How to make a DIY hanging photo frame

Back in April last year we did our first bit of hardcore DIY work on our new home, ripping up the carpets in our hallway, stairs and landing, sanding the floorboards and putting down new tiles in the hallway. Since then, apart from hanging some Ingela P. Arrhenius postcards in colourful frames up the stairs, the hallway has been slightly neglected. Over the summer we’ve done a couple of things to make it feel a little more loved – I’ll show you the final look once it’s all finished.

In the meantime, I wanted to share this simple make for a hanging photo frame. It’s really brightened up the space and, I think, helps to make the hallway a happy, welcoming place. Which is handy really, considering it’s the first area you step into when you come into our home.

1. Create a frame

The first thing you need to do is create a frame. We used a length of wood bought from B&Q and cut it down into four pieces. We then screwed the pieces together to create a simple square frame. We decided not to angle off the edges in a “proper” picture frame way, as I wanted it to have a slightly rustic, homemade feel. If you want something a bit more professional you could always angle off the corners so the pieces fit perfectly together with no rough edges.

2. Paint the frame

The next step is to paint the frame. I wanted something bold, to pop against our white walls, but if this isn’t your thing you could treat the wood by staining or varnishing it for a more subtle look. I chose to do ours in a hot pink to match Frog’s upcycled chair in the family dining room. The colour is made from Annie Sloan Pure mixed with Emperor’s Silk. Painting it on was so easy my five year old even joined in.

4. Add your hooks

You’ll then need to add hooks to the side of your frame, so you can tie on a washing line of string to hang your photos from. Make sure each hook matches up to the one opposite or you’ll end up with a wonky washing line. We used eyelet hooks.

5. Finally, tie a length of string or wire across the frame to each set of hooks. We used brown string to add to the rustic feel, but you could use fishing wire, bright ribbon or black thread depending on the look you’re going for.

I covered a selection of wooden pegs with washi tape to hold my photos in place.

And Ta Da! Here’s the finished frame – complete with many a goofy family snap. What do you reckon?

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