Why TikTok Recommends Using IKEA RIBBA Frames To Decorate Your Home

IKEA's RIBBA picture frames have gained popularity on TikTok for fairly obvious reasons. These simple frames have either a white or black border and come in seven different sizes, with the smallest measuring 4 by 6 inches and the largest measuring 24 by 35 ¾ inches. Each frame comes with a white mat inside to make your photographs and art look more elegant. If you're looking to create a gallery wall in your home, these frames will help you do so on a budget.

Compared to other stores, usually IKEA keeps their prices low, allowing you to do incredible projects for a fraction of the cost. For example, a 16-by-20-inch RIBBA frame is only $15, while Pottery Barn sells wood gallery frames that look almost identical for $84 more. Additionally, you can get mats for inside frames at most craft stores, allowing you to customize exactly how your home gallery looks. Though IKEA's frames are extremely budget-friendly and will match most any decor, you need to be careful when hanging them to prevent bowing.

Rather than spending hundreds of dollars to beautifully hang pictures for a gallery wall, you could save some money by using RIBBA frames from IKEA. Larger photos, such as wedding pictures, make the most sense in the bigger frame sizes, but you could also use frames all of the same size and hang them side by side for a minimalist, structured look. You might even try using various sizes and hanging them in groupings for a more dynamic appearance.

If you'd like the mats in your frames to be a different size or color, head to your nearest craft store's framing section. There, you can buy mats and have them cut to the size you like, or choose one that's already cut. At Michaels, this white 16-by-20-inch picture frame mat with a 10-by-13-inch opening is $6. You could also choose to go with a silver or gray mat rather than white, or a more colorful option if you'd prefer a less traditional gallery. You may decide to have a round opening rather than a rectangular one to center the focus of your pictures.

Though hanging a picture frame is usually considered a simple process, a few reviews on IKEA's website suggest that the RIBBA frames can be difficult to attach to the wall. To avoid issues when hanging and to prevent the frame from bowing over time, try using canvas hangers or even Command strips. Since the RIBBA frames use durable plastic rather than glass and aren't heavy, it should be alright to use them with Command strips. Simply put Command strips in every corner of the frame and stick it to your wall, following the directions. You can cut the strips in half lengthwise if they are too wide for your frame. 

If that sounds a bit too precarious, canvas hangers are a great option to secure your frame. These $10 canvas hangers from Home Depot are two triangular pieces that are nailed into the top corners of the frame. There is an attachable piece with a tack coming out of it that mounts the frame to the wall. If your frames don't sit perfectly against the wall, try putting the hangers in all four corners. With a few inexpensive IKEA frames, your beloved pictures will look like a work of art.