Once you have your mid mod mad pad up and running, it’s time for some tunes. We’re guessing that most lovers of vintage homes also have a hankering to hear musical favorites the old fashioned way, too — on incomparable, scratchy vinyl. Good news: Vintage LPs can generally be found very inexpensively at thrift stores and estate sales. And more good news: The album cover art may be as good as — or better than — the music. Yes: Displaying album covers as art on your walls can make for a wonderful wall display that reflects your unique vibe. Even more so, because you can periodically swapped out the LP covers to suit your mood. Above: Readers Drew and Eric have used their record collection fill a wall in their cozy reading nook — and add some hip color to the space. Read on to see how seven more Retro Renovation readers have used records in their decor.
Above: Reader MidCenturyThriftyGal has grouped her collection of framed records over the fireplace — and also around the corner. When you hang your album covers tightly together like this, the grouping reads as one large piece of art. The options for making groupings of records are endless. Since records are all uniform squares — it is easy to arrange them in patterns — which can create a variety of looks for your walls. The variety of colors, designs and subject matters on vintage album covers vary widely too — so no matter your taste, you can curate a collection that will complement — or stand out from — your surrounding decor.
Readers Rob and Julie have allowed a little more space in between record frames in their grouping. Combined with the more subdued color schemes of the records they chose to display — they achieve a somewhat calmer “piece of art” — their little pup looks like he is ready to take a nap.
Reader Jill used a similar amount of space between her records — all Beatles — in her Beatles themed gray and pink bathroom. Note, we’d guess that the humidity in a bathroom might do damage to album covers, even when they are encased in glass — or especially when they are encased in glass — over time. So, best to check the market value of your album covers first. Album cover art is a collectible, and some are very valuable!
Reader Uncle Atom tacked up his records on the wood paneling in his rec room — with a vintage turntable close at hand. His colorful and kitschy arrangement of records goes well with the pattern on his floor tiles — and the subject matter of the albums he chose to display add a youthful energy to the space.
This reader has used albums to add color to their otherwise neutral space. The wider spacing allows them to fill more wall space and spread the color around for maximum impact.
Above: Reader Andrea’s album art display has a theme — it’s a “bongo wall”. Very clever!
Instead of hanging multiple record albums together in a group to display as art — reader Tina has selected a favorite record to display — letting it stand alone.
Whether you choose your records to exhibit based on your favorite genre or artist, or simply for the color of decorative nature of the cover design — hanging framed vintage record albums make a great piece of art in a mid century styled home.
chuck says
I’m not hanging the audiophile 180g vinyl reissue of Pink Moon on the wall…that goes on the Rega where it belongs.
…but I will hang up goofy stuff with cool covers, and I’ll rotate them out occasionally. Right now I have the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack up next to its doppelganger, Sesame Street Fever (with Grover out on the tiles in the white tuxedo in lieu of John Travolta!)
What I won’t condone are record label coasters or melted record bowls. For me it would be like a vet having taxidermy dogs in the waiting room.
Record Guy says
I agree with your disliking record coasters in certain cases. I buy collections of records all the time and see so many records that have been severely scratched, warped and/or molded from improper storage over the decades. I see nothing wrong with resurrecting these otherwise useless damaged records into a useful item that can be used on a daily basis.
Tammy says
I have album art in several rooms and I put mine in themes. Right now in the living room, I have a set I call “bored women with cigarettes.” In the bar I have “couples in love,” and in the guest bathrooms I have “girls with guns.” I change them with holidays and seasons. I also have a huge collection I play on one of my three turntables. Yes, be careful of displaying albums in often-used bathrooms as the humidity can cause mold and rust (frame) to occur. Having albums is fun, but hunting for them is even more fun!
Uncle Atom says
Ha! I love those themes!
Barb S. says
Speaking of hanging albums that you can’t listen to… When my husband and I put our music collections together, I noticed we had a lot of picture discs. Those were the ones I chose to put on the walls. They don’t usually have the best listening quality anyway. I wonder if they had colored vinyl back in the day? I would love to see some vintage red or orange albums on the wall. Maybe from the 70s??? I loved this post!! Thanks~
Sarah g (roundhouse) says
Yep there sure was! I’ve seen yellow myself, and a quick google search shows that there was the entire rainbow!
julie s says
Sherree, that is so funny you showed that picture. I own that album, and it is what inspired me to hang my album covers!
Kate says
Love it! 🙂
Sherree says
I know, isn’t it so cool! I got mine at a thrift shop for a quarter 🙂
Sherree says
Thank you Kate and Pam for featuring our living room record collection! Our collection numbers in the hundreds, so framing a few does not keep us from having plenty to listen to. Besides, it only takes a minute to take the album out of the frame if we wanted to listen to it. We change them out all the time.
Framing record albums is not a new trend. It was also done to decorate walls in the 50’s. Check out this album cover I just framed:
http://midcenturythriftygal.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/new-stuff-177.jpg
Sherree
Kate says
Wow — that is an awesome record album cover! And proof that hanging records on the wall is something that was done in the 50s. Thanks so much for sharing!
tammyCA says
Michael’s also has album frames that go on sale often. I have a small collection of albums just because I like them even ‘tho I don’t have a record player. Some are for the colorful artwork, usually children’s & stage musicals, but some I hope to be able to play again when I find the right player.
Michelle says
I have four frames and all the Beatles albums.
Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt.Pepper and Abbey Road are my favs to display.
Robin, NV says
I definitely agree that this is decorating on the kitsch end of the scale – not that there’s anything wrong with that. I liked the photos from Christmas that had holiday albums displayed. If I were to decorate with album art, that’s what I’d do – put them up temporarily for the holidays. I also dream of doing a retro cocktail party with bossa nova music playing on my turntable. It’d be cool to have the albums on the wall for that too.
Drew R says
This is Drew, who’s reading nook is featured on top (thanks Kate, you made my day!) Eric and I love the kitsch appeal and bold graphic design found on old albums. So, we sorted through hundreds at our local thrift, buying albums that were colorful/well designed/campy, not necessarily for the music. Additionally, as we didn’t want to drill into the brick wall, so we removed the records (to lighten the load) and attached the frames to the wall with command strip hooks. It was an inexpensive and fun project that gets a lot of comments from our guests. I plan on collecting kitschy holiday albums to swap out for the next holiday season.
Just a tip – if you use a command strip adhesive product, follow the instructions closely and be sure the surface you adhere the hook to is cleaned well with alcohol. We had one frame fall during the night as I failed to complete that step.
char says
I have them leaning against the hi fi console, I listen to Spotify tho. I do have some Beatles albums framed on the garage wall. The Frank Sinatra Wee Small Hours is a great cover. My fave is “Love Me or Leave Me” w/ Doris in that turquoise dress. I also have an enormous collection of old magazines which can be displayed on a coffee table or just in an iron magazine rack, and I just change them around. Oh, and the old TV Guides are on the (modern) TV stand, the best one is the Warhol Agent 99 Get Smart cover and of course, Star Trek.