How to Revamp Thrift Store Wall Art
Thrift stores are a great place to find deals on wall art. Unfortunately, it's not always exactly what you picture putting up in your home. Sometimes you'll find a beautiful frame with a laughable painting inside, or a gorgeous painting trapped in a horrifying plastic frame. Don't let a lackluster watercolor or an ugly frame put you off of an otherwise great find, though. Just apply a little creativity and elbow grease to turn that thrift store find into a chic and stylish wall decoration without breaking your budget. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Thrift store wall art
- Spray paint
- Picture mat board
- Picture frames
- Stickers, stencils, fabric, paper, paint, and/or fake flowers
Instructions
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Make a Plan
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Choose a color scheme for the space you're decorating. You'll be basing your revamping efforts around one color or a group of colors; know what they are ahead of time so you can coordinate pieces throughout the space.
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Measure out your space. Decide if you want to hang up a few isolated pieces in different parts of your living space or create a cluster of masterpieces for a bold effect.
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Decide which part of the current wall art you just can't live with. Does the frame drive you nuts? Is it the ugly mat? Or is it the picture itself you just can't stand? Isolate that element and prepare to either remove it or redo it.
Add Your Personal Touch
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If the frame is bothering you, you have plenty of options for changing it. Spray paint is the quickest, and you have endless options for making the finished item just how you want it. You can go bold and modern with a solid lime green, or classic chic with a glossy black. Paint it one color and then, using stencils, paint a design on top.
If your frame is wood and you want to preserve the natural beauty of the wood grain, try stripping it of any existing paint and then staining it.
For the slightly more adventurous, try decoupaging some interesting paper onto the frame. Decoupage involves gluing pieces of paper - usually small pictures cut out of magazines - to a surface, and then varnishing over the entire object until the pictures appear to be part of the surface rather than stuck on. You can use several layers of tissue paper instead of pictures, or simply paint the frame and then decoupage your favorite cut-out images on top. The same effect can be reached with stickers.
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For art that suffers with an ugly mat board, it's a pretty simple fix. Remove the mat board altogether, or buy a new one to replace it in a pleasant color. Art supply stores sell mats in standard sizes.
If simply buying a new mat board isn't an option, try using paint, stencils or decoupaged pictures to renew its look. Match a bold pattern with the art underneath and you just might have a brand new masterpiece on your hands.
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When it's the art that you can't live with, you can either add your own touch or just put something else into that fabulous vintage frame.
Put a vintage photograph into the frame, or a piece of art that you or your children created. The wonderful frame will make the special art even more special.
Adding something to an existing painting can be challenging, especially for non-artists. If you can draw or paint well, try adding some aliens to a calm woodland scene, or an out-of-place hot dog stand in the middle of an ocean scene. Make the sky pink or the dogs wear little hats. Have fun with it and make it your own.
If you can't draw or paint, try finding an image that you like online and print it at the appropriate size for your painting, then glue it into the scene.
Of course, no one ever said that frames have to contain pictures. Throw out that ugly painting and frame a beautiful piece of fabric or wallpaper or a game board instead. Use the frame to display an old Valentine from your spouse or a special memento from a special time. Remove the glass and backing and use the frame to surround a decorative plate or shelf with knick knacks on the wall.
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Get creative with what you consider "art." An old dresser drawer, when painted and hung on the wall, suddenly becomes a makeshift shelf or picture frame. Affix a photograph to the inside and it's a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Mirrors make perfect wall art pieces. Add paint, patterns, pictures or other decorations to their frames, or simply cluster several mirrors of different sizes on the wall to create a distinctive and functional art piece.
Vintage wall pieces like plastic or pressed-wood animal wall hangings can often look dated. Update them with a few coats of spray paint in a color that coordinates with your space. You'll have vintage chic for a very reasonable price.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't be afraid to experiment. If you hate the results, you can always start over or change your course of action.
Only use spray paint and wood stain in a well-ventilated area.
