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Don’t have the budget to buy a huge piece of art for that wall? Then buy a smaller version and make art look bigger with this DIY floating frame!
Once, while trying to find room for the family Christmas tree on our main floor, Dean and I ended up rearranging all the furniture and swapping our living and dining rooms. (If you saw this home tour, you already know this.) Our friends thought we were crazy. But it left us with a much better layout – the large dining room table, buffet and hutch in the bigger room and the couches, fireplace and tv in a much cozier smaller space.
Finally decorate your own home – with confidence!
You’re so much closer to a beautifully-decorated home than you think. You just need a little help to get there!
The other thing we were left with were several newly-empty walls. Most of them I could actually fill with our other pieces. But the wall behind the couch? What to do with it? Then I remembered that I had ordered the gorgeous Happy Holidays chalkboard-looking art print from Modify Ink and it had arrived just the day before. I ran out and picked up a frame and hung it up right away. It was just about perfect. I mean, the colors were bang-on for the room.
Perhaps a wee bit too small though. Hmm. I could have gone out and gotten a bigger frame with a matte to make the art appear larger. Or. Or I could DIY something. Which is of course what I did.
So here’s an idea for you…
If you have already purchased an art print and realize it’s too small for your space, just make a simple wood floating frame to hang around the art. All you need are four pieces of 1/2 inch thick soft craft wood and a brad nailer. The big box store can even cut the wood for you. Then all you have to do is nail it together and paint or stain it!
And instantly you have what looks like a much larger piece for less than $10 more!
Make Art Look Bigger with a DIY Floating Frame
Supplies
- One 1 inch by 3 inch piece of wood (length will depend on size of frame)
- Saw
- Glue gun and glue or brad nailer
- Paint (to coordinate with smaller art frame)
- Foam brushes
- Sawtooth Hanger
- Nail and hammer
Instructions
1. To make your own floating frame, buy a length of 1 inch by 3 inch wood. Decide how big you want your floating frame to be. Then cut the 1×3 to size.
2. Create your floating frame by gluing or nailing the pieces together.
3. Paint or stain to coordinate with the smaller art frame.
For a step-by-step tutorial on how to stain wood, check out this post.
4. Attach a sawtooth picture hanger to back of floating frame.
5. Hang floating frame first at correct height. Then measure and hang smaller art frame in the center of the floating frame.
Have you ever ordered art that was too small? How did you fix the problem?
Living Room Source List:
- Wall Color – Sherwin Williams Analytical Grey
- Curtains – Ikea
- Flooring – Sandy Hills Hickory “Handscraped” Laminate from Lumber Liquidators
- Area Rug – Moroccan Trellis in Tan from Rugs USA
- Couches – second hand
- Pillow Covers – various (numbered covers from Chapters, Deer Head by Lucy of Craftberry Bush)
- Pillow Inserts – FJÄDRAR inner pillow from Ikea
- Grey Plaid Throw – similar here
- Oversized Clock – Fulton St. Wall Clock from Wayfair
- Grey Knit Poufs – Addison Pouf Ottoman in Grey from Wayfair
- Chandelier – Hampton Bay Heritage 6-Light Iron Chandelier from The Home Depot
- Large Square Coffee Table – DIY Brickmaker’s Coffee Table found here
- Candle Sticks – 5 Piece Turned Candle Holders by Birch Lane/Wayfair
- Large Oval Tray – Ikea
- Electric Fireplace – Canadian Tire
- Corner Floor Lamp – Ikea
- Large Hand Lettered Art – DIY found here
