4 Fresh Ideas for Framing Your Same Old Art (They Only *Look* Expensive!)
One thing about me is that I love to buy a little print or card that I’m going to one day, someday, eventually frame. Much less easy for me is finding the perfect way to frame the art I love — especially finding the perfect mat. However, I’ve recently learned to not underestimate these last two steps, as they can be works of art in themselves.
Recently, I saw these four matting ideas shared by one of my favorite home content creators, Delaney Lundquist of @tremont_home, and the ideas are just so clever and new to me that I want to amplify.
4 New Ideas for Framing Art When You’ve Tried Everything Else
Paint stripes on a frame you already own.
You can freehand this or use painter’s tape, and it would look especially nice with colors on the same side of the color wheel — a sort of tone-on-tone look. Checkered frames could also create some added umph outside of the frame, especially if the art you’re framing is more minimalist or black and white.
Add a bold green mat.
Ultimately, any bold-colored mat would be a little bit out of the box here, as most folks tend to go for black or white mats, especially if they already come with the frame. But there’s something about Kelly green that feels very preppy sophisticated — and very Ralph Lauren. Paired with a banker’s lamp in a home office? You’re unstoppable. You’re a CEO.
Use a big mat for tiny art.
I love this for things like photo booth photos, matchboxes, business cards, postcards, and other little mementos that might mean a lot to you. Group multiple items together in one frame, or create a gallery wall of these tiny little keepsakes.
Create a zigzag or alternative edge.
This can apply to your frame or your mat, but I personally love it inside the frame. Zigzags, waves, or rounded corners would be a fun alternative to the standard rectangle.
The best thing about these ideas, in my opinion, is that you don’t need to go to a fancy framing shop or spend a fortune to accomplish them. Stripes on a wooden frame can be achieved with a sponge brush and acrylic paint. To change the color of a store-bought mat, trace it onto scrapbook or construction paper or peel-and-stick, or paint it! (In other words, use any leftover DIY material to make it happen.)
Zigzag borders call for fun scrapbooking scissors, which is a quirky throwback to childhood. Cutouts for your tiny artwork can be created with a utility knife.
Which one of these out-of-the-rectangle ideas will you try? Let us know in the comments below.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
