This might possibly be the easiest wall art you’ve ever seen and a totally inexpensive one, too! I couldn’t wait to decorate the wall at the end of our long, long hallway with the new square frames that I got from Goodwill last week. So, I came up with a very simple and minimal solution: I just cut paint chips that were forgotten in a drawer into one-inch thick strips and placed two of them in each frame. It couldn’t get easier than that!
For each frame I selected one color, then picked my favorite shade for the first strip and went a few tones down for the second strip so that there would actually be a visible color difference within the same color palette.
I cut each strip with the paper cutter for perfectly straight edges and glued the strips onto simple paper. They were big enough to fit the 4 x 4 inches mat opening.
Since this is a rather simple display, I arranged some strips vertically, others horizontally, some in the middle of the mat and others more on the edge for a more interesting result.
When I hung them on the wall, I once again regretted not buying more of these frames. In my opinion, for this gallery wall to be perfect, I would need two more frames to make 4 rows. I’m planning on going to Goodwill tomorrow but I doubt I will find more of the same.
Although this frame setting is a little more modern than my usual style, it is actually a good transition between the different styles of the rooms that connect to this hallway; there’s a classic master bedroom on the right,
and two more bedrooms on the left, one with a modern decor and one with a more romantic style.
This whole arrangement cost me less than $15 – the cost of the six frames. And they’re real Pottery Barn – you can tell in the details: the mat is a fine quality bevel-cut in an off-white color and there’s even a spacer between the glass and the art to reduce glare. As for the frame itself, it’s a classic espresso finish that’s always in style.
Frames are in general light-weighted and they tend to move around. To keep them straight, add a couple of pieces of mounting putty on the back corners of the frame. This way, you’ll always have a perfectly well arranged, non-crooked gallery wall.
