Decorating on a Budget with Antique Gold Frames

Sometimes I find decorating with wall art and personal photos to be a challenge. Currently, we are a small family, just my husband and me, and I love hanging photos of the two of us. But how many is too many?

One wall art alternative is really fun and allows you to use your creativity: antique gold frames!

No, I don’t have 20 antique gold photo frames sitting in my attic, which is why I had to get crafty. On Saturdays, one of my favorite pastimes is to go yard-saling with my husband. It can be a lot of fun if you’re willing to repurpose someone else’s useless items. You know that old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well in the case of antique gold frames, it is true! You can find all sorts of interesting items at yard sales, especially estate sales. That’s where you’ll find the antique-y items.

When you go yard saling and to antique stores, don’t look for solely gold antique frames. Just look for frames with character, ones that speak to you and have great personality. Make sure that you buy different sizes and shapes—round, oval, square, rectangular, big, and small. Color does NOT matter!

Here is where the fun part happens; once you have chosen all your different, fun frames, you need to spray them a metallic gold paint. Be sure to do it outside or in a well-ventilated space. Allow the frames a good period of time to dry thoroughly. You want to make sure they are fully dry before you begin hanging them on your wall.

When hanging the frames on the wall, go with what feels right to you. Everyone has different taste. You may want to hang them individually in different parts of your home or you may want to hang them in a cluster. I prefer the latter. To hang them as a group, choose an empty wall in a space such as a bathroom or your dining room (depending on what colors you already use in the room) and hang them creating a large square, hanging each frame next to a frame of a different shape so there is variation in shape and size. This will make for a more aesthetically pleasing look. Check out the photo for inspiration on how to hang them.

There are so many ways to get creative on a budget. Gold frames are just one of them, so check back frequently for more ways to decorate your home frugally. In the meantime, check out the Moccato collection by Envision Furniture that goes great with antique gold frames!

• Allison's blog