How to Make Cheap Art Look Expensive
Five changes, in order of how much they matter. None of them involves buying different art.
By Janet H. · Published
Mat it generously, make it bigger, hang it at the right height, and keep the frame finishes consistent. Those four do most of the work, and none of them requires better artwork.
What makes art look cheap is almost never the image. It is a tight frame, an undersized piece, a wrong hanging height, and four different frame finishes in one room.
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Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Golden State Art Pre-Cut Mat Board A pre-cut acid-free mat costs a fraction of the frame and does more for how a print reads than any frame upgrade at the same money. | The highest-return purchase here | |
| 2 |  Americanflat Picture Frame Slim, plain profiles across a wide size range, so a whole room can be framed in one finish — which is what reads as considered. | Best consistent frame line | |
| 3 |  Golden State Art Matted Picture Frame Acid-free matting already fitted in standard step-downs, which is the whole first section of this page done for you. | Best frame-and-mat in one | |
| 4 |  Kate and Laurel Levie Wood Floating Picture Ledge Turns the whole hanging-height question into a non-issue, and the arrangement restyles in seconds. | Best way to lean it | |
| 5 |  Craig Frames Matted Gallery Set Four matching matted frames, which covers frame consistency and generous matting in one order. | Best matted set |
1. Mat it, generously
The single highest-return change available. An 11x14 print in a 16x20 frame with a 2.5 inch border reads as gallery framing. The same print in a tight 11x14 frame reads as a poster.
| Tight framing | Generous framing | Border | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8x10 | 8x10 frame | 16x20 frame with a cut mat | 3 in |
| 11x14 | 11x14 frame | 16x20 frame | 2.5 in |
| 12x18 | 12x18 frame | 18x24 frame | 3 in |
| 18x24 | 18x24 frame | 24x30 frame | 3 in |
| 24x36 | 24x36 frame | 30x42 frame | 3 in |
Buy the mat acid-free, and 8-ply rather than 4-ply if the print is small — the deeper bevel is a cheap way to look like custom framing. Mat sizing and how to mat a print.
2. Make it bigger
Undersized art looks cheap regardless of what it cost, and oversized art almost never does. The rule is two-thirds to three-quarters of the furniture below — an 84 inch sofa wants 56 to 63 inches of art.
If the budget will not stretch to a large piece, matting up is the cheap route to scale: four 8x10 prints in 11x14 matted frames total 53 inches where the same prints in 8x10 frames total 41. Sizing above a couch and gallery wall frame sizing.
3. Hang it at the right height
Center it 57 inches from the floor, or 6 to 8 inches above the furniture. Art hung too high is the most common error after undersizing, and it is free to fix.
Tall ceilings tempt people upward and it always reads wrong — the fix for a tall wall is a taller arrangement, not a higher one. The height guide.
4. Use one frame finish per room
5. Get the glazing right
Cheap glazing distorts. Thin styrene in an inexpensive frame has visible ripple across a large span, and it reads as cheap even when nothing else does.
At 16x20 and above, look for acrylic or glass rather than styrene. It is a small price difference and it is one of the few frame specifications that is genuinely visible. Acrylic versus glass.
And one more: lean it
A framed piece leaning on a ledge, a mantel or the floor reads as deliberate in a way a hung piece has to earn. It also sidesteps the hanging-height problem entirely and lets you change the arrangement whenever you like.
In a rental it is doubly useful: a picture ledge is two screws rather than twenty, and everything on it can be restyled in seconds.
The picks in full
Each entry states what it is for, the specification that decides it, and who should skip it.
1. The highest-return purchase here
Golden State Art Pre-Cut Mat Board
Golden State Art
A pre-cut acid-free mat costs a fraction of the frame and does more for how a print reads than any frame upgrade at the same money.
- Cut
- Pre-cut bevel opening, standard step-down sizes
- Material
- Acid-free board with backing and a clear sleeve on most packs
- Sizes
- Common pairs such as 11x14 matted to 8x10
- Packs
- Singles and multi-packs
The spec that decides it: Pre-cut bevel openings on acid-free board, standard step-down pairs.
Skip it if: Your frames already ship with a mat of a decent border width.
2. Best consistent frame line
Americanflat Picture Frame
Americanflat
Slim, plain profiles across a wide size range, so a whole room can be framed in one finish — which is what reads as considered.
- Sizes
- Wide standard range from 4x6 to 24x36
- Glazing
- Shatter-resistant polished plexiglass on most sizes
- Matting
- Most sizes ship with a removable mat
- Orientation
- Hangs vertical or horizontal; most sizes also stand
The spec that decides it: Consistent slim profiles across a wide standard size range.
Skip it if: You need an unusual size — a made-to-size line covers that better.
3. Best frame-and-mat in one
Golden State Art Matted Picture Frame
Golden State Art
Acid-free matting already fitted in standard step-downs, which is the whole first section of this page done for you.
- Common openings
- 11x14 frame matted to 8x10; 16x20 matted to 11x14
- Mat
- Acid-free on the archival lines
- Glazing
- Glass or acrylic by line
- Packs
- Often sold in multi-packs
The spec that decides it: Standard step-down openings with acid-free matting.
Skip it if: You want a 3 in border — in-box mats give roughly 1.5 to 2 in.
4. Best way to lean it
Kate and Laurel Levie Wood Floating Picture Ledge
Kate and Laurel
Turns the whole hanging-height question into a non-issue, and the arrangement restyles in seconds.
- Lengths
- Sold in several lengths including 24 in and 42 in
- Lip
- Front lip holds leaning frames
- Finishes
- White, black, gold
- Mounting
- Wall screws — one shelf replaces a row of frame holes
The spec that decides it: Front lip sized for leaning frames; lengths from 24 in up.
Skip it if: You want frames at different heights — a ledge puts everything on one line.
5. Best matted set
Craig Frames Matted Gallery Set
Craig Frames
Four matching matted frames, which covers frame consistency and generous matting in one order.
- Set shape
- Sets of four in one size, matted down to a smaller opening
- Glazing
- Lightweight shatter-resistant acrylic
- Profiles
- Contemporary through ornate
- Origin
- Made in the USA
The spec that decides it: Sets of four in one size with a mat step-down and acrylic glazing.
Skip it if: You only need one frame — a set is three frames you will not hang.
Common questions
How do you make cheap wall art look expensive?
Mat it generously so the image sits inside a 2.5 to 4 inch border, make it bigger relative to the furniture below, hang it at 57 inches to the center, and keep frame finishes consistent across the room. None of those involves buying better art.
Does a mat really make that much difference?
It is the single highest-return change available. An 11x14 print in a 16x20 frame with a 2.5 inch border reads as gallery framing; the same print in a tight 11x14 frame reads as a poster. The mat costs a fraction of the frame.
What makes wall art look cheap?
A tight frame with no mat, an undersized piece relative to the furniture, hanging it too high, four different frame finishes in one room, and distorted styrene glazing on anything over 16x20. The image itself is rarely the problem.
Do expensive-looking frames need to be expensive?
No. A slim, plain profile in one consistent finish outperforms an ornate or gold frame at any price. What reads as expensive is consistency and a generous mat, not the molding.
Is leaning art better than hanging it?
Sometimes. A framed piece leaning on a ledge, a mantel or the floor reads as deliberate, sidesteps the hanging-height problem, and can be restyled in seconds — which in a rental is worth more than a perfect first arrangement.
Sources for the figures on this page
Read next
- Mat Sizes for Standard Prints
The complete print size to mat opening to frame size matrix, with published border widths by artwork size.
- How to Mat a Print
Working out the opening, choosing acid-free board, and the two mounting methods that do not damage the print.
- How High to Hang Art
The 57-inch gallery standard, the hook-position arithmetic, and the exceptions for sofas, beds, dining rooms and stairs.
- Best Affordable Art Prints
Why standard sizing is the real saving, where to buy coordinated sets, and what makes cheap art look cheap.
- Matching vs Mixed Frames
The four variables on a gallery wall, how many you can change at once, and why mixed walls usually fail.
- What Size Art Above a Couch
The two-thirds rule with a full sizing table by sofa width, and the 6-8 inch clearance that beats the 57 inch standard.