Art alternatives

Art is beautiful. It can liven up a space like nothing else. It’s a great conversation starter as well as a charming focal point. A piece of large artwork or several small pieces displayed interestingly has the power to lend your home a cozy, nice, and elegant vibe at the same time. But the fact is art is expensive. It can be an investment but, unless you invest in pieces by world famous artists, most artworks you can buy in the local market will only get you meager profits, that too in the very long run. But you want to adorn your home with art or create an interesting focal point on one of the walls. What can you do that doesn’t break the bank? We’ve some alternatives for you.

Frame posters and maps

Postcards, posters, and maps of places you have visited or one that is on your bucket list can be interesting to hang on your wall. Consider framing some postcards of places you have visited. Get similar frames to give them a cohesive look. You can also frame an interesting poster or a tube map for a unique touch. Best of all, you can get most of these items for free when you are traveling.

Pro tip: Fabrics come in a variety of colors and patterns. Consider framing a large piece of fabric in an interesting pattern—thinking animal prints or motifs—to give your space a pop of color.

Have a paint party

Buy a huge canvas and some paints, invite your friends over for brunch, and have a paint party. Everyone can work on a single piece, painting different areas of it. Or each person can just do their own thing to create something totally unique. You will have a fun time and end up with something that has a story behind it to display in your home.

Pro tip: Get individual canvases for your friends and let them all paint whatever they want. They can each then choose to gift their artwork to another person in the group so that everyone goes home with something lovingly made by a friend.

Make a collage

A collage is a great idea to display fun memories without cluttering your space. Get a big piece of chart paper and stick everything—from photos, ticket stubs to greeting cards and magazine cutouts that you would like to see every day to remind you of happy times or inspire you—on it. Stick to a color theme, if possible, to match the aesthetics of your space and also to prevent it from looking too messy.

Pro tip: You can also make a photo collage on Photoshop and get that printed and framed. Make sure the resolution is large enough so that the photos don’t come out too pixelated.

Hang plates, hats, or rugs

Get some inexpensive hangers or sticky hooks and rather than letting your plates collect dust, hang them on your wall. They add texture and dimension while letting you play around with different patterns and colors. If you have a rug that is just too pretty to be put on the floor or an old one that you want to save, hang it at eye-level to give it the attention it deserves. Alternatively, if you are a hat person, hang your collection up on the wall. It’s practical and pretty.

Pro tip: Buy inexpensive trays, coasters, or mats from the local market and consider hanging these on the wall. Since they come in a variety of patterns and colors and don’t cost much, you have the option of changing them up from time to time to change the look of your space.

Display pressed flowers

Framing dried flowers, plants, or leaves add a light and airy feeling to any room. It also lends it a calming effect. Plus, you will have added a little bit of greenery to your space without taking on the responsibility of tending to plants. A gallery wall of assorted framed botanicals is an inexpensive but unique way to decorate your home.

Pro tip: Get some epoxy resin and put pressed flowers on wooden coasters. Hang about a dozen (or more) of these in an interesting pattern on the wall.