Inexpensive Art for Your Home

Your homes can be your refuge from the world. You want it to be comfortable yet stylish no matter what your home décor budget. If you watch home make-over shows or talk to an interior designer they might tell you that one great piece of art can be the focal point for the entire room.

The problem with great art is that it is usually not inexpensive. If this has stopped you from hanging anything in your home you may be surprised that beautiful paintings don't have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are great places to look for inexpensive art and even ways to make your own.

Friends and Family

Do you have an artist in your family? Do you have any friends who paint? Ask them if they'd paint something for your home. They may do it for little money or even for free. My dad is an artist and almost all of the paintings in my home are his work. You could offer to buy the canvas and some supplies in trade.

Friends and family may have art they don't have up and would be happy to let you use it. You might be surprised what you can find in your parent's attic. Have a look around in storage areas for forgotten items. If you find something they most likely have forgotten they even own it.

Thrift Stores

Once in a while I like to go around to the thrift stores in my area and have a look at what inexpensive art they have. I often find unique items that can be restored or used as-is for home décor. I have a painting in my living room I found at a thrift store. It looks like an unfinished water scene and I fell in love with it when I found it. It cost me one dollar!

Neighborhood Sales

Don't forget to check out the rummage and garage sales in your area for inexpensive art. People's taste in art varies tremendously. People may be trying to get rid of a painting they don't like but that doesn't mean you won't love it. Even if you don't find a great work of art you may find a beautiful frame you can use later when you do find something you like. Don't stress out thinking, "What do I like?" You'll know when you see it. When your eye falls upon something you will either want to grab it and take it home or you barely give it a second glance.

Poster Prints

There are companies that make poster prints of famous paintings. These posters cost the same as any other poster you may have hung in your room as a teenager. I have a great print of a Picasso called "Old Man With Guitar" hanging above my couch. You can go to any retailer that carries frames and find a poster-sized frame. It's not the same thing as a painting but if you love the picture you'll feel great every time you look at it.

Along the same lines you can find art on the Internet and print it out. How good they will look will greatly depend on your printer and the quality of the picture you find. I have two prints of my dad's paintings framed in 8 X 10 frames hanging in my home. You can see the brush strokes and they both look great! Remember when you are searching online to be aware of copyright issues. In most cases if you are printing something out just to hang in your home you are fine. Never reproduce and sell someone else's artwork without their permission.

Make Your Own

This is something you can do even if you think you don't have an artistic bone in your body. You may not be able to create a breathtaking landscape but you will be able to produce something pleasing to hang in your home.

Any craft store carries canvas and paint supplies. Decide what colors you want and go get your supplies. You can use brushes or your own fingers if you'd like. When choosing colors choose five or six that you find appealing and that go well together. Look around on the Internet or in magazines for inspiration and have a go at it. Perhaps the hardest part of making your own art is knowing when to stop. If it looks good stop! Over doing it can ruin a great look. Frame it, hang it and enjoy.

You can also leave the artwork up to your young ones. You could make it a fun family project. Spread out an old sheet to protect the floors and have everyone paint with their hands or even their feet. If that doesn't appeal to you there are other alternatives. Cut potatoes in half and carve a design in them and allow your child to stamp the paint and designs onto the canvas. You can dip strings into the paint and hit the canvas with the wet string. You may end up with a fantastic piece of art as well as a memory to hang on your wall.

You may already own great art that is just waiting to be framed. My daughter loves to finger paint and I have a stack of paintings that is at least six inches thick. I am often surprised to find out how beautiful some of them turned out. You can pick out some of your child's work and frame them singly or as a collage.