Open Frame Decor- 5 ways

I've realized something from a post I did a couple weeks ago.  When I say 'never throw anything away', I really mean, never throw away an open picture frame. More specifically never throw away a BIG picture frame. They are so versatile and they help to fill a space in such an easy, inexpensive way.

I found this faux bamboo frame at a garage sale last spring. Before it, there was a more ornate open frame in the same place. I brought this one home, painted the inside white and the black part of the frame, in between the bamboo parts, is actually electrical tape...that's right.. it fit perfectly and when you're trying to finish a project during nap time, you take a short cut if you can. (Side note- I used gold craft paint and a circle sponge brush to make that polka dot lampshade)

I used my handy dandy tools  hot glue gun and attached a piece of jute to the back of the frame a couple inches from the top--knowing that whatever hung in there, needed to look relatively centered.  This is the art that is in there most of the time: I don't know who the artist is, but we got it from a banquet for the amazing organization, Sower of Seeds International.  The verse here is Psalm 18:19, "He rescued me, because He delights in me." I love it. What a good reminder for my soul.

Every now and then, I like to change things up. I don't have pictures of it--but at Christmas, I turn it into an advent calendar.  I sometimes use it for sweet, Nickerbean art:

I've never actually used this here but this is a happy wreath that was on our front door this summer and it looks great on display inside too.  That's just raw edged fabric, wrapped around a wire wreath form and some felt. Oh, how I love felt.

This silhouette is of Nickerbean 2 when she was still a wee babe.  I made one for both girls printing out their pictures, cutting out the shape, and then painting over the paper (and picture) with black paint. Make sense? Just paint the cut copy and glue that bad boy onto something. Anyway, it looks cute in the frame as well. But I cant just have one kids' face all framed out...gotta keep them together.. No favorites here..

Look! This is a space from a house featured on Fixer Upper. I just wanted to give you another example of open frames being used. Hold on really quick while I get this look for less, I mean, free.

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Like I said, I did this really quickly. The metal envelope thing was in the playroom (pictures of that room are here) its painted navy which wouldn't work in here but I actually like the look better than I thought I would.  If I were going to make it a more permanent fixture, I might buy one of these two wall hangers below. As for the magnolia leaves, if you're local, come help yourselves, they are all over our yard. : )

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So there you go, 5 ways that I shopped my house and switched up some wall decor for free.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, you don't have to use decor for its original purpose. Sometimes, just moving something to a new wall or room (or framing it) can give it a fresh new look.

Just some tips before I go:

When you are looking to hang frames on your walls, don't be afraid to buy frames or art that are bigger than you think you might need. Having decor that is too small, can actually make a space look smaller/more cluttered as well. So, unless you have smaller frames that you can arrange together to make a gallery wall or grouping, bigger is better.

Always hang art at eye level, sometimes even lower depending on where its hanging. You want a frame to be close enough to the top of a sofa, chair or table, that it looks like the two go together. If there is too much of a gap the pieces look disconnected and the framed art looks like its floating.

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What about you? Do you have any open frame art in your house? Are you a decor switcher-arounder? or does that give you anxiety? I wanna know.

Thanks for reading, friends!

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