20 Easy DIY Wall Decor Ideas: How to Decorate on a Budget
20 Easy and Inexpensive DIY Wall Decor Ideas to decorate blank walls in your home on a budget. All of these DIY wall decor ideas are easy and inexpensive to implement, and are sure to infuse personality and character into your home!
Are you stuck when it comes to decorating blank walls in your home? Skip generic artwork from the big box stores and implement these creative DIY wall decor ideas instead!
This post will cover 20 DIY wall decor ideas including how to create inexpensive wall art, how to decorate an empty wall on a budget, and even a few ideas on how to decorate your walls for free with things you already own!
Easy DIY Wall Decor Ideas on a budget
1. Hang Plates and Platters
Hanging plates and platters is such an easy and inexpensive way to fill up a large blank space on a wall.
Here I hung two large groupings of ironstone plates on each side of the dining room in our previous home. You can see a full before and after tour of that home HERE.
Above is a photo of blue and white plates I hung above our kitchen window. You can see the full before and after kitchen barstool transformation HERE.
2. Hang a Mirror
A mirror is always a classic and no-fail way to fill a blank wall. Mirrors come in a large variety of shapes and styles, and the mirror itself can be a piece of art.
I love that mirrors offer extra light and reflection in a space, ultimately making a room feel larger and brighter. The round shape of the federal style mirror above softens up all of the straight lines in the boys shared bedroom.
3. Create a Gallery Wall
A gallery wall is another timeless (and inexpensive!) way to fill a blank space in your home.
The photo above is a gallery wall I created using our wedding photos in our very first foreclosure fixer upper home we bought as newlyweds! Our decorating budget was about zero dollars, and I created this gallery wall going up our stairs using frames from the DollarTree! Can you believe that?! You can read all about it and see all of the before and after photos HERE.
4. Frame Pages from a Book
I bet you would never guess that the framed Peter Rabbit artwork in these frames is actually the artwork from pages in a children’s book.
Any book with beautiful illustrations makes the perfect inexpensive piece of artwork. Simply tear the page out of the book and insert into a picture frame!
5. Monogram Art
DIY Monogram art is the perfect way to fill a large wall on a budget. I originally made the large monograms for the nursery. I loved them so much that I repainted them navy and moved them into the big boy room as you saw in the photo above!
6. Peg Shelf
A peg shelf not only adds function and storage, but it provides a beautiful and interesting way to display and store special keepsakes and mementos.
The peg shelf in the boys room houses some of their favorite treasures such as trophies and medals, hats and bowties, and sports memorabilia.
7. Book Ledges
Book ledges not only add visual interest, but they serve a dual purpose of adding dedicated storage for books. I love classic books and believe they can be a work of art in and of themselves.
I used book ledges in both the nursery and the big boys’ room to display some of our favorite children’s books. Beauty and functionality is a win in my book! *no pun intended 😉
8. Frame an Heirloom
There is nothing sweeter than a framed heirloom, especially when it’s an heirloom coming home gown. I framed all of the Feltman Brothers gowns each of my boys wore home from the hospital. It was an easy DIY project and you can find all of the details HERE. I topped it off with the swaddle bow the boys wore for their newborn photos. So much better than being hidden away in storage somewhere!
9. Print and Frame Free Artwork
It’s so easy to find free printable artwork nowadays! Many websites, such as history and art museums, offer free artwork that is now part of the public domain.
Believe it or not, the artwork in this beautiful (thrifted) antique gold frame is a picture I found on the free public domain and had printed at our local print shop.
Where can you find free public domain artwork?
10. display a family recipe
There is nothing more special than a framed piece of family history. Frame that meaningful family recipe that includes your grandmother’s cherished handwriting for the most special wall decor.
11. command center
A command center can be both practical and beautiful on your walls. Choose a beautiful bulletin board and hang it on a wall that your family always sees. It’s the perfect way to organize calendars, reminders, chore charts, and grocery lists.
12. chalk board
An oversized chalkboard makes a fun and unexpected addition to any room, but especially to a children’s playroom. This large chalkboard hung on the wall in the playroom at our last house. It added visual interest, gave the boys a place to doodle with chalk, and gave me the perfect spot to hang a paper banner! You can see the full before and after tour of this playroom HERE.
13. family portraits and Photographs
You can never go wrong framed family portraits and photographs. The boys light oil portraits hang in our foyer and they are one of my most cherished possessions.
14. silhouettes
A silhouette is a great keepsake and they also happen to make beautiful and sentimental wall art.
The silhouettes of all three of my boys hang on the wall in our kitchen and I smile every time I see them.
15. Open Shelves
Open shelves add function and design to just about any room! They add visual interest and give you extra space to beautifully display collectibles and sentimental items.
Box shelves in the nursery display baby keepsakes and photos (left), while open shelves in our kitchen add function and extra storage (right).
16. Sconces
Sconces are a great “non-art” option to add visual interest and decor to walls.
No electrical outlets? No problem! Simply hang the sconce on the wall and use a battery operated rechargeable light bulb! No one will know 😉
17. Frame intaglios
Framed intaglios add a touch of sophistication and luxury to just about any room! Forgo expensive store bought framed intaglios and try your hand at easy DIY Framed Intaglios instead.
18. Sports Memorabilia
Sports memorabilia can be beautifully and tastefully displayed in a variety of rooms. Think boys room, basement, man cave, or even an office study.
I display the boys game balls from past baseball seasons on a navy display case.
19. diplomas and certificates
The above photo is our home office at our previous home. It was the perfect spot to display my husband’s (and some of mine as well!) diplomas and certificates. After all, those little pieces of paper cost a lot of money so you might as well hang them up and enjoy them 😉
20. plate rack
A plate rack is a great way to add beautiful functionality to your kitchen or dining room. You can beautifully display your serving pieces while freeing up valuable cabinet space.
Our plate rack was built onto the end of our kitchen cabinet, but many plate racks can be hung directly onto a blank wall.
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