DIY Wall Art That Looks High-End (But Costs Almost Nothing)

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Creating an inviting space that reflects your individual style is difficult, especially when you're working with a budget. Custom furnishings are expensive, but generic pieces can give a cheap hotel art vibe. It takes money to decorate a boring hallway or refresh an outdated living room. One way to counteract the boredom of mundane box store buys is by giving existing wall decor a glow-up with a little DIY magic. This is precisely what you can do with an old canvas from Home Sense or Walmart, cardboard, plaster, and a touch of paint.

There's something to be said about kicking the stiff model home ornamentation and getting creative. With this hack, you can make a variety of unusual pieces of wall art that will add a unique touch to your home without going broke. All you need to do is cut the cardboard into the shape you want your finished product to reflect, add plaster for texture, and give the whole thing a new color to suit your current, or newly adopted aesthetic. There's no wrong way to put this project together, it can be as abstract or as straightforward as you like. The finished product will scream high-end, but you'd have secretly skipped gallery prices.

You'll need to pick up a few supplies to make your high-end decor dreams a reality. If you don't have any generic art, pick some up at a thrift store, or buy blank canvases such as the ESRICH board 3-pack. You'll also want plaster like the Falling in Art hand mold casting kit powder, scissors, paint, and cardboard (foam or plywood works too). To get really creative, grab some texture tools. You can even use a baking staple like Teenitor's cake scraper decorating kit to make patterns you want come to life. With these items compiled, it's time to get to work.

Cut the cardboard into a uniquely shaped frame to border the canvas, and smaller pieces to put on top for a 3D vibe. Use glue or tape to hold it all in place while you mix the plaster. Smooth the paste thickly over the entire project. Use your tools to make lines, swirls, floral designs, and anything else before letting it dry, and then paint it. Black is a nice base color, and you can really punch it up with some gold leaf or Rub n' Buff. Customize further by adding additional textural elements like sand, sea glass, or beads. If you're looking for accent wall ideas to liven up your home without breaking the bank, you can't do much better than revamping an old canvas with some artsy supplies. It looks like the real thing, costs less, and is totally personal.