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Emily A. Clark

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My Pieced Together Frames + Mats

June 20, 2019

Just like there are good dupes for high-end cosmetics and designer clothing, there are also a few good ones to know when it comes to decorating your home. Custom framing is pricey and if you like to change things up as much as I do, it’s pretty much out of the question. I pieced together these frames and mats years ago for our last house and still get asked about them every time I post a picture. I’ve recycled them several times!

gold spray painted frames custom white mats

They’re actually plastic all-purpose frames I picked up at a craft store. They’re usually sold in multiples–because they’re so cheap! Mine are 16×20 and are almost identical to these. I just gave them a couple of light coats of a metallic gold spray paint. Once they’re hung, it’s almost impossible to tell that they’re plastic and not metal.

mats-frames-botanical-prints-gallery-wall

The key to making them look custom is the matting. I like to use an online shop like this one on Etsy that offers lots of sizes with almost any opening size in tons of colors.Mine are 16×20 mats with 5×7 openings. I’ve changed the art up in my frames from room to room and they make anything look better–even my own little abstract paintings.

frames-mat-home-decorating-dupe

 

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Filed Under: #EACstyle, accessories, artwork, DIY, Simple Design Ideas Tagged With: art, decorating, simple design ideas

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kimberly McIntosh says

    June 20, 2019 at 8:22 am

    Hi Emily! I love your style…and blog! I was looking at the seller on Etsy and was wondering what color you go with for the mats. I love how yours turned out but I saw there are different shades of white available. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 20, 2019 at 8:41 am

      I’m partial to bright white :)

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        June 20, 2019 at 1:03 pm

        I was going to ask the same thing! I couldn’t decide between the bright or warm white. Thanks!

        Reply
  2. Cheryle says

    June 20, 2019 at 8:51 am

    Great tip! They don’t look plastic at all.

    Would you please be so kind as to share the source of the green botanical art above the piano?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 20, 2019 at 8:53 am

      Thanks! They’re from this old book: https://emilyaclark.com/2014/12/4-beautiful-books-to-gift-frame.html

      Reply
  3. Beth says

    June 20, 2019 at 11:48 am

    Have you ever looked for the mats at a craft store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby?

    Reply
  4. Nikki says

    June 20, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    Thanks so much for this info!😍

    Reply
  5. Rhonda says

    June 20, 2019 at 3:42 pm

    Hi Emily,

    your art looks great and great tip about mats on Etsy. I am partial to making my own frames also but I go to any thrift shop and look for great wood frames with ugly art. The bigger the better and then cut them down to size. I prefer ones that have real glass and then take glass to local hardware store and they cut for free. You can also paint if color doesn’t suit you. I ‘ve got as many as 3 separate frames from one salvaged for $5.00.

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 20, 2019 at 6:32 pm

      Great tip, thanks!

      Reply
  6. Michelle says

    June 20, 2019 at 4:05 pm

    Emily, thank you for continuing to post reasonable decorating ideas. It is easy to find beautiful, very expensive online ideas, that are out of reach, for the average family. Thank you! I love your taste and wonderful, helpful ideas!

    Reply
  7. AmandaG says

    June 20, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    I think you’re totally right about the mat being the detail that takes things up a notch. After reading your kitchen post from… whenever it was… and saw the mats on your gallery wall were mats people use to write messages on, I added one to a cheap frame I got at Michael’s and wow. I loved it. Thanks for that idea! And thanks for the Etsy shop info. I am definitely going to use them in the future.

    Reply
  8. Julie @ Creating This Life says

    June 20, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    I love this idea! Thanks for sharing your source for the mats too.

    Reply
  9. Anita says

    June 20, 2019 at 6:52 pm

    Your posts make me happy!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 21, 2019 at 9:11 am

      And your comment makes me happy! Thanks :)

      Reply
  10. JenBC says

    June 20, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    This is a fabulous idea. I have been wanting to do something in my foyer for a while that would make a statement and this is just the tip I needed. I am more interested in the impact than the particular art but I also have a good idea to put architectural pictures from various places we have visited. I am always attracted tot eh details like doors, gates, garden decor, etc when we go places and pictures I take would look great but without the big price tag. Get tired of it, change it! I have long admired your gallery walls over the years. Love this idea! I am tickled pink!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 21, 2019 at 9:11 am

      So glad!

      Reply
  11. Karen L. says

    June 20, 2019 at 11:45 pm

    Love this idea and the specific pointers you shared!

    Reply
  12. Jennifer Reil says

    June 22, 2019 at 6:58 am

    I love hanging art in every room of my house! Thanks for the great frame/mat/art tips! I’ll share my latest tip- use 3M velcro strips to hang art work, then when you want to rearrange them there’s no nail holes in the walls :).

    Reply
  13. Katherine says

    June 24, 2019 at 12:40 pm

    This is brilliant and so very doable. Thank you! Do you have any tips for what arg to choose over statement wallpaper? I have some lovely Osbourne Little paper in my entry, but so far, all but my
    children’s black and white portraits have looked odd. Should I add more black and white, maybe historical group photos?

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      June 25, 2019 at 11:21 am

      Yes–here’s a post that might help:

      https://emilyaclark.com/2018/04/pairing-art-with-our-entryway-wallpaper.html

      Reply
  14. Joyce says

    June 25, 2019 at 3:14 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this information, Emily. Blessings on you and your family.

    Reply

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