- Decide about a mount. Most film posters have a border of their own, and look fine without one.
- Keep the frame simple. The bigger and busier the poster, the plainer the frame should be. A narrow black or white frame is hard to beat.
- Do not trim an original. Vintage posters come in odd sizes, and cutting one down destroys its value. Have a frame made to fit.
To get started, visit our picture frames and mounts page. Or go back to your film collection for more ideas.