Help! I have bare walls and a barely-there budget
submitted by: Jennifer Hicks11/12/09
Q.) My home needs help. I have white walls throughout my entire home and hardly any pictures or decorations on them. I am on a tight budget at the moment and cannot afford to buy nice paintings or frames. Are there any ideas you may have for me to spice up the look of my home that is not too expensive? I have some fabric and one old picture frame that I thought might work for something.
-Amber, Oklahoma
A.) There are a number of inexpensive and unique ways to add life to your walls! I have listed a few for your consideration, all of which are simple DIY projects that you can do in a few minutes or hours!
~Visit your local hardware store’s paint department and ask to see their “Oops” section. This consists of custom-blended paints that either didn’t get picked up by the customer or were not approved by the customer. These paint colors range from the very common Beige to odd shades of Turquoise but they are priced as low as $5 for a gallon. You can always have them adjust the color if need be. NOTE: If you end up needing more of the same “oops” paint mixed at a later time beware: The label on the can likely does not match the actual formula. The paint itself will be need to be scanned and even then it is not a guaranteed match.
~Canvas wraps make for simple, quick and affordable artwork! 
Perhaps you can put your fabric to good use using this trick that my clients love! You will need:
1) Your desired size canvas from craft store
2) Fabric (enough to cover canvas plus an extra 3″ on all sides)
3) Staple gun
Lay your blank canvas on the floor or on a flat, sturdy surface. Tightly wrap your fabric around the canvas and staple down the excess fabric on the backside. Voila! In ten minutes you have created your own custom art and your only cost was your material (Pssst, wait for the canvas to be on sale at Hobby Lobby)!
~You say you have old frames lying around? Skip the family photo and pick up a plate instead! A single framed plate can really make a statement because its unexpected and always unique. Are you the formal type? Paint your frame black or gold and opt for a piece of your grandmother’s china. If your style is more casual or modern pick up a quirky plate from Target or Blue 7 and paint your frame a brighter color like orange or pink. Wall brackets for plates can be found in most frame sections of any store.
*Remove the glass from your frame for this project.
