So you're a sports fanatic seeking to decorate your home or office with conversation pieces or maybe you just want a vintage sports theme for a specific room like your man cave or bedroom. Purchasing antiques can get expensive and require space to display them. Consider filling your space with vintage sports photography. Artwork is something that can hang on your walls so it doesn't take up too much space. It’s also a great way to surround yourself with conversation starters without going broke. There are a few tricks and things to consider when choosing vintage sports posters.

Choose a color!

One big thing to consider is the color. What will fit best in your decor, black and white, sepia toned or color sports photos. The color theme you choose can depend on the color of your walls, furniture and other accessories in the room. If the room is full of color it may be a good idea to use black and white or sepia to tone the colors down. Using color sports photography in a room full of color can become overwhelming. The sepia tones and photographs that lack rich colors is what tends to give the photograph a more vintage feel. When you find the right color for your room, the finish for the print is your next big step. If a frame compliments your piece best, you'll want to use a frame that has more of a vintage feel rather than a modern frame. Some mat colors that may pair well with retro sports photos include egg shell, buff and serene cream.

The Sport or the Name?

Before you automatically select photography that includes famous athletes or stadiums, browse pictures that feature the unexpected or show humankind’s love of the sport. Good examples are photos like Free Golf and Retrieving the Ball. Each one presents everyday people engaged in the sport of golf. We carry prints in various types of categories like football, racing cars, hockey, tennis, lacrosse and more. So take time to find the beautiful golf course or the motivational soccer poster rather than automatically searching for famous sports players and stadiums.

If you do feel compelled to spotlight famous athletes or locations, there are tons of sports places and people to choose from in our categories. One of our best illustrations in that regard may be found in the photo titled, Lou Gehrig – With Bats. It's almost a 3-D look the way that the baseball bats are positioned, it gives the illusion that they are literally coming out of frame. This piece and pieces like it would look great printed on a seamless piece of canvas or a two-toned, ebony and gold bastion frame.

The Last Game

The last best thing to consider is the last game. If you have a favorite athlete, finding photographs from their last game is not only great decor but a great conversation starter as well. A good example would be to pair photos like Lou Gehrig – Farewell #2 or Babe Ruth - Farewell.

Finish it Off

Artwork is not complete with out a frame, laminate or canvas finish. If a canvas best suites your desired piece, choose a painted sides color that matches something in the frame. For black and white photos, black painted sides is always an amazing finish. If you're choosing a frame finish, choose a vintage styled frame. You can also choose a frame that matches the furniture in the room it will decorate. If you have a mahogany colored bed frame and the chosen piece is going in that bedroom, try choosing one of our mahogany frames if they match the piece as well.

All of our frame and canvas finishes come with 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Black & white photography is timeless. It adds depth to its surroundings and can bring an instant element of class and elegance to a room. However some people shy away from the idea of using black and white photos for decorating, afraid it will look dull and lack creativity. This could not be more untrue. Black and white is the perfect medium for decorating with pictures in any room in the house; even a child’s bedroom. The key is in knowing how to use it.

 Tips for decorating with black and white photography:

Tip 1: Black and white photos are ideal for decorating brightly colored walls because they won’t conflict with the surrounding color. Use the same frame style and color for every picture to prevent competition, while drawing one’s eye to the subject of the photo. Solid black or white frames with white matting work well with vivid backgrounds. 

Tip 2: Adorn a child’s room with black and white prints of a subject they love. Baseball fans will be thrilled by the variety of vintage shots featuring famous sluggers and well-known stadiums. For a child who adores animals, black and white pictures of puppies, kittens or horses play well against pale blue or pink walls. 

Tip 3: Teenage girls enjoy themed decor such as Paris, glamorous movie stars or dance. Paired in brightly colored or black frames against white or cream walls, black and white photos will blend in beautifully with her inspiration.

Tip 4: Neutral colored walls in a living space form the perfect pallet for black and white art. Photos of the beach or ocean framed in distressed white, light blue or natural wood give a special touch to a coastal themed room. A more modern and chic look can be achieved by combining photos in both black and white frames in a beige room with white trim and shelves and black wrought iron wall hangings, candle holders and lamps.  

Black and white photos can be dramatic, playful, elegant or glamorous, bringing tremendous beauty and infinite possibilities for decorating to a home. Consider the possibilities in your own home and then browse our large selection of black and white photography.  

Imagine a background presided over by rocky mountain landscapes covered in slight mist, with a foreground enlivened by surreal characters, all woven by a soft glowing majesty as in a dream.  This could be synonymous with the works of early 20th century American painter Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966).

A product of New England, Parrish was born and raised in Philadelphia.  He graduated from Haverford College in 1892, and attended the Pennsylvania Academy from 1892 to 1894, where he took some of Howard Pyle's classes at the Drexel Institute.  He then moved to New Hampshire during his late 20's, where he rendered prominent works such as "Daybreak," "Ecstasy," and "Evening Shadows," which partly make up a collection of work spanning over four decades.  In some cases Parrish's works appeared as illustrations in several of magazines of his day, such as "Life" and "Colliers."  Parrish also had international success around 1900 when his works were used as illustrations in the classical children's books "Golden Age" and "Dream Days," by Kenneth Graham's books.

Attributes of his artistic technique included the use of glowing colors, achieved through glazing, which involves bright layers of oil set apart by varnish.  In the early part of his career, he often painted women on rocks, then later transitioned to mainly painting landscapes.  His success in book illustrations could be attributed to his passion for reading books.

Consider adding an image of soft glowing majesty from one of America's renowned painters to your home or art collection: Consider the works of Maxfield Parrish.