Coastal Gallery Wall ~ All On a Budget

Gallery walls make me happy. Seeing all the pieces fitting together like a puzzle showing off a collection of memories or artwork is so visually satisfying.

Gallery walls make me real happy when they are super inexpensive to pull together. Like my Coastal Gallery Wall.

Let me show you how I created it on a small budget.

To begin any gallery wall you are going to need lots of frames. The best places to find them are thrift stores, yard sales, family/friends, or your own stash. The hoarder in me collects frames like a mama grabbing  bite-sized Snickers at Halloween. I snatch them up to tuck them away from future projects.

Most of the frames on this gallery wall came from my personal collection and Goodwill. The largest poster sized frame only cost $8.

Since there’s a good chance that none of your frames will match, grab a can of spray paint and go to town.  Black and white always make good safe choices.

Now that you have collected the frames you will need fantastic & cheap art to fill them.  Here’s a list of apps, websites, and projects I used to fill my space.

1. Waterlogue

For months I have been telling everyone who would listen about Waterlogue. This miraculous phone app turns your photographs into watercolor images. Wonderful, incredible, ready to print images!

Below is a photograph I took last summer of Tootsie walking on the beach. Once the picture was downloaded from our camera I emailed it to myself, saved it on my phone, then used Waterlogue to transform the image into a watercolor.

Kim from Sand & Sisal did a wonderful job explaining how Waterlogue works. Go {here} to read her post. If a fun, coastal vibe is your style, make sure to follow her while you are there!

2. Maps from Stamen.com 

Simple enter a location to generate a map for a certain area. Choose the “watercolor” option to create a map in vibrant watercolor. The map I choose is of the coast of South Carolina.

3. Do-It-Yourself Artwork

There few things I like better than dipping my brush into colorful paint. Plus handmade paintings only cost the price of a blank canvas and paint.

This Palmetto Tree Artwork was simple to make and coordinates perfectly with the coastal theme of the living room gallery.

If abstracts are more your style, make sure to check out my tutorial for an Abstract Circle Painting. 

4. Personal Photographs

Whether you choose images of landscapes or loved ones, photographs are a must have for gallery walls. A family friend shared a series of black and white images from the coast with me. I have used and re-used these pictures at our last three houses.

Want landscapes for your wall? Visit places that hold meaning for you {family home, church) or hit the streets to take pictures of interesting buildings, bridges, or local parks. Almost anything looks fantastic when it’s turned into a black and white picture.

5. Song Meaningful Lyric or Favorite Saying

Pinterest is full of artwork inspired by song lyrics or favorite sayings. Many designers and bloggers offer these as free printables for their followers.

One of my favorite bloggers, Megan from The Homes I Have Made, posted this free Lumineers quote that she included in her Master Bedroom update.

Our entire family was in love with this song at the time so I downloaded the file to print out. Because it is lyric the print adds interest a gallery wall full of images. I bet you can find a free printable that is just right for your home.

All of photographs and printables on our Coastal Gallery Wall were printed at our local Sam’s Club. They provide great service and have the best prices. The largest Waterlogue image was printed at Sam’s Club and cost less than $8 for the poster sized print.

After fitting all these pieces together, this wall full of artwork and images cost less than $40. That’s a lot of bank for your buck! Keep on making room spaces to smile about!

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