Turn A Blank Wall Into A Work Of Art With A Clever Faux Frame Hack

Large format artwork can be a stunning way to decorate your walls, giving a dynamic focal point and dramatic impact to any space you hang it in. This is especially true if you want a more minimalist look without too much visual clutter or if you have a large blank wall in a room with a high ceiling you need to occupy. Large frames, however, can be very expensive to purchase and hard to transport the bigger and bulkier they are. Instagram's @kasagardem may have the perfect solution to create large artwork and framing on a budget. With just some wood molding strips, paint, and a smaller, all-glass poster frame, she is able to create a stunning wall installation that has the look of a large gallery framed art piece, all for much less than the price of larger frames or professional framing services. 

This is a great hack for turning smaller pieces of art into focal points. By creating the larger frame around it, it gives the entire piece much more presence and impact. This would also work great for creating art in a space where heavier conventionally hung frames don't work as well, like busy hallways, stairs, or over a bed.

Since large gilt frames are expensive or hard to find, you can get a similar look by buying wood or silicone wall molding in your preferred style and just painting it gold for a luxe antique look. Wall moldings come in a variety of thickness and details, from richly ornate to simple geometric box molding, which means you can customize them to your design. You could also paint the molding black or another shade to match your décor. For a more rustic aesthetic, use solid wood molding with a rich wood stain. 

Attach the wall molding to the wall where you want it using brad nails, or for a renter friendly approach, peel and stick command tape. They also sell molding strips that already bear adhesive. If your piece is larger, like a poster or swathe of wallpaper, hang that on the wall first and frame afterwards, cutting away what falls outside the frame. If you plan to center a smaller piece of art, paint the surface inside the frame your desired shade, then add the artwork in the middle in a frameless frame.

This frame molding approach can also be used to frame smaller pieces with a faux matte or to fill out the whole canvas for the look of a large painting. Use it to frame wall murals (painted or peel and stick) or stretches of scenic wallpaper for a chic look that can benefit even the wallpaper averse. You can also turn any textile piece, like a favorite rug, blanket or tapestry into a stunning piece of art by surrounding it with molding. 

Canvas printers like canvaschamp.com can also make you a large format reproduction from an electronic file printed on canvas that you can attach to the wall and create a custom frame around. For a more maximalist look, you can use your large outer frame to create the perfect gallery wall or frame collage inside it. This is a great chance to mix many different small frames with other things like sconces, wall planters, and other décor for an eclectic look to create texture and layers, but still provide a singular focal point inside the framing.