Paint Chip Art

 

As a creative and budget savvy designer, I enjoy creating artwork for my clients out of inexpensive items. One of these items happens to be paint chips. These unassuming blocks of color can be transformed into a work of art, with a little imagination and creativity. Here are some examples:

 

 

For one of my clients, I wanted to create a custom piece of art, using a black and white palette and a geometric design. I’ve seen paint chip art before and liked the creative aspect of it and the cost to create it (free!)

As a side note, the majority of my clients have existing furniture or accessories that need to be incorporated in a new design.  For this particular client, there were several pieces, such as a settee, desk, shelving, lamps, etc… A desk from Restoration Hardware was one of the items.

 

The client had also previously purchased clear frames from Wexel that she wanted to use:

Books were an important part of the desk area. The client needed access to her nutrition books in a way that was visually appealing. We decided to use floating shelves:

 

I came up with an idea of what I envisioned the desk area to look like and drew a basic sketch:

As you can see from the sketch, The Wexel frames would house the hand-made, paint chip art. The supplies, I used to create the art, can be found at a variety of stores. I used an Exacto knife, a mat to cut, a ruler to measure and a glue stick. Scissors can also do the trick but requires a steady hand.

Here is what I came up with:

 

 

I determined the size of the art based on the size of the frames. The Wexel frames were 13″ square. I could have made them square like the frames but decided to give some visual variety with a rectangular shape. They turned out so well that I considered keeping them for myself! Once the artwork has been mounted and the desk area is complete, I’ll post an “after” picture. (probably in the next few weeks)

Paint chip art is a great way to make a statement with wall art. It also helps lighten the budget when funds are low. So, the next time you make a trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s, hit the paint department, grab a few paint swatches and let the creativity flow!

xoxo

Sara