This budget-friendly DIY framed peacock art gives our bedroom a custom, high-end look for under $75! See how I combined a digital art download and a curbside frame into something truly special, and get inspired to create your own thrifty decor story.
How to Frame Large Digital Art on a Small Budget
1. A Full-Circle Moment in Decorating
If I’m being totally honest, and you may have noticed, my decorating has slowed down a bit over the past year or so. The economy doesn’t leave room in my budget for decor shopping the way it once did. That’s OK, though, because I started this blog (and really my decorating journey) on a very tight budget.
Some of my very first DIY projects were made from free or very inexpensive materials. I made things out of pallets and roadside finds. So this latest DIY decor project feels like a full-circle moment.
2. The Long Road to a Bedroom Refresh
I shared my bedroom makeover plans a few years ago, and then I shared my updated plans. It’s kind of funny how a makeover that takes this long means the plans evolve before you ever start.
That happens a lot, and that’s OK! It’s better to let things evolve on paper than to be unhappy with the results, right? It’s important to let your style grow naturally.
So I’ve been wanting to get started on this makeover, but I need to work with a tight budget, watch for sales and get creative.
Part of my new bedroom refresh is changing the art above the bed. I already have two pieces that I swap out with the seasons, so it was hard to justify buying something new. But honestly, neither of them works for spring and fall. I really wanted art that’s season-less and could stay up all year long.
I love both the Petite Pano Pines and Sea Glass Coast art above my bed, but I think I’ll enjoy something I can leave up year-round. I’ll have to find another spot for my other two pieces, or I may sell them.
3. Falling in Love with the Peacock Art
I’ve loved this peacock art for years and have wanted it above our bed for a while. But buying it hasn’t fit the budget, so I set out to find a way to make it happen for less!
Here’s a frugal tip: Whenever I find something I want for my home, I ALWAYS research to make sure I’m getting the best price. That includes a Google search for the product name and, lately, a visual image search on Google too. More times than I can count, I’ve found a better deal.
This time, when I ran an image search for this art print, I found that the image was available for public use and sold as a digital download for just a few dollars. I quickly bought the art and saved it to my computer for safekeeping.
Then I had to decide how to frame it and what size to make it. I’ve framed other pieces of art before, including my Frame TV. But this time I really wanted a more ornate frame, so my goal was to make that happen for as little money as possible.
4. Finding the Perfect Frame (On the Side of the Road!)
A few weeks later, while I was still working things out, my daughter and I passed a large piece of framed art on the side of the street on trash day. I turned around, and my daughter ran over and grabbed it for me!
I thought the frame itself would be big enough for a piece of art above my bed. So I had the peacock printed to the right size to fit inside it. I knew the dimensions would be a bit off, but I was confident I could figure it out.
Another frugal tip: If you need a large frame but don’t want to pay for a custom one, head to the thrift store. People are getting rid of big framed “ugly” art all the time! Look for something you can take apart and put back together. The moment I saw this frame, I knew I could disassemble it and reuse the glass and frame!
I simply peeled back the layers at the back of the framed art, removed about 30 staples and took the layers apart.
I carefully took apart the mat from the art and tried to reuse it, but the dimensions just wouldn’t work. While everything was disassembled, I cleaned the glass really well, too.
5. The Custom Mat Board Fix
After the print arrived and I’d taken the framed art apart, I was ready to put the peacock art inside.
As you can see in the photo, the print was too wide and too short to fit the frame. I trimmed the sides, but the top and bottom were still too narrow to fit the frame alone.
So I ordered a custom mat board to fit around the edges of the picture, fill in the gaps and elevate the piece. I loved how easy it was to enter my measurements and get the exact size I needed. I chose a double mat in an off-white color with a “Brittany blue” bottom mat.
When the mat board arrived, it fit perfectly. I love how the double mat with the blue inset makes it look so much more expensive than the $74 I spent on this piece.
When it was time to reassemble the back of the frame, I followed this YouTube video to staple the back and keep it secure. Then I screwed D-ring hangers into the back of the frame so it could hang.
There were a few chips on the corners, but nothing a little Rub n Buff couldn’t fix!
Why I Love This Budget-Friendly DIY
Sometimes DIY projects don’t turn out the way you imagined, and sometimes they turn out even better than you could have dreamed! Then you have something custom made for your home, plus a great story to go with it!
I love how this looks above my bed, and how the gold frame plays off the brass curtain rods and the wood tones of our bamboo shades. Now I’ll be focused on getting these walls painted very soon!
Budget Breakdown:
- Digital Art Print File – $2
- Large Print Photo – $20
- Frame – Free!
- Custom Mat – $52
Total: $74
Final Thoughts and Encouragement
This is your reminder that great style doesn’t require a big budget. Some of our best ideas come when our creativity is pushed to work with what we already have or what we can find nearby!
I’d love to hear your favorite budget-friendly decor wins in the comments!
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