Are you tired of staring at the same boring, blank walls at home? If so, here are 10 fun art projects that should liven things up a little.
The minimal look might still be popular, but nothing adds elegance and personality to your home like some new artwork.
However, if your budget doesn’t stretch to buying art, there’s always the option of creating your own.
Not only will it be more original and a great conversation starter when guests come over, you’ll also save a lot of money.
And for those of you who aren’t blessed with artistic talent, don’t worry! These fun art projects are simple and budget-friendly. And you won’t even need a lot of supplies to create most of them.
So, if you’re tired of staring at the same blank walls, these ten art projects are sure to liven up your home!
1. Paint a Geometric Masterpiece
If the idea of painting on a blank canvas has got you scared, never fear. Just like all of these art projects, you don’t need any actual artistic skill to create a geometric masterpiece of modern art.
And the secret is…painters’ tape!
Take a blank canvas and use the painters’ tape to form a design by placing it across the canvas. Don’t be concerned with exactness, just put the tape wherever you like. The real fun of this project is seeing the result once you peel the tape off.
Play with geometry and different design possibilities, and feel free to change the positioning of the tape to create the shapes you want. Remember, your creativity is the limit.
Once you have the tape where you want it, start painting the canvas with acrylic paint. Cheap bristle paintbrushes will do but we recommended foam paintbrushes to avoid leaving bristle marks on the canvas.
You can use as many colors as you like but keeping to a muted color palette tends to work best. Earthy tones exude sophistication and warmth. And darker shades contrast well with the white lines the tape creates.
When you’re happy with your design, peel off the tape to reveal your artistic creation. This is an easy way to add a personal yet modern touch to your walls, and it’s perfect if you have to fill a large area of a wall.
2. DIY Circle Art
Keeping with the modern art theme, if you’re a fan of Damien Hirst’s spot paintings then this is one of the best art projects for you. And it’s also a great rainy-day activity to keep your little ones entertained.
While Hirst painstakingly painted each spot, you’re going to take the easier route of punching out circles for your art display.
Punching out the circles is more precise than cutting, and it’ll save you a lot of time too.
Depending on how big you want your artwork you can choose smaller or larger circles, but we’d recommend 1-inch circles.
And, as for the paper, you can use magazine clippings, parts of old photos, wallpaper, wrapping paper, or just plain colored paper.
Then take some white backing card and decide how you want to arrange your circles in terms of the spaces between each and how many per line. Once you have your measurements, start placing your circles freely.
Then, when you’re happy with the design, you can glue them down.
3. Fill a Corner with Signs
If you’re looking for art projects with more of a rustic edge, then DIY wooden signs are perfect for filling an empty corner.
Wood scraps are usually easy to come by too, so this is a very budget-friendly way to make a big impact. Try visiting small independent garden stores and hardware stores to see if they have any wooden pallets going spare.
And if the wood is old or has peeling paint, even better! This will really add to the rustic feel of your sign corner.
Before you cut up any pallets, consider what you want to write on your signs and how big they need to be.
You could use your signs as directions to other rooms in the house. Or, your signs could point to destinations outside the home for a more whimsical feel. For example, the nearest beach, another town or a local landmark.
Once you know where you want your signs to point to, cut your wood to the right size and use stencils for the lettering. Remember to write in pencil first before you go over the text with paint or a marker pen.
4. Create a Gallery Wall of Objects
For all those hoarders among you who can’t bear to part with yard sale bargains and found objects, then a gallery wall is the perfect way to display your treasures.
Although a gallery wall might appear random, there are some tricks to getting it right.
Three-dimensional objects look best on display if they are combined with flat items, such as an old mirror, framed photos, and tapestries.
And, you can bring the whole gallery together by keeping to a limited color palette. A good tip for tying the wall together is to reflect the color of one object in the frame of another. Spray paint is an easy way to achieve this symmetry.
But, before you start hanging anything up, practice the layout on a sheet of paper on the floor. This will ensure that you like the design before you start hammering holes into the wall.
5. Turn Your Photos into Art
Nowadays we tend to keep our photos in digital form and share them online. But, if you’ve got a photo you really love, what better way to show it off than as artwork on your wall at home?
Thanks to this website, it’s now possible to turn your photos into art. All you need to do is upload your photo and choose the medium you want the artist to use when recreating your image.
Choose from paints, charcoal or pastels and select the size of your image too. It’s an ideal way to commemorate a special day or a photo you love.
What’s more, the result is more original than a photo, and more personal than any artwork from a shop.
6. Create a Postcard Display
Artistic skills are not required for many of these art projects. But, creating a postcard display is so simple you don’t even need to be crafty.
If you’ve got a collection of postcards from your travels then you can get started on figuring out your display.
If not, you should start browsing stationery stores and flea markets for any postcards which catch your eye. Or, you can often buy packs of postcards online if you have a theme in mind.
Once your collection is ready, arrange your postcards on a piece of white backing card. Then frame your collage to make the perfect focal point for any room.
7. Scrabble Wall Art
If you’re in love with letters then this has got to be one of the best art projects for your wall.
For the ‘Scrabble tiles’ you need wooden squares. To make sure they’re exact, it’s a good idea to get them cut at a hardware store. As for the size, 9″ by 9″ squares work well to create a big impact. Although, you may want to go smaller depending on the size of your wall.
Once you have your squares you need to sand the edges. This will make them slightly rounded, just like real Scrabble tiles.
For the lettering, print out an image of each letter you want to create (including the number of points) in the same size as the square. Scribble on the reverse of the print then place the paper with the scribbled side down.
Trace the edges of the Scrabble letter and number, and you’ll be left with a grey outline on the wood. Then, fill in the letter and number with black acrylic paint.
The beauty of this project is that you can spell out words on your walls if you want, but we like the idea of a random assortment of letters.
8. Basket Wall Arrangement
Hanging up your best china is a great way to decorate the walls of a kitchen or dining room.
But, if you’re a little anxious about the thought of hanging up such easily breakable items then a basket wall arrangement is the perfect compromise.
Your display can include wicker baskets, woven bowls, trays and even wicker placemats and coasters. The neutral color palette and different weaves will add warmth and texture to your room.
As with the gallery wall display, map out the pattern you want to create beforehand on some paper. Then, when you’ve finalized your design, hang up your wicker items with small pins placed through the weaving to hold them in place.
9. Display Pressed Botanicals
Instead of creating your own images for art projects, why not hang the beauty of nature on your walls?
Collect and press whatever flowers or ferns you like and press them flat in between some delicate tissue paper weighed down by heavy books for a few weeks.
When your plants are ready, glue them onto some thick backing card and frame your creation to showcase your love of nature.
10. Create a Photo Wall
If you’re nervous about hanging artwork on the walls of your first rented home then the ideal solution is a wall display of photos.
Photos stuck with black tape create a cozy yet modern instant focus. And, since nothing is pinned or nailed down, your display can be changed or removed at a moment’s notice.
It’s also very original and perfect for displaying some of your favorite moments. And, although it’s up to you which photos you choose, sticking to a theme or a color scheme will link the photos together better.
Which of These Art Projects Will You Try?
Now you have ten great ideas for brightening up your home, there’s no excuse for living with blank walls any longer.
But which of these art projects do you think will suit your home style most? Let us know if you try out any of these ideas as we’d love to see the results!