The Grid of Framed Tarot Card Art

I wrote about wanting to add a mirror above the fireplace and a grid of frames above the red console back in (checks notes)… January!? Does it take that long to make a little change? Well, yep. I’m not rushing to fill a space, I’m refining. Taking my time to get things just right.

I loved the peacock mirror that used to hang above the red table. (I’m holding on to it, even though I have no idea where else it might work.) Once I added a larger Louis-Philippe style mirror above the fireplace though, the art above the table had to change.

The square Wyeth print that I hung temporarily in its place is great, but not the right size and scale for that spot. I knew I wanted something else, but I didn’t want to hurry the process for the sake of filling the wall — I needed to find the right art.

Behold, the “Eros: The Garden of Love” Oversize Limited Edition Major Arcana Suite, by Uusi. I found the right art!

I’m not a believer in the metaphysics of Tarot (or astrology, or anything supernatural), but like all good Goths, I learned how to read Tarot cards in high school. I still find them fascinating, but I think this particular deck is simply beautiful. Uusi has other styles too, but these are oversized and nicely suited to framing.

I typically hang art 56” high on center. I arranged the frames in a Photoshop mocku to be sure I liked the placement, and also to check that it worked well with the height of the fireplace and mirror.

Yay, good! Measure, level, and go.

I ordered black lacquer picture frames from Williams-Sonoma Home. They had mats sized for 5×7 photos but the cards are each 4×7, so I had custom mats cut by a local frame shop. The frames were on sale, so even with new mats (about $10 each), it was less expensive than going fully custom.

I like that you need to get close to really see what’s framed in there. From farther back, it’s just a pleasing grid with colors that kind of go with the rest of the room. Secret saucy sorcery!