Art is one of the easiest, least permanent ways to add color and personality to a room. If you want to brighten any space, art is a great place to start — and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Many pieces cost under $100, and sometimes you can create meaningful wall art from items you already own. Below are practical, affordable ideas and sources for artwork, along with creative alternatives that add texture and warmth to your home.
Affordable Art and Photography Prints
Original art is wonderful but often costly. Luckily many artists sell high-quality prints of their work at far more affordable prices. Art prints are versatile, easy to swap out, and perfect for building a gallery wall or anchoring a room. Below are a variety of prints I’ve enjoyed and shops that consistently offer great options.
1. Textured Print by inaluxe | 2. Banana Skirt by Black Lamb Shop
3. Women by Laura Berger | 4. Flamingo by Arielle Vey
5. Heart by Banquet Workshop | 6. Layered Shapes by inaluxe
7. Cacti by Team Woodnote | 8. Face by Justina Blakeney | 9. Plants by Amber’s Textiles
10. Floating Shapes by Almost Makes Perfect | 11. Green & Pink by Studio Hurley
12. Blue Paint by Ashley Mary Art | 13. Mexico by Jeff Mindell
14. Rose Glasses by Jasmine Dowling | 15. Black Rainbows by Ampersand Design Studio
16. Tan & White by Bare Print Studio | 17. Pink Door by Jeff Mindell
18. Floral Headpiece by Victoria Bradley | 19. Women & Fruit by LEOVY
20. Pool by Isabel Feliu | 21. Things Will Work Out by People I’ve Loved
22. Pink Cabin by Team Woodnote | 23. Pink & Coral Paintstrokes by ffforn Studio
24. Modern Shapes by mpgmb | 25. Pastel Arches by Studio Hurley
26. Big Glasses by Bouffants & Broken Hearts | 27. Coral Stairs by Clare Nicolson
28. Colorful Layers by Angie Stalker | 29. Pink & Olive by Dan Hobday Art
30. Retro Rainbows by Seventy Eight
Each of these shops offers many more prints beyond the ones listed here, so take time to explore their selections. If you prefer marketplaces that feature many artists and photographers, consider browsing sites that aggregate prints from multiple creators — you’ll find a wide range of styles, sizes, and price points to suit any room.
- Society 6
- Minted
- The Jungalow
- Leif Shop
- Urban Outfitters
Personal Photos + Momentos
Personal photographs and keepsakes make some of the most meaningful artwork because they reflect your life and memories. Photos are fully customizable in size and framing, and they blend especially well into gallery walls.
To make personal photos feel cohesive with other wall art, choose images that share a color palette or a similar mood to a few existing pieces. You can print high-quality photos at local print shops or office supply stores and frame them inexpensively from retailers like Target, Michaels, or IKEA. Instant film cameras also offer a playful option for creating collages or a grid of small images.
Beyond photos, consider framing sentimental items like cards, notes, ticket stubs, award ribbons, or book pages. Floating frames and shadow boxes are ideal for three-dimensional momentos and let you display those small, treasured objects where you can enjoy them daily.
If you want professional framing, companies that specialize in custom framing can preserve and present prints, photographs, canvases, and 3D items with museum-quality results.
Stationery, Wrapping Paper + Wallpaper
Beautiful stationery, greeting cards, and wrapping paper make excellent, inexpensive art when framed. A single card or a framed note can act as a charming miniature artwork above a desk or on an inspiration board, especially when displayed with washi tape or in a simple frame.
If you love a wallpaper pattern but don’t want to cover an entire room, consider framing a wallpaper sample or a section of patterned wrapping paper. These samples are often the perfect size for a frame and let you enjoy a bold pattern without committing to a full installation.
Children’s Art
Displaying children’s artwork is a low-cost way to add color and personality to your home while celebrating your child’s creativity. Kids love seeing their work honored on the wall, and you’ll enjoy the sentimental value.
If you want the pieces to coordinate with your décor, pick a color palette together and let your child create within those hues. The result can be a delightful abstract or playful composition that feels intentionally designed. Rotating new work into frames or clipping art to a simple wire display keeps the gallery fresh.
Textiles + Wall Hangings
Textiles add both visual interest and tactile warmth to a room. A large woven or yarn wall hanging can anchor an empty wall, while smaller fabric pieces — tea towels, pennants, embroidery hoops, or cross-stitch — add variety within a gallery arrangement.
If you prefer to buy, many small makers create unique textile art. If you’re on a budget, there are several simple DIY techniques to make striking pieces yourself, from latch-hook rainbows to fringe hangings and no-weave yarn designs.
- Flags from independent makers
- Cross-stitch family portraits
- Colorful tea towels as art
- Wooden wall charms and small fabric pieces
DIY textile projects can be simple and budget-friendly: create a no-sew pennant from felt, make a yarn fringe piece, or try a latch-hook or no-weave rainbow wall hanging. These tactile pieces break up the hard lines of frames and add a handmade touch to your space.
A simple pennant can be made with felt, scissors, and glue — an easy weekend project that yields charming, budget-conscious wall art.
Wall Charms + Other Dimensional Items
Dimensional items like woven baskets, ceramic charms, pom poms, or small sculptures add depth and character to awkward or empty wall spaces. Anything you can hang by a string or hook — even repurposed objects — can serve as an interesting wall piece.
- Ceramic rainbows, suns, and shells
- Handmade bells or small pottery pieces
- Fiber art rainbows and woven charms
- Woven bowls and baskets mounted on the wall
- Decorative horseshoes or wooden charms
Adding one new piece of art or a small cluster of items is an easy way to refresh a room. Whether you buy an affordable print, frame a cherished momento, or create a handmade textile, thoughtful artwork brings color, texture, and personality to your home.