This Thrift Store Aisle Is The Unexpected Place To Find Unique Wall Art

When it comes to home decor at the thrift store, don't forget to check the home goods aisles. You may think all you'll find are more coffee mugs you don't need, but there is so much more hiding here than you can imagine. Remember, you don't always have to use things for their original intended purposes. Just as you might upcycle glass jars into unique home decor, you can use table runners to decorate your walls. Whether you find them hanging with the linens and thrown on a shelf in the home goods section of the thrift store, a cute table runner can be used in a few ways to add whimsy and color to your wall. Plus, since you can find them for all different seasons and holidays, you may come up with new ideas to decorate your home throughout the year. Online, creators have shared some great tips for upcycling thrifted table runners. While there are plenty of ways to decorate with table runners, now you'll have a few more.

While you may not initially think of a table runner as wall art, there are so many ways you can turn that long piece of fabric into unique art. It's already table art, in a way. You use it to add color and whimsy to your table settings year-round or during holidays. So it doesn't seem that far-fetched to imagine it hanging on a wall. The key will be to find table runners that match your decor or will pop during the proper holiday. A basic white or burlap table runner may not work as well for art as, say, one with a cute Halloween scene of witches and ghosts — but there are things you can do with those basic table runners, too.

If you're able to find some cute runners, making them into wall art is a very simple DIY — in some cases, you won't have to modify them at all. Depending on the runner and your wall space, you could hang the piece as-is or cut it into smaller squares or rectangles. A few pushpins or a frame will allow you to mount the runner and give it the look of a tapestry or a more traditional piece of textured wall art. If you're feeling more crafty, however, we came up with some unique ideas of our own that can turn your newfound table runners into interesting wall art that will surely catch the eyes of any visitors who pop over.

One fun idea is to purchase a bunch of different-sized frames, cut up the runner to fit each one, and create a scene on your wall, à la gallery wall. Remember those plain runners we mentioned? If that's all you could find and you're a creative soul, you could cut those up and paint your own images on them, from abstract art to cool characters from your own mind — whatever you fancy. Consider this a replacement canvas for your DIY art. A basic silver or glittery table runner can be turned into a delightful winter scene with some acrylic paint and a few paintbrushes.