DIY Hanging Poster Frame - Under $25!

We've lived in our home for about a year and a half and as much as I would like to perfect every room in the house at this very moment, I also realize it's just not possible. Instead I'm taking it one room at a time and really making sure each room is one we want to live with for the long term - because I like to change things up often (and I know that drives my husband crazy)!

I started working on the master bedroom a couple of months ago. After I finished installing the shiplap accent wall I realized I didn't have a vision for our room yet so our lovely master bedroom sat half-finished for a few months. The bright white walls and unpainted shiplap drove me crazy whenever I walked into the room. As most of my clients know, when I design a room I usually get a vision of what I want the entire room to look like (right down to the details of the decor on the wall). It took awhile for our master bedroom design to come to me but now I'm almost done with the overhaul (stay tuned for a full look later this month!) and I can't wait to share it with you!

I saw an adorable canvas wall hanging for sale when my mom and I were checking out the new At Home store a couple of months ago. It was a large canvas with the most beautiful black and white photo of a highland cow. Something about it really struck a chord with me and I was still thinking about his furry face a few months later when the vision for the master bedroom finally came to me. I could picture him on a black wall (yes - I painted a wall black!) right above the bed. I searched high and low for a similar one online but couldn't justify spending $165 for a canvas. I am not a fan of the way canvases look anyways so I decided to take matters into my own hands and build a frame that fit my vision! 

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Here's what you'll need:

• a high resolution photo (I bought one on Etsy for $5 since I knew I wanted the poster to be 36x24")
• unfinished pine flat lattice moulding - 2 pieces cut to just longer than the width of your poster (here's what I used from Menards- I used moulding since I wanted it to be thin but any board will work)
• 2 eye hooks
• faux leather cord
• drill
• heavy duty staple gun

Instructions:

1. ​Buy or print your poster. Most drug stores with photo services are capable of printing large posters for fairly cheap. After I bought my favorite, high resolution photo of the cutest highland cow, I uploaded it to Walgreens Photo online and ordered a 36x24" poster. I got it for 50% off since they ALWAYS have coupon codes - don't check out without one! I picked the poster up the next day and I was ready to create!
2. Since my poster was 36x24", I cut two pieces of moulding at 37" so it would be just a little wider than the poster.
3. This particular moulding came unfinished and very rough. I liked the look of the roughness so I didn't sand it - but you could if you wanted a smoother finish. Then I picked a stain I had in the garage (Dark Walnut) and stained the two pieces.

​4. After the two pieces were dry, I took the top piece and measured two inches from each side. This is where the eye hooks will be inserted. I then used my drill to make two small pilot holes where I made my marks. Do not skip this step - with the lattice moulding being so thin the wood is likely to split if you put your eye hooks in without pilot holes.

​5. After I inserted the eye hooks, I flipped the top piece over and laid the poster face down, overlapping the moulding. I eyeballed this part but you could measure if you wanted to be precise. Once I felt like the poster was centered and level, I used my heavy duty stapler to affix it to the backside of the moulding. Repeat the process with the bottom piece of moulding.  

​6. Once both pieces of moulding were attached to the poster I tied my faux leather cord to the eye hooks. Before I cut the cord, I held the poster where I wanted it to hang to eyeball the length of cord I would need.

7. Hang your poster and gush over that gorgeous highland cow every time you walk into your room!

Making your own hanging poster frame? Be sure to share pictures and tag us!

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