Don't worry about material waste. The costs of going to 9' or 10' ceilings will not be in the frame labor, but in material. Usually when engineers look at taller ceiling heights, they require smaller stud spacing, and/or fireblocking between studs. The studs are not cut to 8', 9', or 10' heights, but smaller to account for the bottom plate and double top plate to acheive 8', 9', or 10' heights. Remember if you change an 8' plan to 9' or 10' there are many things to consider, especially if you want it to look scaled to the model you looked at to reference your purchase including windows and doors, headers and products. Imagine this, if your 8' plans call for 7' header heights for your front windows, that means their is 12" from the ceiling to the top of the window. Now if you raise the ceiling you now have 24" or 36" from ceiling to window, which will look funny. So you will have to raise your header height or purchase taller windows to maintain the scale. Your exterior material will also go up, brick, stucco,siding. Just things to consider, but I feel it is definitely worth it, especially for resell value.

I've been using large poster frames from Michaels -- as avesmor said, they are pretty cheap with the coupon. Mine are from the "Timeless" collection or something like that. They are black, but I am almost positive they come in wood tones as well. I recently bought several 24x32 size and they came in at around $15 after the sale and coupon -- I've found that Michaels is almost always running a 40% off this series of frames and usually has a coupon in the flyer for an extra 20% off wall frames, which brings the price way down. (Michaels also takes coupons from a smartphone so if you don't have the flyer but you do have a smartphone, go to their website and look up the current coupons! I would have thought the glass was plexi for that price, but found out otherwise when my ds broke one -- it's real glass. The frames are fairly sturdy (better than walmart quality) and have nice hanging hardware as well.

Patricia Colwell Consulting I honestly had never thought of it in that way. Disrespecting the art. The photos I have on display are not mine, but they are matted and framed as you suggested.. And that is what I would be inclined to do again. I think maybe the reason for liking minimalism is the same as liking black and white photography. Colorado TroutguyI like your definition of minimalism, and I appreciate the description of your living vs. studio space. Also, I appreciate your compliment; I am a lifetime amateur, at best. Do you have a website where I could see your paintings? I love huge art. Good resolution overrides size, so I am limited. Luckily, I have a guy who is great at making that determination. It is hard to choose from decades of work. I don’t have an actual studio; I never enjoyed the darkroom process. Perhaps I must adjust to the idea of having a "digital studio.” Fun2BHereI’m not sure yet if I will use that type of arrangement in the main living areas. For certain I will use it in my study and bedrooms. I will look up Sarah Richardson. Thanks. Her name rings a bell.

I recently remodeled and changed the double sinks for one sink plus a nice area where I can sit down for my ablutions. I wanted the increased counter space as well as the increased storage space. I don't spend that much time over a sink anyway so I don't see what the big deal is to have one sink. I especially think it is ridiculous when I see two sinks crammed into a small vanity with a tiny bit of counter space - so big deal you have a dysfunctional bathroom space but you have two sinks. I remodeled for my needs and my aesthetic vision. I am not planning to move and if someone doesn't like it, they can fairly easily just reconnect the plumbing and add the second sink. In terms of mirror treatment, I did a ceiling to counter wall to wall mirror but then put two different mirror treatments above the sink and the "grooming area". The wall to wall mirrors lightens and enlarges my rather small space and the two different mirror treatments differentiate it as well. I also have two Art Deco style sconces above the sink and a version a makeup lighting above the grooming sit down area.