Is your home in need of a little makeover? Sometimes all it takes is a couple of art pieces to bring your space to life. Below are 16 DIY décor projects to inspire you!

1. Air hardening clay wall hanging

Image: Alice and Lois 

Anyone can give this one a go. Simply roll out some air hardening clay, cut out your shapes and add holes so that you can connect them together with cord. The great part is that air hardening clay doesn’t require any baking (you’ll just need to wait around 24 hours for it to dry).

Tools and materials:

• Air hardening clay
• Clay tools (or a skewer and a knife)
• Cord
• Acrylic paint (if you want to add some colour!)

2. Colour themed painting

Image: Burlap and Blue

If you don’t have much time on your hands, give a colour themed painting a go. Pick and mix your colours, then use a wide brush or  foam brush to create broad strokes.

Tools and materials:

• Wide brush
• Foam brush
• Acrylic paint
• Canvas

3. Simple shapes

Image: The Lovely Drawer

Using simple shapes and designs is an easy and trendy way to update your space. Have some fun and try out different compositions with pen and paper before you get started on your final work.

Tools and materials:

• 200-300gsm paper
• Canvas
• Gouache or acrylic paints
• Foil paint
• Pencil and ruler
• Craft glue
• Picture frame

4. Air hardening clay lanterns

Illuminate your space with an air hardening clay lantern. If you want to see how it’s done, check out our step-by-step video tutorial.

Tools and materials:

• Air hardening clay
• Hobby knife
• Clay tools
• Candles

5. Waterfall painting

Bring the outdoors inside with a beautiful waterfall painting. We recently created this one in the studio and filmed the whole thing so that you can see how it’s done.

Tools and materials:

• Paint brushes
• Modelling paste
• Canvas
• Acrylic paints
• Palette knife

6. Air dry clay rainbow

Image: Fall for DIY

What better way to brighten up a room than with a rainbow? You can make yours bright, pastel or with earthy colours like the DIY décor project above. You do you.

Tools and materials:

• Air hardening clay
• Clay tools
• Acrylic paint
• Acrylic matte medium (if you want to take the gloss level of your paints down a bit)

7. Plaster owl

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at plaster casting? Create a custom mold by watching our video tutorial, or find a pre-prepared one to suit your space. This makes a great little piece for your bookcase or coffee table.

Tools and materials:

• Pottery tools
• Plaster of Paris
• Air hardening clay
• Hobby knife
• Mini modelling tools
• Clay tools
• Kids modelling clay

8. Abstract

Image: Living the Gray Life

Play around and have some fun with abstract painting! This style gives you a lot of freedom to express yourself and create a unique artwork for your home.

Tools and materials:

• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes
• Canvas

9. Abstract floral painting

While we’re on the topic of nature art, abstract flowers are another great DIY décor project. This gives you a bit more room to express yourself than realistic artworks.

Tools and materials:

• Acrylic or oil paints
• Canvas
• Paint brushes

10. Geometric mountains

If you’re looking for a more Scandinavian feel, some simple geometric mountains or forests will do the trick. Gouache is a great medium for this kind of artwork and is a popular choice for illustration and design.

Tools and materials:

• Gouache paints
• 180-300gsm watercolour paper
• Frame
• Paint brushes

11. Polymer clay agate coasters

Coasters are a popular DIY décor project and there are loads of different ideas out there. One of our favourites at the moment is making them look like agate using polymer clay. If you want to see how it’s done, watch our video tutorial.

Tools and materials:

• Polymer clay
• Polymer clay press

12. Fluid art

It’s fun, it’s stunning and anyone can do it! We love fluid art because every piece is different and the colour combinations are endless. An easy place to start is with the flip cup or puddle pour technique.

Tools and materials:

• Pouring paint
• Canvas

13. Spin art

If you don’t mind getting a bit messy, spin painting makes a great décor piece. To see one in action, check out our spin painting video here.

Tools and materials: 

• Pouring paint
• Canvas
• Pottery banding wheel

14. Palette knife painting

Create a textural décor piece by laying the paint on thick with a palette knife. Adding a hint of a colour that’s already in the room is a great way to tie it into your space.

Tools and materials:

• Acrylic or oil paints
• Canvas
• Palette knives

15. Leaves

A simple touch of nature is a beautiful way to liven up any room. This DIY décor project is super simple - all you need to do is trace a leaf onto a canvas and fill it in with a colour of your choice. Check out our video tutorial to get some tips.

Tools and materials:

• Gold paint
• Canvas
• Paint brushes

16. Leonid Afremov inspired painting

Leonid Afremov paintings are a popular décor choice thanks to their vibrant colours and modern impressionist style. If you want to make your own, you can find some pointers in our video tutorial for the park scene above.

Tools and materials:

• Acrylic or oil paints
• Canvas
• Palette knives
• Paint brushes

Do you have your own DIY décor project ideas? Feel free to tag us on Facebook or Instagram using @montmarteart to show us!