Our Favorite Affordable Large Scale Art (and how to get it in your own home)

Photo by Ryan Liebe for EHD

It’s no secret that large-scale art will always have a place in decor and design, and Pinterest has even named it one of the biggest trends of 2018 (although we have to say it has always been on our favorites list). But, large-scale art typically doesn’t come at a low price point or something that is easily affordable. So, as we like to do we decided to find a workaround for that and bring to you a post that was stocked full of options, ideas, and choices to fulfill all your large-scale art fantasies (and ours).

Photo by Tessa Neustadt for EHD

But before we get into it let’s talk for a moment about why large-scale art works so well in just about every room and every style. As you can see above in Cup of Jo’s living room and in Brady’s dining room one large piece can anchor an entire gallery wall and is actually our #1 tip when trying to start a gallery wall that most people forget. Find yourself a large piece of art and then let the gallery stem out from there so that not everything feels small and bitsy in your collection. The large piece commands and grounds the wall visually and then allows everything else to work around it creating a much easier job for you when you start filling in the rest of the wall with your collection.

Photo by Tessa Neustadt for EHD

But large-scale art is just as beautiful and commanding on its own and need not be in a gallery wall to work in a room and appreciated. And TBH, stand-alone large-scale art is what we are really loving recently. A large piece of art like we had in our living room above visually fills the space but it also keeps things from looking busy and chaotic like a gallery wall would or a collection of pieces. Below we used this large bison print in Cup of Jo’s bedroom and the modern piece of art helps to elevate the more playful and bright textiles below bringing the whole collection (and room) together, all while filling a rather large blank wall space.

Photo by Ryan Liebe for EHD

Unfortunately, large-scale art pieces like these often are not something that you can run to the store and buy and typically aren’t the most affordable either. BUT, that didn’t deter us, and we have some good news for you. The internet is filled with incredible large-scale art at pretty affordable prices. You just have to know where to look and how to pull it together. So let’s get into it.

Large-scale art typically gets high in price point for three reasons: 1) the artist is well known and rightfully wants to charge a fair amount for the piece due to the time and creative process it took to create it, 2) the printing expenses for a large piece is high, and 3) framing such a large piece is more labor-intensive and technically difficult so framers charge a higher price point. The first one we can’t do much about, and we also will always endorse supporting artists, creatives, and photographers but we can tackle getting the price points down on the second two. Which is what we have done for you in this roundup. You see there are quite a few places that sell the digital files of a piece of art or photograph that you can buy for less than $20 and then can print it whatever size you want. So although this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as digital art files that can be purchased online, printed and then framed on your own it should be a good jumping off point for you.

As mentioned this is such a small curation of what is all available online, but we love all of these and they would all work so well in many different styles of homes. So now that you have some of the art picked out, it comes time to purchase the file, download it, and then send it off to be printed. There are so many places to print and you might have somewhere local that could do it for even cheaper but here are just a few that we would recommend:

Artifact Uprising – They are known for their beautiful archival prints and linen covered books but they also do large scale printing and you can get something printed at a 40×60 size for around $150.

Aspen Creek Photo – This place was recommended by Jenny’s Print Shop, who is one of the places that we highlighted above in the roundup and have so many good options to download and print. They can print a 30×45 size for around $54

Fedex – Your local chain copier also does large scale prints for around $12 per sq. ft. which if you are on a tight turn around is a great option as it is local and affordable.

Staples – The same as above, but a slightly more affordable price point at $6.99 per sq. ft.

WHCC – Another online option that will print and send you large scale prints at $5.75 per sq. ft.

Parabo Prints – These guys have so many great products but you can get large scale 36×45 size in these options and prices: Color $25, B&W $20. They also ofter poster rails if you don’t want to frame it.

Costco – Last but not least and one of our favorites is Costco. Which will print a 30×40 piece for $139.99 (unframed) & $179.99 (framed). The framing selections will vary by location, but we have always loved their quality and customer service.

As far as how to get it printed abstract and fine art prints typically will look best on archival quality paper stock that has a matte finish and then with your photographs you can go with a gloss or luster finish.

Once you have them printed it is time to get them framed. Here are a few of our favorite online places that do custom framing.

Framebridge: We love Framebridge and they continue to be our goto online source for custom framing. They can do float framing, framing with or without a mat and also have a new solid wood collection that is beautiful. Their max framing size is 32×40 but you can always reach out to them to see if they can accommodate a custom order. That size starts at $199 but also includes printing services if you want to have it all be a one stop shop for printing and framing.

Simply Framed: Similar in concept to Framebridge these guys offer online printing and framing options and have a few different styles than Framebridge to pick from as well as accommodate large sizes. These prices are for framing starting at 30″x30″ or larger.

American Frame: If you want to save a bit and are willing to print it yourself and then place it in the frame, American Frame has a large selection of frames that can be custom made to fit just about any size. The prices vary depending on how much you customize it (IE frame, mat, style, etc) but they are a great online option with a large selection. Their max size: 32×48 for most of their frames.

If you are a bit more handy and are willing to DIY then you can create a frame for an even lower price. We haven’t attempted any of these personally but each one of these has a great step by step guide for you to follow.

Hommemaker – D.I.Why? Making a Frame For Your Large Scale Art In 10 Easy Steps

Yellow Brick Home – The Easier Way To Make a Giant Frame

Apartment Therapy – How To Make a Magnetic DIY Frame For Artwork… In 10 Minutes

Apartment Therapy – How To Build a DIY Custom Floating Frame For Artwork

Beckham Belle – DIY Frame For Wrapped Canvas Art

A Beautiful Mess – Make An Oversized Frame For a Fraction Of The Price

You still with us? Yes, these might take a bit more labor than going out and purchasing a fully finished piece but they will save you a lot in the long run and also allow you to customize sizing and framing a lot more than you might with an already framed piece. But, if DIYing isn’t your jam and printing your own art sounds like a headache that you would rather avoid here are some of our favorites that sell the art, print it and frame it which basically takes all the labor off your back besides adding it to your cart and fronting the bill.

Target: They typically carry a pretty good selection of good large-scale art every season and if you find something you love be sure to buy it as they don’t stay in stock for long. One of my favorite pieces which I get the most compliments on is from them and it looks like such a high-end piece.

Minted: Has a massive online selection of art and photographs from artists around the world and also frame in a variety of sizes and options.

Urban Outfitters: They sell both prints and frames but they have a revolving collection of eclectic prints that work well for more boho or eclectic styles.

West Elm: They don’t always have a huge selection in store but they do have a good assortment online that changes seasonally.

CB2: They are expanding their art collection and have quite a few good options in larger sizes for more modern homes and apartments.

Anthropologie: They carry quite a large selection (not all of which are large scale) but they do have some good options and are always a good resource to look through.

Tappan Collective: These guys are a bit more expensive than the other ones but have a wonderful curation of photography and art.

All in all, we hope that this will be a resource for you moving forward, so let us know if there are any printing, framing, or art sources that we are forgetting that have large-scale options, and of course if you have any questions on the process, or anything in relation to art let us know below.

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