This IKEA Hack Makes Basic Picture Frames Look Custom-Made (for Just $7!)

Written by

Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via…read more
published Jun 10, 2024
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Sunrise, Florida, USA - June 26, 2020: IKEA South Florida storefront. Companies that are hiring during COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has hit workers in the U.S. hard.
Credit: YES Market Media/Shutterstock

There’s an easy way to make your pictures and wall art really pop without having to get them custom framed. Designer Drew Scott of Lone Fox shared on TikTok how he used fabric to upgrade a set of IKEA frames and create a completely unique gallery wall that looks like it belongs in an interior design magazine. 

“I wrapped these picture frames in fabric, and I think it might be my favorite project to date,” Scott said in his video. The entire project can be personalized, from the fabric to the frame width, but he started with a pair of IKEA frames that included a mat to get a more uniform look.

The post shows him spraying both the front of the frame and mat with glue and then pressing them onto a piece of striped scrap fabric (which he ironed beforehand). Next, carefully cutting around and inside each piece, Scott gave himself enough excess fabric to fold over the sides and corners, “just like wrapping a present,” he explained. 

“I snipped around [the opening], leaving just a little bit that I was able to then snip the corners, add some hot glue, and just press that fabric up inside,” Scott continued.

Keep in mind that frames with more details like bevels may be harder to cover in fabric because of all the nooks and crannies. Start simple with the IKEA PLOMMONTRÄD frame that Scott used, or the clean-lined DALSKÄRR for a similar style that lets the fabric speak for itself.

Thinner fabric will allow you to get tighter corners, but you can experiment with any you have on hand. And, of course, there’s always the option to use thrifted frames rather than buying new. Either way, feel free to get creative with the process! For just a few dollars, this designer-approved method can take your wall art to an entirely new (upscale) level, even styled on just one frame.