A bare wall is a blank canvas waiting to be decorated. However, art can be expensive. I have found that I can decorate my walls at little or no cost simply by using photos from books or magazines.
Cheap picture frames can be found at Dollar Stores, yard sales, and thrift stores. I cut out and mount pictures from magazines I subscribe to or find free at various locations.
A local library has over-sized books available at their book sale for $1. The book covers are well worn or damaged but the pages inside are usually in good condition. Nature and gardening books often have beautiful pictures in them that look fantastic when framed.
I can very inexpensively create a wall of pictures that relate to things I'm passionate about, such as nature scenes, animals and flowers. I like to frequently alter my decor but my budget doesn't allow me to purchase new room accessories very often.
Just placing new "free" pictures on the wall will alter the atmosphere and appearance of a room. Temporarily removing standard pictures and replacing them with holiday pictures is an inexpensive way to decorate for Christmas.
By VeronicaHB from Asheboro, NC
If you are on a budget, but want some really pretty art work for your walls, I have a tip for you! All you need is an 8 x 10 picture frame from your local dollar store and a magazine with pretty photographs in it.
Over the last few months, I bought a handful of interesting picture frames from second hand stores. I then spray painted them various colors and hung them on the wall in our dining room to add some texture to a large blank wall.
Hang a large rug (as art) on a wall that faces the outside of your home to help save energy and help keep out noise. A rug will also help keep a bedroom quiet if hung on an inside wall.
What are some inexpensive do-it-yourself ideas for one-of-a-kind wall art? I'd like to make my own unique art for my home, but I get intimidated by those big blank canvasses at the store. They make it look so easy on decorating shows, but I can never remember how to do what they show on the shows. Any ideas?
if you have kids (or can borrow some!) have their artwork blown up into poster size and frame it.
i also like to have a wall of quotations i like in fancy print. this can be done directly on the wall with giant magic markers. if you don't like it just paint over it.
One easy thing to do is select material with a nice, artistic pattern and stretch it on a frame - stapling it on - But I prefer pictures myself - you can get big posters - Or you can emulate Chinese/Japanese brush painting on a blank canvas.....Or stamp a pattern on a colored background you have painted...just a few ideas...
If you really like what you see on the decorating shows, but just have trouble remembering the steps, you could pop in a video tape and then use it to follow along step by step at your own pace later.
have you ever stenciled? or use tape and make a geometric pattern. I used the pattern from a piece of cloth one and painted on a home stretched canvas - I simplified it to match my lack of skill - my son and his girlfriend have it over their fireplace.
Right now I'm making them a "window" I made a 4'X4' canvas and I'm just gonna paint a sky on it and then frame it in molding and mount curtains around it on the wall so it will look like a window.
If you practice using your imagination ideas will come to you.
I saw them frame a beautiful scarf once. It looked great on the wall. I have a large square scarf that I am going to try to frame
Take the blank artist canvas' to the fabric store (or at least the measurements), buy fabric that coordinates with your house, but some extra to staple on the back edges, WA LA! The next time Michael's has 50% off coupons, I am going to do it for our hallway as it has NOTHING!
If you like the stuff they do on the Carol Duvall show, all her stuff is on the website, with step by step instructions.
I didnt know what to do with a canvas either, but I love dragon flies and I had gotten a dragon fly stamp on sale at walmart. It was one of those two part stamps, so you can do the body one color and the wings another.
If you have trouble remembering how the art work was done after watching an art T.V. shows as I do, there are many many calendars out there with wonderful pictures on them. Take the picture, florals, Norman Rockwell, still life,or what ever you like. Cut out the page the picture is on, take your paint brush and just follow the lines and then fill in the other parts of picture. You now have a semi homemade picture that is wonderful.
I buy my poster board at the Dollar Tree and get 3 full size for $1.00 or 5 half sheets for $1.00.
Martha in TN
Want to have beautiful artwork to hang on the walls, but have a tiny budget? With a computer, printer and the help of colored pencils all things are possible. Go to a site such as art.com and find whatever artwork moves you.
I created this book art when decorating my son's farm bedroom. Since we went with a down on the farm theme, I wanted to incorporate some of his favorite books in artwork.
Use empty kitchen cardboard as a pallet to display favorite fabrics!
My son loves Roy Rogers, and I've looked at prints and posters to decorate his room with, but most are a little pricey for a momma on a budget.
Using Old Patterns for Artwork. When looking for a fun new piece of artwork for your laundry room (or any room really), think outside of the ordinary. . .
People are always asking about decorating walls - I just saw a great easy project at kodak.com. Search for "Digital Wall Art" at their website.
