I love having interesting art pieces on my walls, but at this point of my life I don't have the budget to hop from gallery to gallery and buy these pieces…
Basically there's two options, hang up some posters or get creative. And trust me you don't need a lot of artistic expertise to create something awesome. Here are my three favorite ways to bring art into your home without breaking the bank:
1) Get a canvas and paint something:
This is the obvious one, but it's also the one that seems to be the hardest. I've painted since I could hold a brush, entered work in art contests, and even did little "commissions" for my parents (like a series of beach scenes to go with the Hopper print in the family room) – but you really don't need to be a good painter to create something that looks great in your home. The one above is the perfect example: it's sloppy, the proportions are off, and I didn't even bother to fill in the white – but I love it because I made it for a specific space, and that's why it works. One time I simply painted a canvas green to add some interest to a large blank space – it really doesn't get any easier than that.
2) Frame your favorites:
These two pieces are hanging in my office. The smaller frame holds an excerpt from a letter that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote to his 11 year old daughter Scottie while she was away at camp (you can read it here if you're interested), and the bigger one holds a napkin. Yes you read that right, a napkin. The pineapple design and color went perfectly with the vibe of the room, so I figured why not? And you wouldn't believe how often people ask me where I found that gorgeous pineapple print.
3) Go 3D:
This one takes a little more effort than the other two (but it's so worth it). I painted a piece of cardboard with the wall color (it's always a good idea to keep a sample size around if it's a custom color), glued it into a vintage frame. Got some wooden letters to spell my favorite word ("Serendipity"), painted them gold and glued them onto the cardboard. The result is a really nice three-dimensional piece. It also looks amazing to frame fake flowers, model cars, or cutlery if you are making something for your kitchen or dining room.
…And who knows, maybe one day your old spoon will hang in a gallery.
Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura
