Are you looking for creative ways to display art in your home without spending a fortune on custom framing? Skip the framer and try these 10 innovative techniques for hanging art affordably. From DIY canvas frames to unexpected everyday objects, this comprehensive guide has clever solutions to suit any decor style and budget. Read on for insider tips that will help you get gallery walls, line art, large pieces, and more up on display in creative and cost-efficient ways.
Why Skip the Framer? The Benefits of Alternative Hanging Methods
Custom framing through a professional framer or art gallery can certainly produce beautiful results. However, it also comes with a hefty price tag that simply isn’t feasible for every art lover. Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to give your art the prominence it deserves in your home decor. Choosing creative alternative hanging methods over traditional custom framing offers many great benefits:
Cost Savings – The most obvious advantage is avoiding the high costs of professional custom framing, which can easily run over $100 or more per piece. With DIY options, you can display art in your preferred size and configuration at a fraction of the price.
Creative Freedom – When you skip the framer, you also skip the constraints of choosing from pre-made frame stock options. Alternative hanging opens up many possibilities for custom sizes, unique materials, and imaginative display configurations tailored exactly to your art and space.
Quick & Easy Process – No need for long turnaround times and multiple visits to a framing shop. The ideas below involve materials that are readily available and can be implemented with simple DIY methods as a weekend project.
Conservation Benefits – Framing art under glass or acrylic helps protect it from dust, moisture and other environmental factors. However, works on paper also need to “breathe” to prevent long-term damage from trapped moisture between the art and glazing. The techniques below allow art to be displayed safely without constantly trapping it behind glass.
Refreshed Displays – Options like poster hangers, binder clips and magnets make it easy to rotate and rearrange your displayed art whenever the mood strikes. No need for complicated re-framing to freshen up your displays.
Now that you know why skipping the framer can be so advantageous, read on to discover 10 creative and budget-friendly methods for displaying art in your home.
1. Do-It-Yourself Canvas Frames
For paintings, prints and photographs, one of the simplest ways to hang art without a traditional frame is by mounting it onto a gallery wrap canvas. This involves printing or transferring the image onto artist canvas, then stretching and securing the canvas over a wooden frame to create a finished “box” look.
Canvas frames have a clean, contemporary appearance and put the focus directly on the art rather than the frame itself. Best of all, with the right materials and some DIY motivation, you can easily make canvas frames customized to your artwork at a fraction of the cost of hiring it out.
Materials Needed:
- Wooden stretcher bars cut to your desired frame dimensions
- Staple gun and staples
- Artist canvas – sized about 2 inches larger on each side than the frame
- Acrylic gel medium or photo mounting adhesive
- Your artwork printed or transferred to canvas
Step-by-Step Process:
- Make a wooden frame using stretcher bars in your desired dimensions. Join the corners together securely at 45 degree angles.
- Coat the front of the frame with gel medium or adhesive. Lay your canvas print face down onto the frame.
- Pull the edges of the canvas around to the back of the frame, smoothing out any bumps or ripples in the fabric. Use a staple gun to securely staple the canvas to the back of the stretcher frame.
- Once framed, you can paint or finish the sides of the frame to complement your decor. Use finishing hardware like D-ring hangers to install on your wall.
The end result is a professional looking art display for a DIY cost of $20-60 depending on frame size and quality of materials. Well worth skipping the custom framing fees!
Pros:
- Inexpensive DIY option
- Sleek, contemporary appearance
- Fully customized to your artwork
Cons:
- More labor intensive than traditional framing
- Limited decorative frame design options
2. Poster Hangers for Quick Changes
Poster hangers provide an ultra low-cost, minimalist way to display prints, photos or other art up to 30 inches wide without any permanent framing required. These spring-loaded bars mount directly on the wall with screws or adhesive. Then your artwork gets squeezed in-between and hangs securely.
It’s a great solution for dorm rooms, offices and other spaces where you want to rotate art frequently. Switching up the pieces is as easy as swapping out what’s clipped into the hangers.
Materials Needed:
- Poster hangers sized appropriate for your art’s width
- Wall mounting hardware (screws, adhesive, etc.)
Step-by-Step Process:
- Determine what size poster hangers you need based on the width of your art pieces. Common sizes are 24″, 26″, 28″ and 30″.
- Mount the poster hangers on your wall at the desired height, following the included hardware instructions. Make sure they are level.
- Simply slide your artwork in between the spring loaded bars and adjust until centered. The tension will hold the art securely.
- To change displays, slide out the old and slide in the new pieces in minutes!
At around $5-10 per set, poster hangers are one of the most budget friendly solutions out there. The only limitations are that art shouldn’t exceed 30 inches wide or 2 pounds in weight. For quick and easy art rotations, poster bars get the job done.
Pros:
- Extremely inexpensive
- Super quick and easy to install
- Makes art easy to interchange
Cons:
- Only accommodates smaller art up to 30″ wide
- Can only handle lightweight pieces
3. Suspended Gallery Tracks
Track lighting isn’t just for illuminating your art. Gallery track systems take the adjustable functionality of track lighting and use it to hang framed images and canvases for an artfully suspended look.
Tracks mount to ceilings or walls. Then you install special hangers that slide anywhere along the track and lock in place. This allows you to precisely position each piece and move them later. Suspending art from gallery tracks looks visually intriguing and frees up wall space.
Materials Needed:
- Wall or ceiling mounted gallery track kit
- Compatible art hangers to clip artwork onto track
- Wall anchors and screws to mount track
Step-by-Step Process:
- Select a gallery track system designed to handle the weight of your artwork. Choose wall or ceiling mount.
- Mount the track by securing it into wall studs or using included drywall anchors. Level and align the track as desired.
- Screw the adjustable hangers onto the back of frame or canvas.
- Clip hangers into the track channel. Slide to adjust positioning and lock into place.
This system provides a streamlined alternative to traditional picture hanging. To reconfigure, simply unlock and slide pieces to new spots effortlessly. Prices range from $30 up for kits.
Pros:
- Unique suspended look
- Adjustable and reconfigurable
- Gets art up off the wall
Cons:
- More complex installation than regular picture hanging
- Need compatible hardware to hang pieces
4. Washi Tape Art Strips
For lightweight art prints on paper, washi tape can be surprisingly effective at getting them up on the wall artfully without glass or frames. Washi is a decorative, removable Japanese tape that comes in tons of colors and patterns.
Simply apply strips of washi tape vertically to the back edges of an art print. Then press the strips to the wall to creatively hang your print. The result is an attractively striped border effect around the art.
Materials Needed:
- Washi tape in colors complementing your art
- Craft knife or scissors (for cutting tape)
Step-by-Step Process:
- Select strips of washi tape in a color palette that enhances your art. Mix and match patterns for interest.
- On the back of your paper print, stick tape strips vertically along the edges, leaving a small border.
- Trim any excess tape at the corners with a craft knife.
- Decide where to place your art, then carefully press the washi strips to the wall to secure the print.
While not suitable for heavy pieces, washi tape art strips lend colorful flair. Replacing strips allows you to move and rotate paper prints around frequently.
Pros:
- Inexpensive, easy embellishment
- Creative decorative border effect
- Lets you change up lightweight art displays
Cons:
- Only practical for very lightweight prints
- Won’t work well for thick paper or canvases
5. Magnets Make Art Ultra Moveable
Fridge magnets aren’t just for your grocery lists and takeout menus. They can also come in handy for displaying lightweight art, photos, cards, mementos, and more. Make an accent wall a catch-all display area by mounting magnetic sheets or paint.
When art is held up by magnets instead of nails or hangers, it makes rearranging a cinch. You can move pieces around until you have a configuration you love. Refrigerator magnet sets also offer fun hanging options for showing off kids’ artwork masterpieces.
Materials Needed:
- Magnetic paint or magnetic sheets to apply to your display wall
- Assortment of small magnets
Step-by-Step Process:
- Prime and paint a wall with magnetic paint, or adhere magnetic sheets to create a display area.
- Place magnets on the corners and edges of paper prints, photos, cards, etc to hold them on the wall.
- Experiment with arranging and rearranging pieces until you have an attractive collage display.
The only limit is the weight capacity of your magnetic wall system. It’s best for small lightweight pieces under a couple pounds. Let your creativity run free!
Pros:
- Super adjustable and changeable
- Fun way to use a variety of small pieces
- Inexpensive DIY magnetic walls
Cons:
- Only suitable for smaller, lighter artworks
- More casual looking result than framed art
6. Clothespins Clip Up Prints & Photos
The humble clothespin gets an artistic makeover when used to hang lightweight prints, photos and cards on a clothesline art display. This kid-friendly idea adds playful personality and color.
Clip clothespins in bright colors or patterns along the top edge of paper art pieces. Then hang them up with the clothespins opening toward the ceiling. Use cup hooks and rope to create a handy clothesline for clipping art anywhere.
Materials Needed:
- Package of colorful clothespins
- Cup hooks, rope, ribbon or twine for DIY art clothesline
Step-by-Step Process:
- Set up your art clothesline by installing cup hooks into the wall and stringing rope between them.
- On the back of art prints and photos, clip 1-2 clothespins per piece along the top edge.
- Hang pieces on the clothesline rope by opening the clothespins upward and clipping onto the line.
It’s super easy to switch up the hanging art in a jiffy. The clothespin clips add personality and come in every color.
Pros:
- Playful, personalized look
- Easy to set up DIY clothesline
- Quick to change out what’s hanging
Cons:
- Only suitable for very lightweight pieces
- Looks crafty vs polished professional framing
7. Curate With Binder Clips
Searching for an easier way to arrange and switch around a gallery wall display? Binder clips can lend a helping hand in curating clusters of prints, photos and mementos.
These oversized clips designed for chunky document stacks also happen to work great for temporarily grouping art pieces you want to display together. You can also bind stacks of paper prints on the wall as dimensional art.
Materials Needed:
- Assorted large binder clips
- Command picture hanging strips or adhesive squares
Step-by-Step Process:
- Adhere command hanging strips or squares to the back of each piece you want to display.
- Curate articles into thematic groups. Use large binder clips to bind them together into clusters on the wall.
- To refresh your display, unclip binders and rearrange pieces into new desirable groupings.
The pressure of the binder clips allows you to easily swap pieces in and out of wall clusters. An ideal solution for gallery wall curation and art arrangement.
Pros:
- Makes curating themed clusters easy
- Allows you to quickly update gallery walls
- Binder clips come in fun colors
Cons:
- Can only handle lightweight paper pieces
- More casual looking than framed gallery displays
8. Embrace Everyday Objects as Display Hooks
Almost anything can be an art hook with a little creativity and DIY handiwork. Driftwood, climbing holds, colorful spoons…let objects with personal significance become display pieces in their own right.
Look around for cool knobs, hooks, and everyday items that would complement your art style. Then use hardware to mount them and get your lightweight art hooked on displayed in an unexpected way.
Materials Needed:
- Assortment of fun found objects and hooks
- Screws, Command strips or hardware to mount objects
Step-by-Step Process:
- Gather an eclectic mix of interesting objects, knobs, hooks, etc to use as art holders.
- Determine placement and use appropriate hardware to securely mount items.
- Hang your art pieces, wreaths, prints, etc from the found object hooks to complete your creative display.
Make it a family project by having everyone search for funky hooks together. The options for cool and personalized art hooks are endless!
Pros:
- Highly personalized using meaningful objects
- Makes a fun DIY family project
- Adds lots of visual interest
Cons:
- More complex installation than regular hooks
- Only suitable for lightweight art
9. Unconventional Hangers
Ditch the standard metal picture frame hangers and get more creative with your hanging hardware. Items like rope, wreath hangers, and macrame can lend artful flair while still doing the job of hanging your masterpieces.
For lightweight pieces under 8 pounds, items normally used for other purposes can become ingeniously uncommon art hangers. Get inspired by browsing craft and hardware stores with an imaginative eye.
Materials Needed:
- Rope, macrame, wreath hangers, ring hooks or other fun “hangers”
- Command strips, nails, or other mounting hardware
Step-by-Step Process:
- Select an uncommon hanging item like macrame, garland, rope, etc that suits the style of your art.
- Securely install hooks, nails, command strips, etc for your hanger.
- Hang or drape your art from the unorthodox hanger pieces and admire the creative result!
Unconventional hangers add artistic flair and allow you to make a statement. Almost any lightweight object can have a hanging purpose with the right installation.
Pros:
- Adds visual interest and personality
- Inexpensive DIY customization
- Easily found at craft stores
Cons:
- Requires thoughtful design and pairing with art
- Only suitable for lightweight pieces
10. Repurposed Everyday Objects as Standouts
Don’t limit your creativity to just the hangers. You can also repurpose everyday items as artsy 3D standouts against an ordinary wall. Position art inside an old window frame. Display prints on a vintage ladder. Lean a framed canvas against a decorative column.
Think outside the conventional “rectangle on a wall” and use the environment as your art fixture. Unexpected objects become an art feature for displaying pieces in innovative ways.
Materials Needed:
- Interesting objects to use as art stands and backdrops
- Fasteners like screws, nails, command strips, etc
Step-by-Step Process:
- Look for unique repurposed objects to use as art displays in your space. Examples: old crates, salvaged windows, folding screens, etc.
- Determine positioning and secure/mount objects. Make any necessary adjustments to stabilize.
- Place your art pieces, canvases, prints etc within or against the found object fixtures.
Get creative with how to use everyday salvaged items as art stands and backdrops. For virtually no cost, you can achieve standout gallery displays.
Pros:
- Inexpensive way to gain lots of visual interest
- Highly customizable for your space
- Makes art a 3D focal point
Cons:
- Requires vision and problem solving to design
- Art may need to be adapted for positioning
Display Your Art Creatively: Skip the Framer!
With this wide range of alternative hanging ideas and methods to choose from, you can confidently skip the framer and DIY beautiful art displays that express your personal style. Not to mention, keep plenty of dollars in your wallet for buying more great art in the first place!
The next time you acquire an exciting new print, canvas or paper artwork, consider these possibilities:
- Hang it simply with poster bars or washi tape strips
- Get creative with ropes, wreaths and other uncommon hangers
- Incorporate objects with hooks, clips and magnets
- Use tracks and prompts to suspend art in new ways
It’s amazing what you can do without traditional custom framing. All it takes is a willingness to experiment and a touch of artistic vision. Allow the work to take center stage by surrounding it with materials that enhance instead of overwhelm.
Most importantly, don’t ever feel limited by a perceived need for expensive framing. Let your creativity guide you to displays that
