Fun, DIY Wall Art

If you are like me, you have probably spent a lot of money on wall art over the years, primarily in the form of framed pictures, clocks, mirrors, and other pieces for every room in the house, long hallways, entryways, etc. At some point, we all change our room décor, buy new furniture, change flooring, and the wall decorations we have look old, tired, boring, or just out of sync with our new look, and I do so more than most given my creative spirit and my connections at with the experts in TPO roofing (my cousin haha). We then go looking for replacement pieces, and the costs mount up. Before you do that, think about your furniture and color/design themes, and consider some of the great DIY wall art that you might be able to create “on the cheap.” The following are just a few ideas:

1. If you have gone contemporary, cut different sized circles out of a sturdy material (I have used cheap bead board), paint them with different colors that match your room colors, and arrange them in a cool pattern on the wall. Some circles can be all one color; others can be divided into pie wedges, etc.
2. Remove a “tired” picture from a nice frame, get new matting, and make a design with sequins of all different sizes (sparkly or flat), of different colors.
3. Purchase a canvas of any size, paint it a solid color, and create designs with colored thumb tacks.
4. Cut sponges into different shapes, dip in paint and press onto a blank canvas for a great contemporary look.
5. If you are seeking a more whimsical look, frame a scarf that is unusually striking, or cut strips of tulle and glue them across a piece of canvas, in all different directions.
6. One of my favorites is to take colored ribbons that coordinate with a room’s colors, make overlapping geometric designs with them on a white of contrasting colored canvas.
7. If you want to add some pizazz to a plain mirror, here is a great idea. Paint clothespins and glue them around the edges of the mirror, the wide open end facing the center of the mirror. This is a great idea for a kid’s room, and you can alternate the colors to coordinate with the room.
8. I once saw a piece in a museum that was stunning, and I was able to duplicate it for in my office, which is really sleek and contemporary. I painted a piece of canvas black. Then, I went to the local home improvement store and bought hex nuts of all sizes – some silver, some brass. Starting in the left-hand lower corner, I made a collage of nuts about 2 inches wide, curing up to the center of the canvas. At the center point, I placed the largest nut, and then had shoots of different sized nuts coming off of that center piece, a bit like a fireworks display. It is a stunning framed piece!
9. If you have a sitting room or a den that is “warm” in design, here is a great idea. Go to garage sales and buy really old books of different sizes – you know, the ones in which the pages have yellowed somewhat. Make a collage of them on poster board of any size, and then frame it – voila!
10. Here’s a great idea for a long bare wall! Have a piece of bead board cut to the dimensions you want at a local home improvement store. Then, purchase shims – enough to cover the entire board. Paint the shims in colors that match your room, and glue them onto the board. You will want uneven sides, so place them as if you were laying bricks. You will have a great 3-dimensional contemporary look. If you prefer, you can stain them in a variety of finishes, for a more rustic décor.