Filling up the vertical real estate in your home can be a daunting (and expensive task), depending on the wall space available. Hanging photos of family and friends is less popular than it used to be, now that all our pictures are digital. So, framed wall art and other hanging decor are more popular than ever. To keep things thrifty and on budget, here are some DIY wall art ideas to spark some creative approaches to decorating the walls in your home.
Mid-Century Modern Wall Decor
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A collage picture frame in the right design can almost look like Brutalist-style mid-century modern wall decor. At least, that’s what this one looked like to me when I spotted it at the thrift store. It just needed a little upcycling TLC to make it shine- but not too shabby for a $2 thrifted frame that was originally purchased from Walmart (based on the tag), eh?
Vintage Botanical Prints
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A salvaged window from a thrift store (such as Habitat ReStore) is an inexpensive start to DIY wall art. There are lots of ways to upcycle it into something decor-worthy, and vintage botanical prints are a great place to start. They work incredibly well together and look wonderful as DIY wall decor in a boho or cottage-inspired home.
Weaving on Weird Looms
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Weaving has made a huge comeback in recent years, albeit with a contemporary twist. Which means that woven wall hangings are found in a lot of boho-decorated homes. This version is actually a pizza pan that has been updated into a DIY loom that doubles as a frame- isn’t that wild?
Coastal Wall Art on Sandpaper
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sure, sandpaper comes in handy when prepping a frame for DIY wall art. But using sandpaper as the actual wall art itself is COMPLETELY unexpected. But check out how perfect it is in a beachy coastal application like this…
Boho Basket Wall Decor
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Wall galleries made from flat baskets are a wonderfully thrifty way to fill a LOT of vertical real estate. And with the addition of vintage woven trivets, they take on a whole new boho look.
Plus, they’re lightweight and easy to hang- you can even use temporary stick-on hooks.
Framed Doilies
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
There are lots of ways to frame vintage doilies for display, but this one is my favorite. Window screen is a great way to suspend the doilies in a frame while keeping the entire display frame lightweight and easy to hang.
Book Page Art
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A plain canvas from a craft store (or even an unremarkable canvas from a thrift store!) is perfect for covering with book pages and paper ephemera for interesting wall decor. Easy to make (just use a glue stick to adhere the pages to the canvas) and lightweight to hang, this is a thrifty and fabulous idea for a bibliophile who wants some DIY wall art that is book-themed.
DIY Wall Art with Farmhouse Fakes
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
The TV show, “Fixer Upper”, showcased the use of old windmills as wall decor on several episodes. But on a smaller and MUCH thriftier scale, this version is lightweight and upcycled from something pretty common. Perfect for a thrifty farmhouse fan who wants something far easier to hang on their wall.
DIY Wall Art with Wallpaper Samples
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
One of the quickest ways to upcycle thrift store art is to simply cover up the cheap (or even damaged) artwork. And wallpaper samples are a budget-friendly way to do just that. These wallpaper samples were even the peel-and-stick kind, so it was incredibly easy to upgrade this thrift store frame into fabulous wall art for our eclectic home.
Cheat-Sheet Embroidery
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Printed fabric like vintage bed sheets is a great canvas for simple embroidery. Following along the lines of the printed graphics is as easy as it gets. And if you attach the fabric to an inexpensive (i.e., thrifted) picture frame, the end result is dimensional, colorful, and ready to be hung on the wall.
Stenciled Signs
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Making decorative signs to use as wall decor has been trendy for several years now. And thanks to the huge variety of stencils available, making fun signs has never been easier. Plus, if you use a salvaged cabinet door from a thrift store such as Habitat ReStore, you can make some DIY wall art like this in a very thrifty way.
DIY Wall Art with Open Frames
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Thrift shops, antique stores, and estate sales always have a selection of picture frames available. And if they are ornate or decorative enough on their own, then you don’t even need artwork or pictures to fill them. A gallery wall of open antique frames is an easy way to fill a lot of empty wall space; the hardest part is finalizing the placement of each frame.
DIY Wall Art with Grandma’s Cast-Offs
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A doily is the perfect thing to display in an embroidery hoop, which might be something else you find in Grandma’s attic. And a grouping of them is a simple way to get that cottagecore look that is so on-trend these days. Easy to make and easy to hang- that’s the perfect kind of DIY wall art if you ask me.
Hanging Wall Baskets
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Succulents are everywhere these days, thanks in part to the boho home trends. And while living succulents are ideal in planters, fake versions from craft stores are best for crafting with. And a wild and lush display like this in a thrift store basket may look like living wall art, but requires absolutely zero maintenance to keep it green.
Upcycled Cutting Board
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Thrift store shelves are littered with odd wooden objects including cutting boards and- in this case- broken wooden clocks that are ripe for repurposing. This old clock got a charming makeover with the help of paint and some American flag-inspired buffalo check stenciling.
And now it can be used as DIY wall art thanks to a sawtooth hanger attached to the back.
DIY Wall Art from Architectural Salvage
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Architectural salvage stores are some of the most unique antiques shops around. You never know what you’ll find there, but undoubtedly there will be items and objects that can be upcycled into DIY wall art. In this case, four gingerbread brackets were put together into something completely unique to be hung on the wall.
Placemat Art
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Woven placemats were once a staple of 1970s homes, but not exactly thought of as potential wall decor. But all these decades later, they find themselves at estate sales and thrift stores. Thankfully, they’re the perfect medium for stenciling on and creating botanical-inspired wall hangings for the boho-modern home.
Filling Thrift Store Frames
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Vintage fashion is always on trend, and the graphics on old sewing pattern envelopes are like little pieces of art. So, why not repurpose a few thrift store frames and create stylish DIY wall art pieces like this?
And yes, the vintage fabric behind each envelope came from thrift stores, too.
DIY Wall Art from Thrift Store Finds
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
At the end of the day, there are a lot of secondhand and upcycled options available for creating DIY wall art. Some of it may start as wall decor that you embellish or refresh to your own tastes, but others become hanging decor thanks to your creativity. Either way, making your own personalized wall decor is a great way to curate a unique and eclectic home that is truly one-of-a-kind.
Craft on!
S
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Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
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