This past Christmas, I received an Aura Walden digital frame—an item I had been quietly considering for quite some time. I loved the idea of easily displaying family photos, but I could never quite get past one thing: the modern, digital look. No matter how practical it seemed, I couldn’t picture how it would truly fit into our home and the collected, vintage-leaning style I love.
Modern Meets Vintage Decor
The frame sat for awhile on a shelf as I debated where it might work best. Eventually, I tried it mounted on the wall and immediately preferred it there rather than sitting on a side table or shelf. While the wall placement felt more intentional, the frame itself still looked a bit cold and out of place—too sleek, too new, and not quite us. I was discouraged. Then…
After a few minutes of standing there and staring at it, inspiration struck. I headed to my stash of vintage frames, selected one that felt about the right size, and removed the glass and backing. I didn’t even measure—I simply held it up to the Aura frame on the wall.
It was a perfect fit!
Surrounding the Aura frame with a vintage frame completely transformed it! I was so relieved. That one simple addition softened the modern lines and helped it blend seamlessly into our home. What once felt like a piece of technology now feels thoughtful, layered, and right at home among our collected pieces. It was a simple change to make a digital frame feel collected.
Sometimes it doesn’t take a full redesign, a big purchase, or even giving up on something — it might just need a creative moment and a willingness to use what you already have. In this case, a vintage frame made all the difference, turning a modern digital gift into something that truly belongs in our space.
Curating a digital frame display
I’ve been intentional about curating the photos displayed on our Aura frame as well. Rather than uploading all kinds of photos, I chose a mix of vintage family photos, current wall-worthy images of our grandchildren and family, and landscape photos from places we’ve visited and love. That thoughtful blend makes the frame feel less like a slideshow and more like a rotating gallery—a little more personal and meaningful, and at home in our space.
If you are considering adding a frame to surround your digital frame, or purchasing a digital frame, you could also check out Hobby Lobby, Michael’s or Target to find a frame that would work for your decor.
