Hello pals! Today I have a swift and straightforward DIY home decor endeavor for you. You might recall that a couple of years ago, I established a familial photo gallery wall in our living space. Lately, I have been longing for increased contrast and warmth in the color scheme of our residence… so I refreshed the picture frame mats! I adore the classic appearance of beige or brown mats, particularly against a white backdrop. While the frames were taken apart, I also re-coated my frames. Today, I will share the spray paint hues I utilized, along with suggestions for painting picture frame mats.
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The Prior
This is the gallery wall before I applied spray paint to the mats and frames. I ought to mention, prior to repainting the frames for a second instance! These are white frames sourced from Target that I had previously coated in gold spray paint. They appeared stunning but since our walls are white, I wanted to introduce more contrast by painting the mats.
How to Coat Picture Frame Mats
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to spray painting picture frame mats!
- Start with a sufficient amount of spray paint so that you don’t run out. In my case, I ordered multiple shades to experiment with and selected Rust-Oleum American Accents Satin Spray Paint in Fossil for my mats (the second can shown above) and Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic Spray Paint in Aged Copper for my frames. I purchased two cans of each to be on the safe side.
- Carefully disassemble your picture frames. It may be wise to wear cut-resistant gloves to shield yourself while removing the glass, and be sure to place the glass somewhere secure while painting.
- Spread out your mats on a drop cloth (or an old sheet) in a well-ventilated space.
- Apply several thin layers of spray paint to the picture frame mats, permitting them to dry between each layer. Adhere to the instructions on your paint can for optimal results. I ultimately applied three coats on the mats and let them dry throughout the afternoon.
- If you are also spray painting your picture frames, repeat these procedures.
- Once everything is dry, gently reassemble and hang your frames. Voila! A completely refreshed appearance for about $20.
(Other attractive spray paint shades to consider, depicted above: Smokey Beige and Nutmeg.)
Coated Picture Frame Mats
Did you see my Instagram reel showcasing the reveal a couple of weeks back? I couldn’t be more thrilled with this cost-effective DIY and how it enhanced the warmth of our living room. I adore the vintage aesthetic. Additionally… a sneak preview of the new wall molding presented above! I can barely wait to unveil the entire area soon. As usual, feel free to leave any inquiries you might have below, and let me know if you attempt this project!
