Jazz Up Cheap Frames to Match Art Prints & Posters

Whether you have prints that need a little pick-me-up or frames that need a makeover, here's an affordable way of making something stunning out of both. This simple painting technique creates a textured, fascinating look. And you can match the colors and textures to your art, which creates a sort of harmony, something that draws the eye and really looks fabulous. So here's how I jazz up cheap frames to match my art prints and posters-and all on a budget.

#1. How to Find Cheap Frames & Prints

When I'm on the lookout for affordable extra-large frames and art prints, I check out fabric stores and craft stores. Typically the best deals are the most hideous-frames in grotesque colors that make you wonder if the manufacturer was color blind. But as far as I'm concerned, such frames are ideal... as long as I can sneak out of the store without running into someone I know.

#2. How to Choose the Right Colors

To custom paint your frames you'll need a base color, in my case it was hunter green. Over the green I painted a mixture of three shades. Two were similar, a light sand color and a light caramel color. But the third was a contrast color-a pale eggplant. To custom paint your cheap frames to match your art prints look for two main colors that dominate the art. When you finish the project, one will line the edges of the frame, the second will blend with the paler hues woven over the patterned frame.

#3. How to Paint the Base

Take everything out of the frame and paint or spray paint the frame in the base shade. If your frame is made out of plastic or metal, I highly recommend priming it first. You can buy spray paint primer, or just use water-based primer like Kilz (which I use for all my home decorating projects). Make sure you coat every visible part of the frame with your base paint (and the primer first, if appropriate).

#4. Custom Paint Your Frame

The first thing to understand when custom painting your frame is this-there's no right or wrong way to go about it. Trust yourself, and the blend of hues will turn out beautiful. I used a narrow foam brush and began by smearing the extreme shades first-in other words, the pale sand and the pale eggplant. Then I smeared them into each other with the medium shade-the pale caramel. I continued in this way, sometimes barely covering the green, to let it show here and there, but mostly covering it, but I made no effort to cover the lip of the frame, leaving it to remain in green.

#5. Distressing the Frame

After the custom painted frame dried, I distressed it only lightly, just enough to create the custom look of something tarnished with time. I used P-220 grit sandpaper and stroked the painted frame along the outer lip of the frame. Then I just brushed the surface of the frame lightly, here and there. And that it. Mama Mia! You're all Done!

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