Theo’s Small, Streamlined Apartment in Hell’s Kitchen

Do you have a blank wall in your home you’re still struggling to fill thanks to budget or time constraints? Are you entertaining in your home this holiday season and are looking for fresh decor ideas to update your walls? These eight ideas are cute and clever — but most of all won’t take up a lot of time or money to complete.

1. Try your hand at DIY

You might think you don’t have an artistic bone in your body, but there are actually any number of lovely art pieces you can hand-craft – just check out our (big!) list below. Depending on the materials and surface you paint on, you could have a colorful wall decor element in a pretty quick time.

Charles’ Cozy, Family-Inspired Chicago Condo

2. Affordably frame found memories

Have you collected anything from your travels that could be elevated to another level when framed and grouped together on the wall? Charles (shown above) bought IKEA frames for matchbook covers for a cute wall arrangement.

Emma & Cody’s Light, Bright Renovated Australian Home

3. Use fashion

Who says you have to use art to decorate your walls when you’ve got good-looking stuff hiding away in closets and drawers? From colorful robes to stately groupings of hats or boot collections, there are a lot of ways to incorporate fashion into your wall decor; find a way that works with your home’s style.

Laura & Bob’s Mix-n-Match Open House

4. Use patterned fabric

Forget framing big art or trying to hang a big heavy canvas on to your walls, lightweight fabric and wall hangings you buy or DIY can be an easy way to get a lot of color or pattern to your wall easily.

Hannah and Dave’s Happy Vintage Home

5. Use temporary wall patterns

Even if you rent, there are ways you can create decor right on your wall — like say with temporary wall decals or wallpaper — and you can do so in a way that is quick, doesn’t take up a lot of space but still makes a big visual impact. The triangle decals from Hannah and Dave’s home above were found at Urban Walls.

Ruth & Phil’s Smartly Designed, Eco-Friendly Family Home

6. Let the kids’ artwork shine

Find easy ways to display artwork from kids — like hanging clipboards in a grid on a wall — so you can update the look of your walls and show off their colorful and imaginative compositions.

Jillian’s Snug and Serene Studio

7. Use groups of maps

While just about anything can be hung casually on a wall and look alright if it was hung with intention, there’s something so pin up-able about maps. You can find them in thrift stores, in books — from just about anywhere — and when hung up together they make a delightful collection.

Amy’s Vintage Jewel Tone Apartment

8. Craft color

Though fiber art has more than had its day in the spotlight, the materials to make string and fiber art are still very affordable, the projects relatively easy and the results textural, colorful and impressive. In Amy’s home above, the colorful string art above the couch “was quick to make, budget friendly (under $10), and makes a big impact.”