What To Hang On Your Walls: Inspiration Post

There is no reason to have blank walls. There is also no reason purchase art from Target, Marshalls or TJ Max. But I’ll be honest… there is nothing as intimidating as a big, blank wall. As I’ve settled into my house over the past year I’ve had some trouble with this myself, but I’m finally getting to a spot where I have been able to find just the right thing for just the right spaces and I paid very little for all of them. So here are some ideas I’ve used here, maybe they’ll be of use to you.

Dishes:

I found a set of Ironstone dishes like these at a thrift store. They are stained and crazed but that’s why I lov’em. I think I paid about twelve dollars for them.

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Vintage Family Photos:

Check out this collection of vintage family photos. The frames are just as interesting to look at. When you find yours you can take the originals to Target and had them enlarged, color corrected and reprinted for less than five dollars each.

Photo by Kara Mosher. See more contemporary staircase designs

Authentic Vintage Signs:

I dug an”Open To The Public” sign out of corner at a consignment shop. I paid about ten bucks for it.  Another, “Fire House Connection” sign came from an estate sale, if I remember correctly it cost around two dollars and hangs in my living room. I think the real key here is finding AUTHENTIC peices. The ones that say things like “live, laugh, love” do not count. I really love the size and style of the one used here.

Photo by ENJOY Co.. See more rustic bedroom designs

Maps:

What a fun pop of color on an otherwise blank wall.

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Or what about nautical charts for a more subdued look?

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Clocks:

An old clock provides a functional wall filler here.

Book and Calendar Illustrations:

Find a coffee table book of images or artists you like and cut it up. There are also all kinds of really great calendars you can find to use as well.

An Antique Mirror Grouping:

Keep your eyes open for interesting mirrors. Large ones, small ones and ones of various sizes to create an interesting combination.

Antique Group Shots:

I’ll admit there is something creepy about a large group of dead strangers on your wall but I really like the way they create an interesting collection on the wall.

Photo by sarah & bendrix. See more eclectic living room designs

Vintage Ads:

Find something unique and interesting. There are 1,000s to choose from online but steer clear of Chat Noir and Parapluie Revel it’s not unique at all.

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Shadow Boxes:

Do you have something really special to you? An antique pocket watch? A ribbon from the State Fair? Find a deep frame and hot glue or wire it in.I really like this idea of the labeled champagne corks.

Photo by Pour Toujours. See more eclectic spaces designs

A Special Card:

Ever get a handwritten card or note that said just the right thing? Frame it and remind yourself you are special everyday.Or… If nobody thinks you are special, you can always hang some of these vintage ones which you can find 1,000s of at any antique store.

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Your Trendy Instagram Photos:

Print them out and frame them,nothing ever looks bad with a washed out grainy filter. The most difficult part is finding the right size frame. Keep an eye out at the dollar store.

Photo by GM Construction, Inc.. See more tropical family room designs

Thrift Store Art:

This take some patience but you can really come out with some gems. Paint by numbers, sketches and other cast offs can become very interesting when properly curated and hung.

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Leaf Presses:

I really like the look of these leaf presses. I did something like this at my backdoor. I gathered all the leaves myself and then simply framed them. This is almost free to do.

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DIY:

Lastly, you could always make your own. Look at this… I bet you could make it from cardboard.

Photo by Croma Design Inc.. See more modern bedroom designs

or string…

When you’re doing all of this hanging. Don’t forget to the size and composition of your peices. Even a simple print  like this Keith Haring example can look quite dramatic on a large scale, or divided into several peices like this map below it.

Photo by Niki Papadopoulos. See more modern living room designs

Photo by Molly McGinness Interior Design. See more transitional dining room designs

Whatever you do, make sure it is personal. Have a story about where it came from, what it means to you, how you made it or what it says about you. Don’t ever hang anything with out a mat and don’t take it too seriosuly; well… maybe a little seriously.