9 Inexpensive Art Ideas (with Examples Throughout Our House!)

I don’t think you have to fill walls to make your home feel complete or finished and I actually am appreciating bare spaces here and there more as I gravitate towards a little more minimalism. But, I do love using walls as a way to infuse a little personality, tie elements of a room together, and personalize the space with memories. I have some pieces that are a little “spendy”, but have plenty of moments throughout our home that are way easier on the wallet. Today, I’m sharing lots of inexpensive art ideas (and some down right cheap art ideas) that I’ve used in lots of room of our house that can be replicated, modified, or even simply serve as a basis of an idea to do something totally independent of what I’ve done.

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*For ways to decorate large walls, with even more art ideas, check out THIS post!

Inexpensive & Cheap Art Ideas

Some ideas are no-brainers but maybe would be a helpful reminder. Or, they may give you ideas on how to take a different spin on a similar idea. Whichever directions you go, though, it’s a chance to showcase your personality and display what’s important/inspirational/beautiful to you and your family. Also, art doesn’t have to be custom or expensive or original or limited to be special or important. If it’s beautiful to you and/or makes you happy, that’s special and important.

1. Photos

“Photos… what a unique idea,” haha. Ok, I get we aren’t recreating the wheel here but sometimes, it can be tricky figuring out how to make our most special captured moments feel like they “belong” in a room without detracting from the overall aesthetic or feel cluttered and overwhelming. I love galleries just for this and the themes are vast. Whether you want to showcase vacations, a single family photo session, seasonal memories, wedding photos, family photos, etc., framing them across a wall together makes your memory wall feel like a single statement instead of fractured bylines, sprinkled around spontaneously. The actual cohesiveness/matching/coordination is personal preference. Whether you want color photos, mis-matched frames, mats… eclectic is beautiful. For my breakfast nook, I came up with a way to showcase our travels back when we first moved into our home. I limited a single favorite place for each frame, and that’s all we need to be taken back to that trip. We don’t have to display all 567 photos taken from that time. Just a single image.

When we revamped the breakfast nook (see the reveal HERE), I updated the photos and used a similar but slightly more streamlined matted frame. But, I opted for the same overall choice of setting everything in black and white with identical matted frames. I use Lightroom and throw the same black and white filter on all of them, when helps disguise the imperfections, but there’s lots of apps you can use for free.

The great thing about this technique is that the photos don’t have to be perfect. As a matter of fact, I don’t take any photos with the intention of them going on the wall. I just look back through my phone photos, find something that was a landmark/summarized the trip well/was an interesting moment/etc., and go with it. I’ve even cropped in super close on a part of a photo (like a piece of the inside of the Capitol building’s ceiling) to get something unique. I bet you have tons of photos on your phone right now that would be perfect if you wanted to try something similar! They’re easier to switch out and you could even create something that’s easier to add to in the future.

Travel Gallery Wall - 9 Cheap Art Ideas for Your Home

 SourcesWood Bead Chandelier | Dining Table (48′ Diameter) | Dining Chairs | Round Jute Rug (7 x 7′) | Faux Olive Tree | Gallery Wall Frames (black; 16″x20″) |  Large Black Bowl | Terracotta Beaded Garland 

But, back to the purpose of the post. While I went with this as a great place to showcase memories since we eat in here every night, it’s a great way to incorporate affordable art. I’ve used Mpix for over a decade for printing and they send coupons often. Printing quality is fantastic, you get free shipping on orders over a certain amount, and you get them quickly.

2. Reframed & Repurposed Old Art / Mementos

Speaking of galleries though, my mom has several fabulous galleries in her home (I need to share more!) and it was a great way to use all the art she’s held on to, without feeling obligated and throwing up a picture here and a painting there. I love the gallery she has in her office — all collected, tied together with frames of varying shades of gold. Some art postcards from trips, some art inherited paintings, others are small pieces she’s purchased over the years. Several are in their long-standing frames, but she was able to use other small pieces simply by reframing them. Maybe you don’t need new art at all — maybe you. just need to find a way to showcase what you’ve collected in a new way to make it feel new. Cheap art doesn’t have to actually be cheap art — just art you already have, repurposed.

Home Office Gold Frame Gallery Wall Art

Sources: Rattan Desk | Ivory Task Chair | Bubble Pot | Acrylic File Holder | Capiz Jar Candle

I prefer larger scale pieces (or a larger gallery in general) that take up more spaces on walls as a smaller single print or smaller things together on a large wall can feel un-properly scaled. Putting several pieces together is a great way to combat that.

3. Trip Post Cards & Prints

In relation to repurposed mementos, collecting prints while on vacation is a great way to bring in affordable art that has special meaning. And an even cheaper option — and something my mom taught me — is the power of a framed post card. These would be great in a gallery but I also love them as stand-alones on bookshelves or in small spaces, like a powder room. I have used THIS gold matted frame in several sizes, all over the house. It also comes in different frame finishes — the gold version in this 11″x14″ version is $16.99 on Amazon right now HERE.

9 Best Inexpensive Art Ideas for Your Home

Sources: Gold Matted Frame (11″x14″) | Rattan Bin | Letter Box | Label Maker for Labels | Teardrop Vase

And here’s the meeting house in Charleston I grabbed on a trip several year ago…

Using Indoor Planters Throughout the House

Sources: Round Cheese Board | Scallop Platter (similar) | Footed Gray Planter | Faux Artichokes (set of six)

4. Purchased Downloaded Prints

If a piece of art isn’t the overall inspiration for a room, it usually comes last for me, as a way to tie elements together, once the room is complete. If I feel a wood or metal needs repeating, it’s easy to bring that through by using a coordinating photo frame. If I need to marry colors throughout the room, the combination and color tones in art is a way to bring cohesion. But room makeovers and revamps seem to add up to more than you initially plan for, just about every single time. At least, that’s typically how it goes in our house. So, by the time I get to art, I don’t want to just throw something on the wall, but I also don’t want to bleed more money after a potentially painful coming-down from the rest of the room’s investment. So, one of my favorite ways to wrap up a space has been to seek out art from artists who send files for download. This has gone from an almost-necessity way to save money, to a go-to, regardless of budget. And, I’ve done it all throughout our house.

I usually go in, knowing the kind of scene/vibe I’m looking for and Etsy especially makes it so easy to locate — not just “affordable” but cheap — prints. Some shops provide instant downloads of all the sizes you may need for your frames, others you can opt to have shipped to you. I love my landscape art so much in my dining room (see the full dining room HERE) and I wanted something similarly traditional in both warm and cool hues in the kitchen to tie together the colors of our freshly made over kitchen (see the full kitchen reveal HERE).

I love love loved the watercolor and aesthetic of two prints I found in an Etsy shop (HERE & HERE). Right now, each print is $3 (yes, THREE). Once you purchase, you get access to download any size you need for the frame you have in mind. As soon as I downloaded them, I went over to Mpix, uploaded them in the size I wanted, and placed my order. They arrived a few days later in gorgeous condition.

9 Cheap Wall Art Ideas for the Home

SourcesTop Print | Bottom Print Print Frames

In our bathroom (see the reveal HERE), I wanted to go simple and searched for tree pencil sketches. I actually ordered these on premium paper to be delivered from the shop. You can find each tree sketch HERE and HERE and they’re available in several sizes.

High End Look but Inexpensive Art

SourcesTub | Tub Filler | Fluted Side Table | Frames Over Tub | Bottom Oak Tree Art Print Sketch | Top Tree Art Print Sketch | Stoneware Pot | Bath Mat

I ordered several animal print downloads for Eliza’s nursery from THIS shop and we still have them up in her big girl bedroom. (You can see the full nursery reveal HERE and the full big girl bedroom reveal HERE). They were so inexpensive, I actually ordered a couple additional animals and played with the vertical gallery a few times before determining which three I wanted to use. That shop has added SO many adorable art prints with tons of combos to create galleries — especially for kids rooms. Don’t miss the animals holding the balloons like THIS elephant or the animals in the bathtubs (I love THIS one with flamingos for Eliza’s bathroom!) Also — how awesome are THESE construction vehicles for a playroom??

Cheap Art Print and 9 Affordable Wall Art Ideas

SourcesBunny Print | Mouse Print | Raccoon Print | Woven Hamper | Wicker Doll Pram | Cuddle & Kind Mermaid Dolls | Hydrangea Wreath (similar) | Straw Hat (similar)

5. Self-Printed Art

For extra affordable, there are several libraries of free domain art out there, available for download, without purchase. Just Google and you’ll probably be shocked by what you find. You can even print them yourself, on printer paper. This old gallery wall of botanical prints is one of the most budget friendly art installs I ever did in our house!

9 Cheap Wall Art Ideas for Your Home

Sources: Curtains | Gallery Wall Frames | Rug | Bed | Fringed Pillow | Ticking Stripe Pillow | Fringed Throw | Quilt | Duvet Cover  

6. Custom Lyrics/Quotes

The song lyrics I had customized and printed for above Eliza’s crib had special meaning and I was so in love with how they turned out, split across two frames and hung as a pair. They made a statement and even though they were custom, they were really budget friendly. I love the shop I ordered from but it closed shortly after I ordered and never re-opened. There are lots of similar shops that will work with you to create something to your specifications — you can browse a small fraction of some of the options HERE.

Here’s how the set looked in Eliza’s nursery

9 Affordable Art Ideas

SourcesCrib | Macrame Crib Skirt | Striped Crib Sheet | Textured Pillow in Crib | Floor Lamp | Throw | Bunny in Crib | Song Lyrics Above Crib (similar) | Frames | Sherpa Bear Rocker |  Jute Storage Basket 

And here they are, relocated above her bookshelf in her big girl bedroom

Little Girl Bedroom Decorating Ideas

SourcesArea Rug | Woven Hamper | Bookcase | Woven Baskets (similar) | Brass Frames | Song Lyric Art (similar) | Large Stuffed Bear Little Stuffed Bear

The same could be done with vows (which we have in our bedroom), family recipes in the kitchen, and more!

7. Framed Posters

Last year when I went on an overnight to a nearby winery, I found the prettiest vintage-style posters and my mom and I came home with several. I later found some of them on Amazon when we got home — the below butterfly poster is under $8 HERE and there’s others — like THIS cool cactus botanical that’s under $6, all in 20″x28″ in archival paper! My mom has some in her mudroom and I’m still looking for a spot for my others — the butterflies go perfectly in Eliza’s playroom through, in her kitchen gallery!

Cheap Art Prints and Posters

Sources:  Butterfly Poster | Poster Frame (pack of 2) | Blushing Bird Art  | Clock | Pots and Pans Set | Silicone Marble Utensil Set | Olivewood Serving Board | Rectangular Marble Board (similar) | Towel Rod (for kitchen utensils) | S Hooks

I used THIS wooden poster frame (comes as a pack of two on Amazon for under $40 for the pair!) and it fits perfectly.

8. Paper Remnants 

Wrapping paper, calendar pages, or in my case, leftover wallpaper remnants all make essentially free art, with only the cost of the frame and a little creative cutting! The bird prints I wanted for this room (see the downstairs guest bedroom HERE) weren’t in the budget at the time (I later got them for the conversation room, which you can see HERE), so instead, I put my thinking cap on and used some of the leftover wallpaper from the powder room! (See the full powder room reveal HERE). I moved the paper scraps around just a little to make each print slightly different than one another and while it was a budget solution, I liked the result so much, it’s still up today!

Affordable Art Ideas with Cheap Art Solutions

Sources: Coastal Blue Wallpaper | Black Frames | Rattan Bed (similar) | Belgian Flax Linen Quilt (white) |  Belgian Flax Linen Duvet Cover & Euro Shams (white) | 700 TC Sateen Sheet Set (white) | Tobacco Teddy Bear Throw Blanket  (60″ x 80″) | 24” Blue Belgian Linen Throw Pillows (Gunmetal)  | 20″ Black & Cream Stripe Pillow | Jute Rug (5′ x 8′)

9. Self-Created Art

And the easiest way to save money on art? Make it yourself! The ultimate cheap art! I’ve seen some beautiful, simple canvases created with a single paint color, but in this case, I framed my first at-home “painting” with Eliza, ripped straight from her glossy art book. The clean frame and mat make it look like actual planned art 😉

9 Cheap Art Ideas

SourcesFrame | Art (courtesy of Eliza — first at home finger painting — circa 2020)

Have an affordable art moment you’re most proud of? What’s your favorite budget-friendly way to decorate your walls and spaces? Comment below and be sure to subscribe to emails at the bottom of the post for weekend newsletters, exclusives, and to stay up to date on all the latest!

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4 Comments

  1. 3.14.23
    Jill S. Gabbe said:

    Kelley!
    As always, a wonderful post packed with useful annd beautiful ideas – and all the sources. My fav? Eliza’s Art! And new to me: Mpix! Thank you! Jill

    • 3.14.23

      Jill, Thank you so much for taking the time and for your kind note. And yes, Eliza’s art is my favorite too!

  2. 3.16.23
    Julie said:

    Kelly, just when I thought your posts couldn’t get better! I’m happy to be wrong:-) I love all the ideas, resources and pics of artwork. I also have used Mpix to print professional photos and it is the best quality I have ever seen. Totally enjoy all your posts, thank you.

    • 3.17.23

      Julie, Thank you so much for your sweet note and for taking the time to visit. You really made my day and I am so happy that you liked the post and ideas.