Every once in a while I see a DIY project so simple and ingenious I can't help but think — 'why didn't I come up with that?'
Designer Courtney (creator of the blog 'A Thoughful Place') spotted some photo frames with brass corners in a House Beautiful shoot and wanted to re-create the look at home. But she also wanted to be able to change her mind later, so she dressed up some existing frames with spray paint...and a little bit of tape.
That's right...tape. Using painter's tape gives the brass corners a little bit of texture, and ensures that the new look doesn't have to be permanent if Courtney ever changes her mind. She simply spray-painted the tape and then applied it to the corners of the frames. The final result is so clean and elegant...you'd never guess that this project was so easy and so inexpensive.
See step-by-step instructions and lots more photos at Courtney's blog, A Thoughtful Place.
(Images: A Thoughtful Place)

Shaw's Original Fir...
fun patterned washi tape would be perfect for this! great idea. thanks!
This is cute, but I guess if I'm busting out the spray paint for the tape I'd probably just spray paint the frame.
I'll bet you could also get this look by using double stick tape (which is removable with Goo Gone) and imitation gold leaf. (or silver or copper...) Might look a bit more "serious" than painter's tape, too, not that this looks bad in the photo. (In my house, that material would be on hand anyhow...)
i ditto the Washi-paper tape comment. fun!
That seems like a lot of work to make the tape lay just right - especially considering painter's tape is a bit finicky. Maybe she used the green tape which has more stick to it. I often find that spray painting paper with metallic doesn't look very shiny and lustrous in the end and I wonder if this will keep its sheen. I guess I don't see spray paint being that permanent? Gold leaf would probably be my vote if you're wanting texture and shine.
You can actually buy aluminum foil tape to do this as well.
Great idea, thanks for sharing! I'm actually working on a gold patio table spray painting project myself (I know, sounds crazy).
No thanks. Black or white frame is perfect.
I kind of agree you may want to avoid the tape thing. Stayed at a motel in Pompano Beach Florida in which all the furniture and some of the walls were decorated with different colored electrical tape; borders on the dressers, along the baseboards, borders on lamp shades. That combined with a completely painted swimming pool area made for some interesting decorating choices.