Please sing this to the tune of The Brady Bunch theme song.
Here’s the story… of two cheap black frames…
… found at Target and then spray painted bright white…
… then they both looked sleek and fresh… like twin brothers…
… they make me want to twirl.
Okay, that song rewrite didn’t turn out exactly as planned, but the gist is simple: I picked up two inexpensive black frames at Target (they didn’t come in white; I think they were about $21 each), sprayed them with the Rust-Oleum Universal Satin White spray paint with built-in primer, let them dry, and then framed some prints that had been waiting around for attention.
For a quick and budget-friendly framing approach I used the paper backing that came with the frame as a faux mat: I flipped the backing so it appeared white, centered the print on top, secured it lightly with small tape loops at each corner, and set it behind the glass. Framing professionals recommend using a proper mat so the print doesn’t touch the glass — over time that can cause issues — but for inexpensive prints this quick method has worked well for us for years. If you’re framing a valuable piece or placing art in a very humid room, choose a cut mat and archival methods instead of the fast faux-mat trick.
This is the other print. I didn’t get many close-up shots because of reflections in the glass, but the print is clear and lovely in the original gallery shots. We bought a 17 x 23 inch print for $26 and used a frame with a 22 x 28 inch opening, so the artwork floats nicely in the center.
I love that both pieces are animal-themed — are we seeing a pattern? I admit I’m a bit of an animal art collector: cats, narwhals, eagles, bears, manatees — it’s a diverse little zoo around here.
The new white frames pair nicely with a bold HomeGoods pillow and the decorative “seven” on the wall (which is actually the letter L from a secondhand Dollar Tree sign repurposed as art). Mixing different textures and quirky finds gives the space personality without overthinking it.
And for anyone asking about the bee painting I bought for John a few years back — it finally has a permanent spot. I’m delighted it found a home on the wall. It looks great paired with the Burger portrait my friend Lesli gave me for my birthday. Those two birthday paintings now sit together like old pals.
Confession: my collection is getting a little out of hand. Clearly I have a soft spot for animal portraits and ceramics. If there were a limit to how many painted or ceramic animals one home could hold, I might be in trouble — but for now I’m content to keep adding a few more pieces that make me smile.
This little project also felt like one of those “Dude, Get On That Already” challenges — something I’d been meaning to do for months (and in the case of the bee painting, years). It’s satisfying to finally get it done. Now I just have a long list of other small projects waiting in the playroom that will probably mock me until I tackle them.
What overdue projects have you been working on? Have you sprayed frames, hung art, or noticed a theme in the artwork you collect? Tell me about any recurring motifs in your home — are you as drawn to animal art as I am, or do you collect something entirely different?
Psst — speaking of updates in song, check out Clara dancing her heart out. Apparently I’ve been dethroned as the family’s best dancer.