How-Tos

This $17 Thrift Store Hack Will Totally Transform Your Decor (It’s So Simple!)

Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via…read more
published Dec 31, 2024
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White-painted dorm room with three pieces of art hung on the wall above a large tv.
Credit: Camille Penick

You can score so many good home decor pieces at the thrift store for incredible prices, but sometimes your finds are just that — good, but not great — so customization is key. One Instagram user shared how she upgraded a thrifted frame using a bit of painter’s tape and spray paint, making it look like something from a high-end decor store.

“How to make two cans of $6 spray paint and a thrift store frame look like a million bucks!! Honestly I have too much faith in spray paint. I kind of think it’s magic? It can do anything,” Delaney from @tremont_home wrote in a recent caption. “I get questions about this frame often and I didn’t buy it anywhere that I can send you a link to but you CAN make your own very simply and feel extremely pleased with yourself as a result.”

The DIY couldn’t be easier: First, you’ll want to disassemble the frame you’re using (which can be any size), remove the glass, and spray paint the entire piece with one of your two stripe colors. Then, let the paint dry completely — Delaney said she waited a full day before moving onto the next step.

Next, create the stripes. Delaney used strips of painter’s tape to measure out equal widths before applying them to the frame. “I made sure they were good and stuck on there,” she added.

Once the tape stripes are down, you can spray the frame with your second color. When you remove the tape, you’ll have a pretty personalized striped frame.

“My fave spray paint is the 2x coverage @rustoleum I screenshotted in the video,” Delaney continued in her caption. “I personally think the glossy version is the most ~fancy~ and looks like lacquer. Always buy your frames at the thrift store because there are SO many and they are cheap!!”

Delaney used a bright red spray paint for the frame base, with a darker cranberry color on top — both of which cost just $6 a can — but you can choose any two striped shades you want. She also notes that she bought the frame for $5, so the whole project totaled just $17.

Know that the more detailed your frame is (in terms of beveling and carving), the more likely you’ll see bleeding between your stripes, as Delaney showed in her video. So, try to choose a frame that’s fairly simple. 

And that’s it! For just a few bucks and a bit of time, you can create custom frames in any size and color pairing to give your artwork a bit more flair.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: This $17 Thrift Store Hack Will Totally Transform Your Living Room Decor (It’s So Simple!)

Olivia Harvey

Contributor

Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.

Get to know Olivia Harvey
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