In Interiors

Round-up: Vintage Style Art Frames

All my favorite vintage-style art frames and where to buy them. Plus, 3 tips for creating a collected gallery wall in your own home!

Collected gallery walls can sometimes take years to put together. Finding a cohesive mix of art + vintage frames, can be part of the fun, but also part of the stress, not to mention the challenge of arranging them on the wall.

I’m thrilled to have partnered with one of my favorite artists, Brittany Smith, of Brittany Smith Studio to curate a vintage-forward gallery wall of her florals and landscapes, so you can create a thoughtful gallery in your own home, without the stress. Shop the 7-piece print gallery, and scroll down on this post for tips on creating vintage-style gallery walls + find my favorite frame sources!

behr, whisper white painted walls, vintage style art frames arranged in a gallery wall, curly willow branches in a vase, stained wood frame with landscape art, beeswax candlesticks, wicker picnic basket, gold frame with floral painterly art, bronze statue of woman, white bookcases

vintage style art frames arranged in a gallery wall in dining room, white chandelier, wooden dining table, black dining chairs, dining bench with sheepskin, white and jute striped rug, curly willow branches in a vase, stained wood frame with landscape art, beeswax candlesticks, wicker picnic basket, gold frame with floral painterly art, bronze statue of woman, white bookcases

Tips for Creating a Vintage Style Gallery Wall

Wood and Gold

Generally, when I’m going for a vintage look and feel, I’m choosing matte gold/gilded/brassy tones and wooden frames and mixing the two for a cohesive look. Often I use Rub n Buff in the Antique Gold color, if a frame color doesn’t quite work. Sometimes I’ll work black in too. The oval frame in the upper left is black with gold accents that tie it in with the group.

Pairs of Two

Another thing I consider when pulling a gallery of frames together, is using styles of frames in pairs of two. In the gallery featured, I’ve used two somewhat plain wood frames, two intricate gold frames, and two small metal frames with chains. The small black oval frame without a pair is the exception to the rule. Added in at the end, it reinforces that collected, quirky charm of a gallery that looks as if it’s been pulled together over time.

No Bright White Mats

I tend not to use a lot of frames with mats. Mats can definitely look vintage, just try to avoid white-white mats as they’re a little crisp for the vintage feel.

gallery wall in dining room, white chandelier, wooden dining table, black dining chairs, dining bench with sheepskin, white and jute striped rug, curly willow branches in a vase, stained wood frame with landscape art, beeswax candlesticks, wicker picnic basket, gold frame with floral painterly art, bronze statue of woman, white bookcases

gallery wall in dining room, curly willow branches in a vase, stained wooden frames with landscape art, beeswax candlesticks, small oval black and gold picture frame, wicker picnic basket, gold frame with floral painterly art, bronze statue of woman, white bookcases

Below are the exact frames I used in this gallery wall. I love these frames because they look convincingly vintage. If thrifting is not your thing, or you don’t have time to spend hours hunting for them, these pieces are a great way to get the collected, vintage look. Go ahead and even steal my gallery wall arrangement! Done and done.

round-up of vintage style art or picture frames

A. Gold Chain Frames

B. Thick Gold Frame – This one is the frame-only, but it’s absolutely stunning in person, so I made it work by using the cardboard packaging as the back substrate and secured it in place around the edges with brown packing tape on the back. You can also have a glass front cut at your local hardware store or have a local framer finish the frame for you, if budget allows.

C. 8×10 Gold Frame

D. Large Wood Frame with Passage by Brittany Smith

E. Small Wood Frame

F. Oval Frame