Creating a colourful picture wall on a budget, with no DIY!
A stay at home working mum learns to be creative with her space. I started this blog nine years ago, writing on my lap during nap times, penning words in between mouthfuls of my one hot cup of tea a day, and with half an eye on the baby monitor. Since then it has grown almost as much as the children, and where once my funny toddler stories were created at the kitchen worktop, I now have my own office, where I can feel like a proper grown up, contributing to the family income. Anyone who has read my blog for a while will know that I need colour to feel inspired. I’ve also been totally sucked in by images of gallery walls on Instagram, and when I saw my friend Alison’s colourful picture wall, I knew I had to have one of my own.
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*I was gifted 3 framed prints by Posterlounge to include in this post. However, I did not receive payment for this post, and all opinion, words, and imagery are my own.
Where to find photo wall ideas
I knew I wanted colour, but I have no experience of planning interior decor, so I needed help with ideas for displaying pictures on walls. I started by searching for slogan prints on Instagram, and then for picture wall ideas on Pinterest. I then went through the search processes on a few print selling websites, before falling completely headlong down a colourful art rabbit hole on Posterlounge. The site has more than 80,000 motifs, and they’re all searchable by colour, by style, and by topic. There are classic watercolour prints, bold slogans, and iconic photos, and you can even search for art inspiration in pre-selected sets, or by artist. And with over 10,000 artists to choose from, I knew I’d find my perfect pictures eventually.
How to create a picture wall on a budget
As well as a fantastic range of prints, Posterlounge allows you to personalise your display, with a variety of different framing options, and up to 6 sizes for most prints. So whether you want to create a budget gallery wall using posters and simple wooden frames. or something more luxe, they can flex your finish and framing options to suit.
This Flamingo print from is made on acrylic, and framed in black wood, although I could have saved money by leaving it unframed for a different look, as all the finishes look professional even before framing. To be honest, it was a toss up for me between the acrylic and the aluminium, which looks amazing with a satin finish.
I added in the top picture of three colourful camper vans, which I found for £10 in a local charity shop, as well as the Actually I can print, which was given to me as a birthday present aaaages ago. I’ve since noticed that charity shops often have people’s unwanted pictures in their windows, and this can be the perfect starting point for building up a picture wall collection gradually as and when you’re inspired.
As well as the Flamingo, the Just Start, and New York prints were also gifted to me by Posterlounge. I chose New York for the colours – I mean, why wouldn’t you! – and for the fact that we had an incredible trip to NYC for my 50th birthday, so it’s a great picture to stare at and daydream. Conversely, the Just Start slogan print is designed to stop me procrastinating, and crack on with whatever big project I’m daydreaming about!
How to personalise your picture wall
In a similar vein, I commissioned the yellow and pink Watch Me print from Junie Poonie: June creates gorgeous bespoke prints and cards. I wanted something in my brand colours, so I just sent her over the colour codes and font from my website, and the words I wanted, and this arrived in the post a few days later! As to why I chose those words, like everyone else I suffer with imposter syndrome every now and then, especially when I have something big in my plans. Right now I do have something big, so when the little voice in my ear tells me I can’t do it, this is the message I want it to hear – loud and clear! I’ve recently had some coaching with the incredible Katy Hill, and she insisted I choose a word or a slogan to inspire me. I think framing it at the centre of a picture wall is the perfect way to personalise an office gallery, but you could also choose something inspiring for a family room, or a peaceful word for the bedroom.
How to create a picture wall without drilling
This is the genius part. I’ve had these gorgeous prints sitting in my office for actual months, but haven’t put them up because I loathe DIY. I can do it (whereas Jason claims he can’t) but I just hate all that pencil marking, spirit levelling, rawl plug selection – and mess of it! Also, when you have a change of heart, or an addition that doesn’t quite fit into the space further down the line, you’re going to want to change your gallery wall layout. Which inevitably leaves you with ugly holes in the wall on display where you’d previously drilled. So I put it off. Eventually I got bored with stubbing my toes on my lovely prints, and did some research on how to stick pictures to a wall without damaging it. I found the answer courtesy of fab homes and interiors blogger Lins, who woke me up to Command Strips, and I am honestly never looking back. They can hold weights of up to 7kg, are removable without mess, and so easy to apply. You simply stick one or two on both sides of the frame, then position, and press! (Follow the instructions, but honestly it’s really simple). I did them just over a week ago, and they’re all still holding. Lins told me you can even cut them in half (being mindful of what you need for the weight of the picture) to make them even more value for money.
The whole thing took me less than an hour, and it’s already had so many compliments on my Instagram post. So if you have a bunch of pictures in frames ready to go, this is your task for the weekend. Go to the DIY store, buy Command Strips, and get sticking! And if a picture wall is something you’d love, but you’re lacking in inspiration, take a look at the Posterlounge website and start a new project today!