I Tried That Trendy DIY Art Hack, and I Can’t Believe How Good It Looks

I fell in love with this “fancy-looking” DIY art hack the moment I saw Ashley Poskin’s version of it on Apartment Therapy. She was inspired by some TikTok makers who have been adding color and pattern to the mats of framed art. I’m a maximalist, and love the layered look of tons of elements in a space. I also love customizing objects in your home; I believe the more one-of-kind things you make, the more unique and personal your home can be. With a whole home full of art pieces to choose from, I was eager to try out this DIY.

Ashley’s version of this idea goes beyond just the mat, though. She also wrapped a thrifted art piece’s frame with the same wallpaper she wrapped the mat in. The result is a delightfully surprising and sophisticated look that elevates the look and feel of the art. I immediately knew I had to use this idea in my home. 

Beyond just wanting to experiment with the maximalist aesthetic, this idea actually has a very practical element for me personally: My parents have recently moved from their house to a smaller home, and are downsizing. My task has been to go through all the fabric that my crafty mom collected for decades; there are so many great colors and patterns, not to mention the memories attached. I had the idea of taking home some of my favorite fabric prints and trying to find small ways to incorporate them into my home — and adding fabric over some of my art mats and frames felt like the perfect small-but-impactful use for all this fabric!

I decided to take Ashley’s advice and choose an art piece with a very simple frame: this print-out of a photo I took years ago, framed in a cheap IKEA frame. Somewhere along the way I had spray-painted the frame gold to try to elevate the look, but the composition was lacking any real elegance. 

Ashley’s project features wallpaper, not fabric, but I figured her instructions would still be applicable. I just sort of eyeballed cutting out how much fabric I would need (a little larger than the frame and the mat) instead of measuring. I did use trusty Mod Podge as my glue, and while I think a bone folder probably would have been helpful, I admit that I couldn’t find one; I just used my fingers to smooth out the fabric.

The project was pretty messy because I kept using a lot of glue and getting it on my fingers, so for any future attempts I’ll wear gloves. And I did have a little bit of trouble getting the fabric to stay folded in a few of the corners. But overall the project was easy, and the result is stunning. 

Just adding fabric to the mat and frame of the art piece — a humble print of one of my own photos in a cheap IKEA frame — makes the piece seem much more expensive-looking. Its presence now feels bigger and more imposing. And now every time I see it I’m also reminded of the love of crafting that my mom instilled in me. I’ve so far only completed one of the fabric-covered frames, but I have plans for lots more. I can’t wait to see how maximal and layered my home feels after I add more surprising fabric patterns!