My Go-To Sources for Affordable Art Online
Original art, prints, and vintage finds that add character without breaking the bank
Art is, without a doubt, one of the most important decorative elements for creating a lived-in, collected home. Through the choice of art (and other wall decor) and how you hang it, you can add so much character and visual interest and put your personal stamp on your home. Especially if you’re starting from scratch, you might be concerned about the price tag to fill your walls with art. But, trust me, you don’t need to spend thousands on art.
We’ve come a long way with affordable art sourcing online. It used to be that you could only find dentist office worthy poster art on websites. But now there are places to buy curated pieces by artists. And it’s never been easier to discover original art online too, whether vintage or new. I’m going to share my personal black book of the best affordable art sources, many of which I’ve bought from myself. My recommendation is to do a mix of all of them to avoid your walls looking one note.
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Prints & Posters
Prints and posters are the most reasonably priced option, but certainly doesn’t lack visual interest and artistry. Posters tend to be more graphic with bold designs and large scale. Prints come in a range of sizes and mediums, like photography, drawing, paintings, and mixed media.
Artfully Walls - This is my personal favorite. (Keep reading to see what I choose for my home.) The curation of artists and pieces is really strong with a wide range of styles, truly something for every taste. There’s an AI tool where you can look up virtually anything you are looking for. You get to choose the size of the print and can even have it framed to save yourself a step.
Curated Copenhagen - This is the place to go for elevated posters. You’ll find amazing original exhibition posters dating back to the 1950's and beautifully crafted prints from renowned artists and lesser known ones. There’s a range of styles and subject matter to choose from.
Tappan Collective - Tappan makes it more accessible to collect work to emerging artists by offering prints of their work. The prints are limited (like only a certain number are sold in each size), and prices are adjusted to reflect their current market value as demand for their work grows. Framing is an option as well.
Abigail Bell - This site offers high quality prints of curated vintage art that has been meticulously restored. You can choose the size and opt for real wood frames.
Magnum Photos - A prestigious photo agency that has visually documented the world's major events and personalities since the 1930s has made its portfolio available online. You can buy prints of the famous photographs for a higher price, around $400, or poster versions at a more reasonable price, $150.
Slowdown Studio - These tapestries are based on work by artists. So in a way they’re a type of print. The beauty of these tapestries is that it takes up a lot of wall space for not a lot of money.
Original Art
As soon as you get into original art, the prices are going to go up simply because there are limited quantities. That being said, you can find art by up-and-coming artists online for more reasonable prices especially at a smaller scale.
Etsy - Best for: Still lifes in smaller scale. Price range: $50-$300. I love browsing Etsy for original still life paintings. Search by “original still life art” plus, any specific subject matter you’re looking for. Here are some specific shops I like browsing and some pieces I selected that are currently available for purchase.
Saatchi Art - This site, which is a spinoff of a high end gallery, is a great place to find emerging artists in a wide range of styles and mediums. Price range: $150-thousands. So the best approach is to filter by price and narrow down by medium/style. There’s even a section where you can shop art under $500. Here are some pieces that have caught my eye, all under $500.
Vintage & Antique Art
Vintage and antique art tends to be on the costlier side especially when it’s already been curated, is in good condition, and is framed. But you can definitely find some gems that aren’t a fortune.
Etsy - Best for: reasonably priced vintage oil paintings. Price range: $300-500. I love browsing Etsy for vintage landscape and still life paintings as well as vintage botanical prints. One search term that yield good results most of the time is “Swedish mid century painting”. I’m sharing some of my favorite vintage art shops and curated pieces from them below.
Chairish - Best for: vintage art finds in a range of styles and subject matter. The benefit of a curated marketplace is that the shops have already curated the art, so you can browse the best of the best, but the downside is the prices are more expensive, starting at $300.
1stDibs - Similar to Chairish, but even more high end. I’ve found some deals on vintage prints, which can go for as little as $100/each.
eBay - Like with most things, you can find better deals on vintage art on eBay. The trick is to be as specific as possible with your search terms. I like to find things I’m interested in on curated marketplaces like Chairish, then use search terms inspired by them on eBay.
Independent sellers on Instagram - Buying directly from sellers on Instagram is often the most reasonable because they don’t have to mark up their prices to pay a cut to a marketplace. I’ll share some that I love, then like with all things Instagram, if you signal to the algorithm you’re interested in something, it will serve you more of it.
Vintage Art Room - This site has been offering affordable vintage art since 2013. It specializes in mid-century paintings from Sweden. Prices range from $200-500.
Framing Tips
Where to get affordable custom framing
Custom framing is notoriously expensive and intimidating, so we’re lucky that there are some businesses today making framing more accessible and reasonably priced.
Framebridge - Before I tried it, I assumed Framebridge was super expensive, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it’s not. Obviously the bigger the size, the more it’s going to be; price varies by frame style as well with better materials costing more. I recommend visiting a store if you have one near you to see the options in person and pick out a frame and mat, but they also offer an online service where you can send in your art to be framed and sent back to you.
Frame It Easy - This service makes frames more affordable by having you do the framing yourself. You tailor every aspect of your frame and matting to perfectly complement your style and the piece itself. The finished product is sent to you to place the art in the frame.
Off the shelf frames
There are some really great off the shelf frames available these days for affordable prices. I like a classic oak wood or white frame for a clean, minimalist look that doesn’t complete with the art. For a fun twist, go for a colored frame, like red or yellow.
DIY framing
DIY frames - I love painting cheap or vintage frames to give them a new life and add character to a space. It’s a relatively easy project that doesn’t require a ton of artistic talent, and it makes such a big impact. The level of customization is totally up to you and the look you’re going for — you can paint the frame all one color or add decorative details. For more inspiration, check out my post with creative framing ideas
Custom mats - One of the ways to spruce up a basic store bought frame is with a custom mat. I’ve used Matboard and More several times and can definitely recommend. You can customize the dimensions of the matboard or go with a color for the mat itself and the opening in the middle.
Hanging Art
Hanging art can be intimidating, but there are some simple guidelines to follow.
Proportion - You want to choose art that is appropriately sized for the space — generally speaking about two-thirds the width of whatever you’re hanging it above.
Height - Hang art 6-10” from the top of the furniture and if not above furniture, hang at eye level (about 60” from the floor).
Spacing - Hang large and medium pieces 2-3 inches apart, and smaller pieces 1.5-2.5 inches apart.
Beyond that, you can get creative with how you hang art to get different looks. Find more tips How to Hang Wall Decor Like A Pro.
My Art Collection
Art is a big part of my life and home. I studied Art History in college so I’ve always had an appreciation for art. I’ve been collecting pieces I love here and there throughout my life from a range of sources (including many of the ones listed above!). It is important to me to be surrounded by art that’s personal to me. I don’t just buy anything to fill a space; rather every piece has a story behind it, or I’ve connected to it in some way.
Here are some of the highlights of my personal art collection…
Bedroom
I found these William Bradbury seaweed prints at a gallery in London. They remind me of the part of England on the coast where my husband’s from and where we got engaged. I loved the way they are framed very simply with frames painted in Farrow & Ball (I wish I knew the color!) and no mat.
Living room
The living room has so much wall space that it’s taken me a little while to build it up, but it’s been worth it. Above the skirted table I hung photographs and a painting (including a photo of my husband crossing the Brooklyn Bridge during lockdown when there wasn’t another soul in sight) that remind me of our travels. Below that, leaning on the table is a silhouette I commissioned on my son framed in the Mercer frame by Framebridge.
Opposite I was looking for a big piece that was in proportion to the dresser – finally I found a still life by Ana Frois from Artfully Walls. Beside that is a Slowdown Studio tapestry that hangs over the sofa. On the other side is a sardine etching I picked up in England and a figure watercolor by Maria Freudenberger from Artfully Walls.
Bathroom
Art was a big part of transforming my bathroom to make it more warm and inviting. In addition to the beach photo by Gray Malin I gave my husband as a gift, I created a grouping consisting of a seaweed print from England, a Carolina Iriving & Daughers shell plate, and a print of a seaside painting by Lauren DeMarco from Artfully Walls.
Nursery
The art that’s hanging in my son’s room is the most personal of all because I handpainted the frames. Several of the pieces are cards that are so special they deserve to be treated as art – a circus print by George Greaves and several embroidered cards by Coral & Tusk like this one. I was given animal prints made by artists in South Africa my friend brought home for him. I rounded it out with a name piece I made myself and a rabbit print by American folk artist Bill Traylor. Tying it all together is another tapestry depicting lions.
You can find more ideas and inspiration at my wall decor styling guide or browse my edit of art which I’m constantly updating.