Project DIY: Making a Photo Wall on a Budget

We love a good DIY project! Not only is it fun to give new life to old things, it is a great way to keep items out of the landfill. Part of a sustainability mindset is finding ways to use what we already have and therefore purchase less.

The DIY Project: How to turn a bland corner or empty wall into something amazing!

Photo wall: Why I love it

My photo wall was created out of a desire to do something with a very boring corner in my house, but not having a lot of money to do it. The photo corner has now become a photo wall as our space usage has changed, and I always find myself staring at it and remembering the special times and events captured there!

Photo wall: The plan

I had a few odd sized and assorted coloured photo frames with various finishes and came up with the idea to repurpose and paint all of them one colour, no matter the finish, and then set them up like a jigsaw puzzle on my wall. Most of the frames had been given to me or were sourced from thrift stores.

Thrift stores, buy nothing groups, and online marketplaces are all great options to find inexpensive frames. My method is to look for an appealing size, shape and maybe texture – don’t worry about the colour!

Choose a paint colour or palette to paint all of your frames. I chose white but you could choose any colour, or even a few colours that work together. I would recomment sticking with neutrals so that your beautiful photos are the focal point!

Photo wall: Supplies list

• Assorted picture frames
• Waterbased acrylic craft paint in your chosen colour or colour palette
• Water-based acrylic craft paint in your chosen palette
• Foam brushes
• Newspaper or cardboard to set up your frames for painting
• Wall fasteners (I chose 3M Command strips)
• Your favourite pictures! I opted to go with various sizes and orientations to keep it interesting

Photo wall: The process

It’s pretty simple – paint everything! Expect to paint most frames at least twice, but they could require several coats if you’re changing the colour from dark to light.

Photo wall: Maintenance

Once or twice a year I print new photos and switch up my wall to mark new events, adventures, or just favourite moments to remember.

The best part: be sure to keep the old photos behind the new ones so that each time you make a change, you can re-live the memories hidden behind!

Interested in other DIY projects, check out our other posts here!

Submitting your email address gives permission for A Sustainably Simple Life to send you email updates.