10/5

Make a Textured Picture Frame

Budget: $$, Crafts, D.I.Y. Project, Homemade Gifts, One Day Project, Wall Art
By Mandi Johnson

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Gallery walls seem to be all the rage these days— a home decor trend I've eagerly adapted to my living room's TV wall. Recently I've been wanting to add smaller galleries to the walls in my home, but I was having trouble finding a variety of frames I like. Usually stores are packed full with picture frames in lots of styles, but as usual, I wanted to try to make my own! I used a wooden frame that I found at a craft store, and simply decorated the surface to give it a unique look.

This frame I made is fairly simple in appearance, but would certainly hold its own when used alongside other frames in a gallery wall. Understated with a little funk. My kind of picture frame! Check out how I made it below.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Supplies:
-picture frame (with a flat surface)
-plaster or 20-minute setting drywall compound* (stronger than standard compound)
-white paint + primer
-colored or metallic paint for accenting

Tools:
-notched trowel (like this one)
-mixing bucket
-measuring cups
-stirring stick
-paint brush

*I had difficulties working fast enough to use Plaster of Paris for this project. I had 20-minute setting drywall compound on hand, so I used that with great success.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Step One: Mix your plaster or drywall compound in a bucket. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for how much water to use and how quickly to work. (Hint: work very quickly!)

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Step Two: Quickly slop the compound onto the picture frame and spread it out. It should be about 1/8" thick. I spent too much time smoothing my plaster and it began to set up. I had a much easier time with the drywall compound.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Step Three: Use a notched trowel or any textured object to create a pattern in the plaster. I simply dragged the trowel across the plaster, stopping to wipe away the removed plaster from the trowel as I worked. If you mess up, just scrape off the compound and try again with a fresh batch.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Step Four: After the compound or plaster has set up completely, use sandpaper to smooth any of the rough spots. This will be a dusty process, so you might want to do this outside.

Step Five: Give the frame a few coats of white primer + paint.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Step Six: I decided to accent portions of the raised texture with gold leaf paint, focusing on the edges and corners. You can use any color combination, but I love the look of white with a bit of gold.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!Such a simple project, and I love how it turned out! I will say, though, if you are a slow crafter (which I am), I would highly suggest using drywall compound instead of plaster. Make sure you don't get a compound which sets up faster than 20 minutes. I've found that the 20-minute setting Sheetrock brand holds up nicely and won't crack or crumble as badly as regular drywall compound.

Make a textured picture frame- this would be great in a gallery wall!This picture frame would make a great handmade gift or addition to a gallery wall in your home! –Mandi

Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Stella and Valentine of the Signature Collection and Pearl from the Fresh Collection.

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