DIY Abstract Diptych Art (+ A Video)
I’ve been struggling with one wall in our living room since “finishing” it. Let’s get real… there isn’t a room in my home that will ever be completely finished because I’m constantly restyling and switching things around. I think that’s the downside to being a designer… you’re never 100% satisfied. Anyway- the wall behind the sofa has been driving me crazy. I love our giant sconce, but the wall has never felt balanced. Click through to catch an easy artwork DIY that made me love this space SO much more. Everything feels happier and evenly balanced- I couldn’t be happier. Your DIY abstract diptych art awaits…
If you remember my living room reveal, I absolutely adore our custom horse portrait, but it was way too small alongside the sconce. Another challenge in the living room? We already have a gorgeous piece of large-scale art (the windmill print) in the room that made it challenging to find something that didn’t overpower that piece… and let’s get real- it’s one of my all-time favorites and it deserves to be the show stopper in the room. AND, there’s a built-in. That means visual clutter, see the example below… beautiful, but busy.
The last thing I needed in the room was another giant piece of detailed art, or something intricate that made the space look even busier. Insert my DIY… a neutral diptych that sort of acts as background noise to balance the weight of the wall.
I came across this artwork from Williams Sonoma and fell in love with the soft, neutral aesthetic. I thought it would be the perfect inspiration for my DIY. Shoot, I even thought about buying it. The problem? The $1200+ price tag.
Alrighty, so if you’re wondering how I made this thing… it cost under $100 and took about 1 hour. The key is buying a framed piece. I prefer to run to HomeGoods for something like this (more tips on shopping at HomeGoods in this post).
I purchased two identical (ugly) canvases for $39.99 each. They’re just cheap reproductions, but they have the potential to be beautiful and custom to your home! Obviously, this post is proof.
Things to look for and remember when doing this DIY and buying the art:
- The artwork itself doesn’t matter- obviously the one I bought looks hideous, but nobody will ever see it.
- Look for nice frame quality.
- Look for a good frame finish (I opted for a brass / gold finish this time around).
- Consider the canvas quality (heavier is better).
- Look for a frame that has mounting hardware installed on the backside (it will make your life easier).
- Look for a canvas that is flat or minimally textured. A lot of the art has a giclée finish that you’ll have to scrape off before painting. It’s fine if it’s consistent, but often times it will be shaped like a flower or whatever the subject matter is. I prefer to add my own texture.
- Lastly, check the size. Make sure it fits your space accordingly. I needed a giant piece and couldn’t find one that met my criteria, so that’s why I ended up with two and opted to make a diptych for the same effect.
Once you’ve purchased your not-so-gorgeous artwork with a fantastic frame, you’re ready to start painting! The video below sums up my entire process, and I’ll link the sources afterwards…
You can find everything I used in the DIY / video linked below…
If you want to replicate my art, this is exactly what I used:
- Paint Brush Pack
- Gesso
- Paint ( I used Artist’s Loft ‘Unbleached Titanium’ )
- Golden Extra Heavy Gel Gloss (if you want to add texture)
- Framed Art (from HomeGoods or somewhere similar)
The key for this piece was to keep things neutral and go heavy on the texture. I experimented with tools other than paint brushes (like a palette knife) to build-up the paint. Don’t be afraid to layer it on heavy!
To wrap things up, I’m so happy with how things turned out. Everything feels more balanced in the living room and I saved a TON of money doing this project myself.
My inspiration art is slightly smaller than the diptych I created and the inspiration cost $1,250 (not including tax or shipping)… my piece was around $100, so I’d call that a win.
I’m already feeling a lot better about the space and I know it’s because the artwork is balancing out the room in a “non-cluttered” way. Sometimes rooms are tricky like that (especially small ones)… you have to live with something to know what isn’t working and then make changes as needed. This was definitely one of those tricky rooms to decorate.
What do you guys think? Is this a DIY you’re going to try? Pin it and save it for when the time is right! Also, let me know if you have any questions at all in the comments below. My video skills are SLOWLY (like, really slowly) improving, so hopefully I can do more tutorials like this. Subscribe to my Youtube channel for more (and to see videos a few days in advance)!