When we think of gallery walls, we tend to focus all of our energy on the art and prints we include, but rarely on the frames. They’re typically white, black, wood or gold in colour. For today’s DIY project, we’re injecting colour into our old picture frames to give them new life. We’ll show you how hand-painted frames in different colour combinations look so good in any corner of the home. So grab your paint brush and let’s get to work creating unique picture frames.

@hgtvcanada

Upcycling old frames into trendy decor ✨ 🖼️🎨 @Hey Maca | DIY | Home Decor #upcycle #paint #frames #decor #diy

♬ What Love Is – Zimmer90

acrylic paint, paint brushes and frames
Maca Atencio

Materials Required:

  • Upcycled picture frames (different sizes)
  • Acrylic paint (at least 4 colours)
  • Pencil
  • Paint brushes
  • Paint palette
  • 1/2 inch flat wood balls
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Painter’s tape

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pouring acrylic paint and drawing an abstract shape on frame
Maca Atencio

Step 1: Design Your Frames

Start by drawing the designs and patterns on your different frames with a pencil. We chose to do thick stripes, a wavy colour block design and duo geo patterns as our designs. As soon as you finish sketching your designs, pick the acrylic paint you’ll use for each frame.

Tip: To create perfectly even striped frames, use painter’s tape to place your different lines on the frame, calculating the desired thickness with a ruler.

Related: How to Refresh Your Bathroom for Less With Spray Paint

adding wood balls to a painted frame
Maca Atencio

Step 2: Painting the Frames

Hand painting your frames is the best part of this DIY project, as it’s loads of fun. Don’t be afraid to use different bold colour combinations. Start by applying your first coat of paint and then let it dry to touch. To achieve the perfect finish, apply up to three coats of acrylic paint to ensure your frames are fully covered.

Tip: If you’d like a glossy finish, apply a final coat of mod podge in a glossy finish. Let it air dry for one hour before putting your art back in the frames.

grabbing a picture frame with painters tape on it
Maca Atencio

How fun is this super simple DIY idea? Now you can display your artsy hand-painted frames by hanging them on a wall or on top of a table (like we did!).

different hand painted frames
Maca Atencio
Trendy hand-painted frames
Maca Atencio

We can’t wait to see you around here for our next DIY adventure. In the meantime, head to our DIY Projects’ section for more affordable and trendy ideas that you can make at home.