• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • All DIY
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Houses
Petticoat Junktion
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • All DIY
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Houses
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • All DIY
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Houses
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Crafts

    Paint Old Picture Frames

    Updated: Aug 24, 2023 by Kathy Owen
    This post may contain affiliate links

    Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on X (Twitter) <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"> <title>flipboard</title> <path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path> </svg>" xlink:href="# flipboard "> Share on Flip it Share on Reddit

    I decided to paint these old picture frames for two reasons. Reason number one is that they were in my booth for months and didn’t sell. Reason number two is that they were ugly and out of date.

    But they had amazing potential and I’m glad I committed to the makeover. Now I’m going to keep them and hang them in the house whenever I figure out the best place. It will definitely be in the dining room/kitchen area.

    how to paint old picture frames

     

    Today is Thrift Store Decor Day and the team has been busy. You will want to check out all of the other makeovers too!

    vintage frames and prints from the Nashville Flea Market

    The pair of vintage framed prints are a purchase from the Nashville Flea Market. I loved the frame on wire in a second frame. Not a look I’ve seen before.

    You can see what I mean about them being outdated. Vintage is good most of the time but these framed prints were not the best.

    the back side of wall art

    You can see the back of the frames in the photo above. I needed to remove the photo and glass so I could paint the frames and wire.

    broken picture frame glass

    I tried removing the contents of the small frame while it was stapled in place on the wire. That didn’t work so well. I broke the glass.

    removing art from picture frames

    So I removed all the staple things holding the small frame to the wire.

    spray paint picture frames

    My original thought was to frame the remaining cloth napkins with the citrus designs I bought at Tuesday Morning. You might remember I replaced some old prints in a frame with the cloth napkins and also re-covered a barstool seat with them.

    So with that in mind I pulled out some white spray paint and sprayed the frames. The white didn’t cover very well. I didn’t have my favorite spray paint brand in white (find on Amazon); so I moved on to something else.

    paint old picture frames with Beyond paint

    I brushed on two coats of Beyond Paint in off-white. I used the spray paint on the wire portion of the frames and then dry-brushed the off-white on the wire.

    distress paint with sandpaper by hand

    Everyone knows we have to distress next! I used 100 grit sandpaper and distressed all the edges by hand.

    upholstery fabric to frame in a picture frame

    Now for the idea that replaced the cloth napkins. I’m in love with this upholstery fabric. I used it on a door of a vintage wardrobe.

    The colors and design are too pretty. The fabric has a soft velvety finish that is hard to see in photos.

    how to frame fabricI cut fabric to cover the cardboard with enough to fold onto the back. I made sure the pieces of fabric for the two frames had a nice part of the fabric design and the two were not the same.

    I saved the hard cardboard back from the small frame and  I used Duck Tape to tape the fabric to the backside of the cardboard.

    frame fabric and frame in old picture frames

    I pulled the fabric tight so it laid nice and flat with no wrinkles or pulls.

    use duck tape to hold picture in frames

    Next I pushed the fabric covered cardboard into the frame and used Duck Tape to hold the cardboard in place on the back of the frame.

    frame fabric to make unique wall decor

    That Duck Tape is strong stuff and I don’t have to worry about it coming off. The fabric and cardboard will stay in place.

    staple art to a picture frame

    I used a heavy duty stapler to re-staple the frame to the wire.

    add wall protectors to wall art

    Before hanging the frames I added foam wall protectors to the back corners. Don’t need the wood or wire rubbing the wall paint.

    unique double picture frame with wire insert

    The light color paint and the pretty fabric give the outdated dull frames a totally new look.

    paint old picture frames white

    I like the small flower design better than the large one although they are both nice.

    how to paint picture frames and frame new art

    I can hang the frames together or separately. I didn’t measure the frames but they take up a lot of space.

    how to paint old picture frames and frame pretty fabric for new wall art

    I took a photo of one of the newly painted frames on our brown bedroom wall. Lookin’ good.

    (***Today is the last day of Amazon Prime Day! Check out the sales here)

    Thrift Store Decor

    If you missed my video on spray painting and distressing home decor you can see it below…..

    How To Spray Paint And Distress Home Decor Accessories

    Time to take the Thrift Store Decor Tour. Just click the pink text links below the “before” makeovers collage…..

    thrift store decor October 2020

    Frying Pan Sign from Domestically Speaking

    Baroque Mirror Memo Board from My Repurposed Life

    Paint Old Picture Frames from Petticoat Junktion

    How to Paint a Basket from Our Southern Home

    How To Make A Concrete Pumpkin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

    Halloween Ghost from a Wooden Cheese Board from Sadie Seasongoods

    Rustic Birch Bark Vase from House Of Hawthornes

     

     

    As always, thanks for being here and have a great day, Kathy

    Kathy Owen founder of Petticoat Junktion
    Kathy Owen
    Website

    Author: Kathy Owen
    Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Kathy’s newest website is HappyHomeDIY.com

    Similar Posts For You....

    • Christmas tree quilt ornaments
      Upcycled Christmas Tree Ornaments Made From An Old Quilt
    • snow scene under glass on a silver plate tray
      Mini Snow Scene Display Under Glass On Silver Plate Tray
    • feature image with text coastal home decor
      13 DIY Coastal Style Decorating Ideas For Beach Lovers
    • Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint for making Mercury Glass Home Decor
      DIY Multi-Colored Mercury Glass With Silver, Gold, And Bronze Spray Paints

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Naush Samama

      November 01, 2020 at 4:51 pm

      Love the makeover. Would love for you to share your makeover over at Meraki Link Party. Party begins from Monday thru till Thursday
      Much love
      Naush

    2. Cheryl Atkinson

      October 27, 2020 at 7:16 am

      These are so cute.

    3. Sarah @ The DIY Mommy

      October 22, 2020 at 10:22 pm

      What a fresh update! They look great!

    4. Marilyn

      October 19, 2020 at 6:32 pm

      Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon

    5. Christy @ Our Southern Home

      October 16, 2020 at 6:57 am

      Wow! These frames were quite the find! I really like them better painted white and the fabric addition is perfect!

    6. Kathy A

      October 15, 2020 at 7:19 pm

      Great upcycle and update. Gonna keep my eye out for some hardware cloth; I have a PLETHORA of frames sitting around! My very patient SO actually asked me not to buy any more frames. OOPS!

    7. Kathy Owen

      October 15, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      Glad I could inspire and thanks for pinning.

    8. Kathy Owen

      October 15, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      I love flamingos too Barbara.

    9. Cindy@CountyRoad407

      October 15, 2020 at 2:25 pm

      My bestie just gave me a box full of empty frames and I was wondering what I could do to make them different. This came at the perfect time. Thank you! Pinned.

    10. Barbara Davis

      October 15, 2020 at 11:28 am

      Love everything you do! I love the flamingo mantel. I collect flamingos:)

    11. Pam

      October 15, 2020 at 9:46 am

      Those frames!!! Love them and love what you did with them! I'll have to remember the foam protector thing before I hang my next pictures!

    12. Kristin salazar

      October 14, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      These turned out super cute, awesome frames!

    13. Gail

      October 14, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      Kathy
      I love that you used the same fabric, but different images! Genius!

      Pinning

      Gail

    14. gwen

      October 14, 2020 at 10:24 am

      i like that wire better than chicken wire too!

    15. gwen

      October 14, 2020 at 10:23 am

      a really nice improvement! personally, i like the larger flowers! they make a great pair, if someone buys both! keep us posted when they sale, i'm sure they will now!

    16. Bev W

      October 14, 2020 at 9:56 am

      The only thing I've seen similar to that frame is one with chicken wire. I like yours! Love, in fact. Thanks Kathy! How is the Husb 's arm?

    17. Tania

      October 14, 2020 at 7:05 am

      Those are so pretty!! I've never seen a frame like that either, so cool!

      Tania

    Primary Sidebar

    Popular Posts

    • 10 Furniture Makeover Tutorials You Will Want To Try Today
      Paint Furniture With Latex Paint: 13 Really Good Reasons
    • weathered coastal style furniture
      How To Weather Furniture: Painted Sideboard Coastal Or Nantucket Style?
    • favorite furniture makeover
      Exceptional Painted Furniture Makeovers
    • How to paint fake wood furniture with latex paint.
      How To Paint And Distress Fake Wood Furniture

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SUBSCRIBE
    • About
    • All DIY
    • Tutorials
    • Crafts
    • Home Decor
    • Painted Furniture
    • Projects

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Stock Images by DepositPhotos

    Copyright © 2023 · PETTICOAT JUNKTION · PRIVACY POLICY