A well-framed picture, chosen wisely and displayed properly, gives a room a boost. But it's not always easy to get excited about a plain black frame, however well it suits the artwork. Here are a few more unusual ideas to try.
Frame something 3D
Frames and their contents don't have to be flat. A box frame can house all kinds of objects. Plaster casts of hands or baby feet, sporting memorabilia and shirts are popular choices.
Turn an old frame into a chalkboard
Frames are often works of art in their own right, so why leave them in the attic when you have nothing to put in them? An old ornate frame looks good on a wall even without a painting, especially when it does something useful.
Find an old framed picture in a charity shop, at a junk sale or in your own loft. Choose one with no real aesthetic or monetary value, so you won't feel bad painting over it.
- Sand the image down and paint a layer of primer over it.
- Add a layer of chalkboard paint and let it dry.
- Cover the board and spray-paint the frame in a colour of your choice.
- When the paint has dried, sand the frame roughly for a rustic finish.
Repurpose an old window
Next time you're at the tip or renovating your home, look out for a window that could become a frame. A classic wooden lattice window works best, particularly when it's a little beaten up. Sand the wood and paint it, or keep the weathered look.
Keep the glass in, after a good clean and polish, and use the window as a frame for one image or several. Or remove the glass and hang the empty frame as a decorative feature.
Make framed bookshelves
If you love books, you'll want your favourites on display. Find some old frames, or buy cheap matching ones from a homeware shop, and use them to front your shelves.
Attach the frames to the front of wall-mounted cabinets or box shelves, making sure the sizes match. Paint them all the same colour, or go for clashing finishes.
Liven up a boring frame
Upcycling a frame doesn't have to mean restoring it or painting it one bright colour.
- Dip it. Paint the frame in one colour, let it dry, then paint the top half in a contrasting or complementary shade for a colour-block effect.
- Add glitter. Cover the frame in a layer of glue and go wild.
- Bring in some nature. Replace one side of a plain wooden frame with a branch of the same size, or attach assorted twigs to the front for a bird's nest effect.
Split one image across several frames
You don't always have to alter the frame itself. Print one image in several parts, frame each section separately and put the image back together on the wall, like a jigsaw. It takes time to organise, but the result is impressive.
When you just need a simple frame
You don't always have to push the boundaries. Sometimes the hardest frame to find is a simple one that suits the image perfectly.
Our picture framing service makes that part easy, leaving you more time for the creative projects. Enter the dimensions of your image, choose a mount and frame style, and we do the rest.