I gave up icons on the desktop. I was putting WAY too much there and it just looked awful. (Our puder is in a prominent place in th4e living room, only place to put it....) The icons are there if I really need to see them-- I just deselected "Show Icons" on the Desktop Properties. So like John, I have a smallish picture; it's a strongly-colored poster that occupies the center of the huge screen I have, bordered by that deep blue looking like a proper mat.

Screensaver, too, yes, as I have posted about often-- from across the room they ALL look clear, expanded to fill the screen. Or I can set them up in slideshow in their original size.

~Susan