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living // home decorating //

Dress your walls on a budget

How to find art on the cheap and hang it like a pro

By Arren Williams Thu Sep 23 2010

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How to create a gallery wall

Got an empty wall that’s just begging for artwork to fill it? You might think that you can’t afford any masterpieces, but filling your walls with art doesn’t have to break the bank. And it’s actually an easy creative exercise, especially if you enjoy being crafty, shopping vintage and thinking outside the box.

Artwork hung mosaic-style works well in a stairwell or in a grand living space that needs a focal point. Before you get out the hammer and nails, keep in mind that a gallery wall looks best when it has some breathing room--some acreage of blank wall to the left and right of where you’ll be hanging everything. And don’t be afraid to start close to your baseboards and end somewhere near the crown moulding. The best tip for hanging everything together and having it look good is to lay your artwork out on newspaper, trace around each item and once you’re happy with placement, then tape the paper to the wall as a template for all of your hooks and nails.
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Shop consignment

In the same way that there are consignment stores for clothes, you can also find consignment stores for home decor. They’re usually crammed with all sorts of treasures, including incredibly affordable art, that’s definitely worth dragging home. I always keep my eye out for custom-framed museum posters, like this one showing a sunshiney watercolour by David Hockney that cost $15, since they add a colourful hit and a cultured, well-travelled vibe to any room.
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Frame some fabric

Pop almost anything behind glass and it’ll look like a million bucks. This bright and graphic contemporary piece is actually a 1970s vintage silk scarf that cost $3 at the online thrift store www.talize.com. It’s a Vera Neumann design and quite collectible, but this could just as easily work with a remnant of fabric in a pattern that you love. To frame it I removed the matte from an Ikea Ribba frame then simply used masking tape to adhere the scarf to the frame’s hard board back.
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Display the family jewels

If you’ve got an heirloom piece – like a necklace or even a sparkly diamante brooch--that you love but might never wear, then framing it is a great way to give it a second life. Shadow boxes are your best friend for framing jewellery, so grab one, open it up and attach some felt to the backboard, then cover that with a nice piece of linen or silk. Next, lay your jewellery on top and carefully pin it into place. Pearl-headed pins (the type used to secure wedding boutonnieres) can add a pretty touch but you can also carefully stick it into place using a glue gun. Pop the frame and glass back on and your new piece of art is ready to grace your all.
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Dish it up

I do love to see a wall covered in a collection of plates (especially all white ones) but popping a plate into a gallery wall works just as well. This pretty patterned plate is on the small side, so I’ve given it a bit more visual weight – almost framing it – by attaching a larger plate to the back. I scored this painterly plate at Urban Outfitters for under $10 (always a great resource for quirky and unusual home accessories) and you’ll also find decorative plates at garage sales and flea markets. You can also get creative with your choice of hooks: this vintage-looking Robin’s-egg-blue wall hook gives the whole thing a bit more presence.
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Search thrift stores for fun finds

Okay, I know, clowns creep some people out, but this one seemed far more on the jolly side of things. Yes, it’s a paint-by-numbers artwork but before you dismiss it as pure kitsch you should know collectors abound for this kind of stuff (just look on eBay and you’ll see tons for sale). And, while clowns might not be your cup of tea (he only cost me $4), you might find a charming framed landscape scene when you’re next hunting through your local charity shop, and all for just a few bucks.
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