If you know me well, you’d know that I’m a very hands-on person, and thus the reason I love DIY projects of any magnitude. For some, such projects can bring forward anxiety, but it’s actually quite therapeutic for me. When I moved in to my new place, I was so excited to see all the bare walls. They became blank canvases for me to do what I will with them. I knew I absolutely wanted to create a wall art gallery, and it was so fitting to put one in the living room above the couch. And so, that I did.
I had the concept in mind, but piecing it together and finding the right prints that fit well together was quite the process. I started the project months ago, but I wasn’t finding the right pieces that fit well together or that would evoke the look I was going for. However, with time, I was able to create a final display that I’m very fond of. If you’re like me, you’re not going to find everything you want in one place or at the same time (unless you really lucked out). Here are some resources I used to get to the final pièce de resistance.
EXPLORE HOME DECOR STORES
I go to Homesense weekly to discover new finds, and when I was putting together the gallery, I would spend a good amount of time flipping through their framed prints, and sometimes I would find something that I liked at a reasonable price, but otherwise, I left empty-handed. I just so happened to have found the the girl trying on different pairs of shoes at Homesense one day, which was the first print that I found and that started the gallery. I found the ”London” print at a second instance, and the pieces were slowly coming together.
During one of my Homesense runs, I came across a booklet in the arts & crafts section that contained many wall prints. Wide-eyed, I knew I hit the jackpot. I bought two different booklets that included the pineapple, “x & o”, and the “Hello love” quote. The booklet was so affordable too! For about 20 or so prints of different sizes, it cost me only $8. I know, my jaw was on the floor too.
CREATE YOUR OWN
I decided to take matters into my own hands and created a few pieces myself, so I hopped onto Photoshop and a few designs and overlays later, I created three pieces: the gold deer, “Save water and drink wine”, and the “Oui Non” typography canvas.
BE CREATIVE
I was contacted by a Canadian company called Rosewood Puzzle Co. that sells some of the most adorable puzzles. They are the perfect size to fit into a frame to either adorn a shelf or table, or to even hang on the wall. I received 3 different ones from them and included the flamingo and Chanel perfume bottle into the gallery. These are unconventional pieces, but a very clever idea to decorate your place. You can take any puzzle and once framed, you can set it in any room to add a bit of character.
Finding the prints were half the battle. The other half was finding the right frames. You would think finding simple and affordable picture frames would be a breeze, at least that’s what I thought. I finally made my way to IKEA and found the frames at a price that met my needs. These frames were and in all different sizes, material and designs, plus they were on sale. You really can’t go wrong with a sale!
Check the video to see the evolution of this DIY project. If you have any questions on any of the pieces, or if you have any feedback, please leave your comments below!
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