Sharing My Best Decorating Secret For Refreshing Your Home's Artwork

 Let's just begin with a confession....I am not a professional decorator in any sense of the imagination but that doesn't stop me from loving to decorate.  I re-decorate our home multiple times a year beginning in January when I dismantle Christmas and decorate in a winter theme, then comes spring, Easter, Americana, nautical, Autumn and then Christmas.  These change-outs often involve a major swap of decor, including artwork around the house.  That probably sounds expensive but I'm here today to give you my best money-saving tip for changing out artwork inexpensively.  Once you know this trick, you'll be upping your decor game big time.

First of all I need to credit my favorite local design/DIY expert (she's the professional), Colleen from My Life On Kaydeross Creek.  I've been following Colleen's blog for many years now and you should be too.  Her home is drool worthy yet so warm and inviting.  She is a big proponent of swapping out artwork for the seasons and I'm so thankful to her for the inspiration for this easy and cheap way to change things up without a big output of cash.

Acquiring artwork the traditional way is not an inexpensive proposition, but if you already have frames, it can be quite affordable.  I'd even suggest thrifting, you don't need to love the art, just recycle the frames.   Etsy is an amazing outlet for art, specifically digital art.  Let me take you, step-by-step through the process.

First go to the Etsy app and if you don't already have an account, create one.  In the search app on the top of the screen, type in 'digital art'.  You can get even more specific in your search and type in 'winter digital art' or vintage digital art or digital nautical art or any specific type of art you like.    Most of the art I've purchased has been under $5.00 and often even less.  

You can click the heart over each photo you're considering to save to your Etsy favorites, and you can also choose several digital files from separate sellers and buy with just one purchase payment.  Once you make your purchase(s), you'll receive an email from each seller (s)confirming your purchase.  You'll then go back to your Etsy app and in the upper right corner, you'll see an small head icon.  Click that for a message from your seller with a link to download your digital files.  Sometimes the files are available from the email, other times only from the Etsy app and usually only downloadable to a computer, not a phone. 

Once there, you'll notice different aspect ratios available for different print sizes.  Download the appropriate file.  I usually download a few just so I have options.  It's important you choose the correct ratio so that you won't lose any of the image when you send it to print.

Once you've downloaded your files and they're stored on your computer, you can upload them to any photo processing site - I use CVS or Walgreens.  Both of them have regular 40 or 50% off sales on enlargements.  Recently, Walgreens had a $20 deal for an 11 x 14" on canvas!!!!  So using a file I purchased last year for $4.20 last season, I scored a gorgeous piece of canvas wall art for $24.20.  That offer at CVS is good through 11/8/25.  This week their 8 x 10's are $2.88.  Can't complain about that price!

    

Here's some of the digital art I've purchased and used....

A few of these are my photos but most are digital downloads.

This was printed as a 16 x 20' and it came out gorgeous!

To give you an idea of the diverse selection you'll find, here's a sampling of the art I've purchased...

How fun, right?  The hardest part of the process is choosing from the thousands of options available and then swapping them out each season.  So if you're tired of looking at the same art you've had hanging for the past several years, here's your chance to freshen up your decor without breaking the bank.  I hope this inspires you to print up some new art for your holiday home!   And check out Coleen's blog for loads of inspiration. You can follow her on Facebook too...https://www.facebook.com/lifeonkayderosscreek 

and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeonkaydeross/ Thanks for stopping by Life As I See It.