Where to Find Cheap Art for Your New Place

Decorating your home on a budget doesn’t have to mean skimping on art. While you probably won’t be heading out to any fancy art auctions to pick up a one of a kind piece, you definitely have a ton of options when it comes to acquiring cheap art that complements your style and your space. Art is one of the easiest ways to make your house feel like a home, adding a touch of personality and uniqueness to the otherwise blank canvas of your walls. It also makes a fantastic housewarming gift.

One of the best things about art is that there are no rules about it. The goal is to find something that speaks to you and that you enjoy having around—that’s it. And thanks to the internet, it’s truly never been easier to find bargain prints, paintings, and photographs to brighten up your house or apartment. Read on for where to find cheap art both online and off.

Search the secondhand stores

You know the saying: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Secondhand stores carry some real gems when it comes to quality cheap art, and as an added bonus, a lot of the time you’ll find art that is already in frames. One of the statement pieces of my old kitchen was a massive, framed painting of a mountain lake acquired at my local Goodwill for just $4, and over the years I’ve found some of my favorite works scanning the thrift store bins. Just be sure to follow the cardinal rule of secondhand store shopping, which is that you should buy something because you truly want it, not just because it’s cheap. You’ll have no problem finding pieces in your budget, so focus instead at looking for art that really fits your style.

Visit garage and estate sales (and don’t be afraid to haggle)

Much the same as thrift stores, garage and estates sales present excellent opportunities to come upon unique pieces of art that are priced to sell. An estate sale does tend to be a bit more of a formal affair than a garage sale though, so if you’re not finding luck going that route stick to homeowner-run yard and garage sales. Prices for items at these types of events are usually negotiable, so if you find a piece you love but it’s a bit outside of your price range you can absolutely try to get the price down. Most of the time, people are just looking for their things to go to a new home where they’ll be appreciated, so show your enthusiasm for the piece and ask if there’s any flexibility on price.

Attend student art shows

Some of the most exciting art you’ll find is from up and comers. If you live in a city or town with an art school, take full advantage of it and check out student galleries. Most of the time, a student art show is an informal event where prices are up for discussion (as opposed to being labeled right next to the piece). And you can usually get away with paying a little bit less than you would otherwise, since the artist is trying to build their portfolio and the school takes no fee. Check out the websites of art schools near you to find a calendar of upcoming student shows.

Get crafty

You don’t have to have a background in art to make cool, custom works for your home. As long as you can buy some craft supplies you can make easy, one of a kind pieces on the cheap. Check out ideas for DIY art to start getting inspired, or just buy some canvas and supplies and see what you can come up with. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before or have no idea how to draw anything beyond a stick figure—there are so many mediums to choose from, and you can find a project that matches your skill level (or presents a challenge, if you’re up to it). If you don’t want to create something from scratch, you can even do something as simple as turning your favorite Instagram photos into canvas or acrylic prints that you can display.

Look beyond the shelf

My favorite place to get cheap art when I lived in the city was at this locally-owned gallery down the street from my apartment. And while I did occasionally buy prints for sale off the shelf, most of the pieces I acquired from there were free postcards set out to advertise upcoming shows that I took and framed. Each postcard was designed by the featured artist so it had a unique style to it, and each cost me only as much as the frame. Over the years, I’ve also framed and hung other small but pretty things that I’ve found at art stores and beyond, greeting cards in particular. Just because something isn’t distinctly labeled and sold as art doesn’t mean you can’t hang it on your walls, so broaden your outlook and start searching for anything frameable that catches your eye.

Turn to the internet

For the widest selection of cheap art, look to the web. There are a ton of websites selling quality art online from well-known names and independent artists alike, and you should have no problem finding something you love, regardless of your taste or your budget. Here are some good places to start:

Minted: Search fine art, prints, and photography, and even commission your own piece. Prints start at just $20 and for an additional fee can be matted and framed.

Rifle Paper Co.: A wide variety of beautiful prints starting at $24, with a strong focus on travel and florals.

Tiny Showcase: Do good with your art purchase. In addition to showcasing new artists with affordable prints starting around $25, Tiny Showcase also donates a portion of the proceeds from each sale to the charity of the artist’s choice.

Etsy: It’s a pretty massive site so you’ll have to do a bit of digging, but Etsy is a great place to go for original, affordable art. Search the stores of artists you like or browse for something general, like a particular style or theme. Prices are set by the artists, and you’ll find a ton of cheap art to search from.

Society 6: You’ll find a little bit of everything for your home here, including prints at super reasonable prices (many start at just $15.99).

Little Paper Planes Shop: Browse fun and colorful prints from up and coming artists, with prices starting under $25.

Light in the Box: A great selection of prints, paintings, décor, tapestries, and more. Prices range, but you can find a lot of options under $50, including some that are already in frames.

Here’s the great thing about art: even cheap art doesn’t look cheap. No matter how much or how little you’re comfortable spending, you’ll be able to find pieces that look great in your home and tell a story about who you are. Build up your collection over time, purchasing things that you love as you find them rather than trying to fill up your entire home at once. With prices so affordable, it won’t take you long to acquire a wide variety of works to brighten up your space.