So You Want to Look Rich?

So, you want to look rich? Well, you’ve come to the right place. And no, I won’t be peddling any “quiet luxury” nonsense here (barf). I’m here to show you the cheapest way to get the biggest, boldest piece of artwork in your home. Because nothing says “Daddy Warbucks” quite like art that eats an entire wall for breakfast.

A painting by Helen Frankenthaler in Andy Williams’ Los Angeles home (1977).

“HoOooOoOw does this make meEeeeeEe look riiiiicCccCCh?” you ask. Well, if you’ve ever tried to frame anything in this godforsaken town, you know it’s astronomically expensive. And sure, I respect the craft—cutting glass, sanding wood, fastening a perfect corner joint? Not easy. My wallet, however, does not share the same sentiment and admiration for *~craft~* (one day). Large-scale framing is expensive, so having large-scale art in your home must = wealth. Is this girl math?

Lucky for you, I’m scrappy/good at connecting dots and figured out a workaround that gets you art + a frame for around $200(ish). And when we’re talking large-scale art? That’s not not highway robbery!!!!!!!!

Case in point: MY big, bold, and budget-conscious artwork at home in Brooklyn.

So, here’s a breakdown of exactly what you’re going to do:

Buy this huge-ass frame from IKEA. As someone who has spent far too much time on the hunt for large-scale frames at a kind price, let me tell you, this frame is a godsend.

Head to the National Gallery’s website and dive into their free image archive. I first discovered it in college thanks to my genius art history professor Brantl (miss you, legend). Their open-access archive lets you download high-res images of various works, totally free. Pro Tip: make sure the free image download filter is turned ON.

Feeling overwhelmed by the options? Don’t panic, hun. That’s what I’m here for. Below are some solid search terms and filters to get you started:

Search Terms: Horse Race, Shaker Drawings, Edgar Degas, Flora and Fauna, Alfred Stieglitz, Post Impressionist, Pierre Bonnard, Holger Hanson, Tamarind Institute, Robert Frank, Spanish Southwest, Realist, George Bellows, John Sloan, Abstract Expressionist, Mark Rothko, Kenneth Noland, John Frederick Peto, Realist (Subject>Still Life, Photography (Themes>Motion), Landscape, Painting (Subject>Place Names), Ernst Kirchner, Charles Logasa, Drawing (Subject>Objects), Paul Klee, Walter Griffin, Drawings (Subjects>Flora & Fauna), Index of American Design, Mina Lowery.

Here are some fun ones I found:

Mex Neckman, Spectators at Horse Race, 1984.

Maria Berrio, A Sunburst Restrained, 2019.

Alfred Stieglitz, Dead Chestnut Tree, probably 1937.

John Decker, Green Plums, 1885.

Peter Henry Emerson, Marsh Weeds, 1895.

Pierre Bonnard, Stairs in the Artist's Garden, 1942/1944.

Hit! That! Download! Button! And throw your chosen artwork into Photoshop. Resize it to fit your frame (78.75 x 55”), and (this bit is crucial) grow the overall scale by 3 extra inches on ALL sides (84.75 x 61”). You’ll need that margin to get it sitting pretty inside the frame. Another pro tip: horizontal images work best here, but if you’re feeling a vertical moment, go for it. You do you!

Edit: When resizing your image, be sure to increase the resolution from 72 PPI to 300 PPI to minimize any pixelation. Once that’s done, expand the artwork by 3 inches on all sides, as mentioned above.

Next, head to www.bagofloveuse.com (I’m serious), toggle over to the Fabric & Leather Printing menu, and upload your artwork under the “Print on Fabric” section. You’ll want to input custom dimensions and choose a fabric that prints rich, saturated color with zero shine. I went with the 6.28oz cotton twill and can’t recommend it enough. It has weight, texture, and looks way more expensive than it is. Also, because you added that 3-inch border around your artwork, you can opt for the “uneven scissor cut,” which is free (I swear I’m not usually this cheap).

Time to get that m-effer in the frame! I recommend doing this with a friend (free labor, obviously) because getting the fabric pulled taut and snapped cleanly into the back of the frame is much easier with an extra set of hands. Like most things IKEA, the setup is pretty painless and requires little to no tools.

Honestly, I wish there was more to it, but that’s it. Hang it up and you’re done. You look rich, and now everybody wants to be your friend!

Anyway, without further ado, here are some gorgeous examples of large-scale artworks in homes I love. May they inspire your walls:

Ben Heller’s Central Park West apartment (1960s).

François Halard New York loft.

Pegge Hopper hanging in a suite at the Rosewood Kona Village Resort.

The Paris home of Jean-Claude Binoche.

Terry de Gunzburg's dining room.

Have questions? Drop them in the comment section! I’m here to help!