Create Fine Art For Your Home On A Budget With A Dollar Tree Hack You Can DIY

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Fine art can elevate the look of a home, but it's not always cheap, especially if it's original. Thankfully, there are lots of alternatives to explore that won't break the bank. Consider, for example, creating DIY wall art that looks high-end but costs almost nothing instead of purchasing expensive art pieces. Believe it or not, you can actually pull such a DIY off using products from Dollar Tree. To craft your own décor that resembles a stunning, Old World-style framed painting, snag a large platter from Dollar Tree, spray paint it to give it an authentic patina, and glue a painting to the back. When you're done, you can either hang the tray with the back facing forward or prop it up on a dresser or countertop to display it.

Since you're spray painting this DIY, you can use pretty much any Dollar Tree platter you prefer. The Caterer's Corner Large Oval Platter With Decorative Edges would work well with vintage-style art. Think a circular design will fit better with your existing décor? Purchase the Crafters Square Light Blue Round Tray instead. You'll also need a can of Krylon Coarse Stone Texture Finish Spray Paint, a tube of E6000 or a similar all-surface craft glue, and scissors or a utility knife. Get, too, some acrylic paint in a neutral hue — like this FolkArt Terra Cotta Acrylic Paint Set of 5 Assorted Matte Finish Colors — and a thin paintbrush. The artwork you glue to the platter could be an affordable fine art print, like this Poster Foundry Store Vincent Van Gogh Les Alpilles Mountain Landscape, or your own original painting on watercolor paper. You choose!

Ready to put together this DIY textured wall art to make your home look elegant on a budget? The first step is to spray paint your tray. Once it's dry to the touch, about 30 minutes, lay the art print or painting over the back of the painted platter (not the front), making sure the portion you want to display is centered on the platter. Lightly trace the border of the rim onto the art, then cut it out using scissors or a utility knife. Apply some glue to the center of the platter (again, the back) and carefully stick the artwork, smoothing creases as you go. As your last step, brush a thin line of neutral acrylic paint around the edge of the painting to disguise the cut edge.

You can make pretty much any modifications you want to your art piece. You could, for example, hide the edge of the painting with jute cord or decorative rope instead of acrylic paint. Additionally, you could stencil designs onto the thick rim of the platter. As an alternative to a printed painting, you could use wallpaper. Just remember that there's a difference between traditional and peel-and-stick wallpaper, with one requiring glue and the other having a built-in adhesive backing. Try LaCheery Van Gogh Starry Night Wallpaper or Toolhom Hazy Forest Landscape Wallpaper. To simplify the process and avoid using spray paint, purchase a tray in a color that coordinates with shades in the painting you intend to glue on it or your existing décor.