Art makes the room, the saying goes, and there’s no better way to personalize your home than to make your own wall art. Here are do-it-yourself ideas that are long on style and easy on the budget.
-
Mount collectibles such as vintage eyeglasses, doll clothes and furniture, or letterpress blocks inside a frame or shadowbox. “Anything can be turned into wall art if it’s pretty enough,” says Emily Henderson, a stylist and designer for HGTV’s Design Star. “As long as it’s not completely random, a collection of your favorite things can look really exciting.”
-
Hang a grouping of painted ornamental architectural items, such as ceiling medallions, rosettes or ceiling tiles, on a vacant wall. Such items can be found at hardware stores, home centers or online retailers.
-
Turn your kids’ refrigerator art into a living room-worthy masterpiece. “It starts to look really modern and sophisticated when it’s in a larger format,” says Henderson, who enlists a copy center to enlarge children’s drawings to 2-by-3 feet or bigger. Don’t be afraid to edit. “Often there might be a particular corner that is visually beautiful and you can crop into it and just use that area,” she says.
-
Fabric stretched over wood can add color and style. Try bold block prints for a touch of modernism or vintage fabrics for a retro look. For a more formal room, use crewel drapery or upholstery textiles.
- Scraps of embroidery found at antique shops or yard sales can be framed for a more traditional look.