Powder Room Refresh: DIY Art on the Cheap | $100 Room Challenge Week 3

Hey hey! I’m back today with a Pretty in Pink Powder Room Refresh Update! Eeek! This means I only have one week left until the reveal! I’ve gotta get my act together this weekend and get things wrapped up and photographed. I’m leaving for the Better Homes & Gardens Stylemaker Event in NYC next Wednesday, which means this room reveal has to be completed before I go. Time to get this $100 Room Challenge Makeover show on the road!! Today I’m getting things moving with some DIY Art on the Cheap!

[*Affiliate links were used below.]

If you remember back a couple of weeks ago I introduced our Pretty in Pink Powder Room Refresh project as part of the $100 Room Challenge hosted by Erin from Lemons, Lavender and Laundry. After sharing an update on the literal pink vanity last week, today I’m going to share a few more updates on the space so you can get an idea of where we’re at and what’s left to do. Like I said, one week to go and I’m starting to feel the pressure. I can say that the walls are coming together quite nicely after hanging my new abstract art piece and putting the finishing touches on a couple of DIY art pieces.

HOW TO DIY ART ON THE CHEAP

So, what does DIY Art on the Cheap actually mean? Well, I started with two large matching frames from Goodwill at $2.99 a piece [$5.98 total], poster board from the Dollar Tree [had on hand], black spray paint [already had], an Etsy downloadable digital art print [$2.50] and then finally a DIY word art piece I quickly created using PicMonkey.

After taking the frames apart, cleaning the glass with Windex and wiping the actual frame down with a damp cloth, I traced the outer edge art print that was originally inside of the frame onto my poster board and then cut it out. These served as my “mats” inside of the gold frames. I wanted to do something a bit more dramatic, so I sprayed one of the poster boards black, but I assure you, it would have been much easier and actually less time-consuming to just run out and buy a BLACK poster board. Pinch your pennies, but save yourself the hassle in the end is what I learned ha!

Next, I ordered that same eyelash digital download print that I shared in my original Powder Room Mood Board and plopped onto a blank canvas in PicMonkey and rotated it so it was horizontal. If I would have just printed the jpeg that I downloaded, it would have been a vertical print and I wanted to hang the frames horizontally on the wall. After adjusting the layout I printed it on white card stock paper. The other DIY art piece was simply text that I typed out on a blank canvas in PicMonkey – “WE AIN’T EVER GETTING OLDER” using the “Futura Medium” font.  This quote is part of the lyrics from The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey’s song “Closer”. The biggest loves when this song comes on the radio and come on, who wouldn’t like to think we NEVER get older?! or at least physically age 😉

So, back to the art after printing these 2 images out on 8.5″ x 11″ white card stock paper, I simply taped it to the front of the mat [one white, one black] and popped the pieces into my freshly cleaned frame. I stacked them on the Powder Room wall similar to these art pieces in the Dining Room and these in our old playroom. The Target art is hung on the wall behind the toilet and I love how large these art pieces are and how they fill the walls so nicely! Now I know that my poster board isn’t an actual mat, but I can always change out the art and spring for some custom mats down the road. For now, I’m loving my two new pieces that only set me back $8.48 which isn’t too bad at all considering the frames hold a 16″ x 20″ print!

Oh and we’ll let it be our little secret that I actually tried to DIY the eyelash art…let’s just say the lashes looked more like stick people!!

One other small DIY you see above is the light fixture. We simply took it down, spray-painted it black, left the frosted glass shades off and replaced the bulbs with clear ones! $0 light fixture makeover because I used leftover spray paint and we had the clear bulbs in our lightbulb stash!

If you’re curious as to what we’ve accomplished and what we’ve spent so far, here is where we stand:

• paint the walls – DONE [leftover paint – $0]
• paint the vanity – DONE [$20]
• update the knobs – DONE [existing knobs, plus materials on hand – $0]
• swap out the mirror – DONE [from old house – $0]
• switch out the artwork – DONE [pink abstract piece – $26 on clearance with 5% discount using Target Red Card, 2 DIY art pieces – $8.48]
• update the light fixture – DONE [existing fixture + spray paint & bulbs on-hand – $0]
• hang new hardware [towel ring & TP holder] – DONE [$15.40 + $19.07 = $34.37]
• place a new rug – DONE [$14.99 – 5% Target card discount – $14.25]
• refresh the countertop – ??? [still unsure]
• random decor & accessories – IN PROGRESS
  

  ---

   Grand total spent so far = $103.10

As you can see, I am a few dollars over my $100 budget and still haven’t decided what to do with the countertops [if anything] and I am also in need of some decor and styling accessories for the space. I guess I need to continue shopping my house to see what I can come up with! Stay tuned for the reveal next week and to see what I end up doing with the countertops. I’d love it if you’d weigh in and vote! Leave them as is or go a bit over budget and spruce them up in some way!!

Since the majority of my post was about my thrifted frames and DIY art on the cheap, here are a few tips to help you get started if you plan on hunting down some thrifted frames on your own. Thrift stores can be overwhelming, I know!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN THRIFTING FRAMES:

• Look for large, matching frames. — You can definitely purchase smaller ones to use in a gallery wall, but the larger ones get you more bang for your buck. You might pay $1-2 for an 8″ x 10″ frame, but I only paid $2.99 for a 16″ x 20″ frame.
• Make sure the frame isn’t damaged. — Check that the glass isn’t cracked and that the frame itself isn’t chipped, dented or broken. Sometimes small issues can be repaired, but it’s best to know what you are dealing with before you get it home.
• Don’t get hung up on the color. — The frames and the mats can be painted, so no worries if the frame doesn’t match your room decor. This can easily be fixed!
• Look for frames with interesting detail or shape. —Unique frames are always a great find!
• Empty frames can make an excellent statement. — Don’t overlook the frames without mats or glass. Take them home and add them to your walls by mixing the open/empty frame with other pieces. See an example in our old guest room here.
• Plateholders make great frames. too. — Add in an art print or piece of fabric like I did in the littlest’s nursery on the pegboard gallery wall. Something fun and different!

You can check out another post I wrote on tips for thrifting frames here.

This challenge is really forcing me to use the things I already have instead of just running out to buy something new. If I’m being honest, it has been tough! There are pretty things floating around the aisles in every store I step foot in and online shopping is no stranger to me, but I’ve fought the urges! It is truly amazing the things you can pull out from the nooks and crannies of your home when you actually set out to find them! Hopefully I’ve inspired you to take a look through your own things and find a new home for them. Take a look around and see…I bet you’ll be surprised all of the old things you can make new again!

Don’t forget to check out what progress the other participants made this week below:

See you back here next week!