What do I do with all these botanical printables???
If you keep reading through this post, I’m going to give you ideas of how to use these free printables, how to print them, and where to purchase inexpensive frames.
If you check around on my blog, I’ve been posting a ton of free botanical prints that you can print yourself. Below are the links of what I have posted so far, and I have more.
21 Free 8″ x 10″ and 11″ x 14″ Free Botanical Printables
Free 18″ x 24″ and 16″ x 20″ Botanical Printables- Series 1
I think framed art can really add visual interest to a room, especially when it’s large and in groupings of 21, 12, 3, etc. That being said, it can be so expensive to get this look. One popular home store has an 11″ x 14″ botanical print for $100, then they have them grouped into 3 rows of 4 so that’s 12 pictures, drumroll please…, that’s $1200!!! They look awesome, but I know for my sake I cannot afford that. For some reason, I love finding ways to offer these looks to people for a lower cost. I literally have been spending hours editting photos, but I love it! I have no desire to receive financial gain from this, I just love doing it. I honestly would decorate people’s houses for free if they would be willing to purchase the items.-
So, what do you with all these printables that you find on Pinterest. Well, first of all, let me say that I know this style isn’t for everyone. Tastes differ so much. I love just about every type of design, french country, modern rustic, farmhouse country, traditional, vintage, rustic, modern, you name it, I enjoy it. I’d say in my home I’ve gone more of a traditional vintage route. I don’t have a farmhouse, I have a pretty basic home and to me it lends itself towards traditional decor. I think botanical printables work great if you have traditional decor, farmhouse, french country, etc. Modern or rustic, probably not as much. I have used botanical printables above my bed in a grouping of 3. I’ve also used them in my dining room. The ones above my bed are actually from an Audubon book given to me by my mother-in-law, so they have birds in them, but same idea.
I think they also look great when they are framed in 8″ x 10″ or 11″ x 14″ frames and then grouped in a collection of 12-21 prints above a couch, in a dining room, anywhere you have a blank wall. I think a grouping of 3-4 16″ x 20″ or 18″ x 24″ framed prints look great above a tv, a bed, in an entryway, dining room, etc. I’m going to provide links to different photos that showcase some ideas. I do not have a copyright license for the photos so I cannot place the photos on this post. If you click on the description below, it should open the photo in another window.
1. Botanical printables in a group of 21 above couch
2. Botanical prints in a sitting area
3. Botanical prints up a staircase
4. Botanical prints in a grouping of 4
5. Botanical prints around a mirror
6. Botanical prints in a living room
7. Botanical prints to add color (my favorite)
8. Botanical prints above a fireplace
9. Botanical prints grouped in 6 above a bed
10. Botanical prints in a grouping of 8 above a bed with colored mat
11. Botanical prints in grouping of 6 in entryway
12. Botanical prints in a dining room
13. Botanical print in a dining room to add color
I think that’s a pretty exhaustive list and will definitely give you inspiration, so check it out! Ok, so now you see what can be done with these printables, next we’ll talk about how to print them and where to buy frames.
How do I print these printables???
If you want a large grouping of 8″ x 10″ or 11″ x 14″, printing at your local copy center, which is a store like OfficeDepot, Kinko’s, Staples, etc. should be inexpensive. We have an OfficeMax close to us, so that is what I use. I have found for me, Powerpoint is an easy source to size these photos to the correct dimensions. When I give my files to the copy center, they normally want them ready to be printed for an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper, of an 11″ x 17″ sheet of paper, or a poster size. If I just gave them a jpeg they’d probably contact me and ask what to do with it. That is why I’ve formatted all these printables in Powerpoint for you to provide the copy center with.
How I work with OfficeMax is I normally will contact the person at the Print Services desk over the phone and they will ask me to e-mail them the files I want printed and all the specifications. I personally just use normal paper to print my images and I’ve had good luck, you can go with higher quality paper if you want. It’s probably not a bad idea. Going with normal letter size paper in color is about .$50. That means I’ve printed my art for $.50! That is a steal. Ledger size paper, which is 11″ x 17″ is what you want to select if you want an 11″ x 14″ image. I have formatted the images to be printed as an 8″ x 10″ or an 11″ x 14″ print, that is because standard frames are 8″ x 10″ or 11″ x 14″ and that saves us money on frames. We’re all about savin’ money here, y’all!! Ledger size paper in color is $1.18. Still a steal for art!
Now, when we get to the larger images like the 16″ x 20″ or 18″ x 24″ it gets a little pricier. At OfficeMax an 18″ x 24″ poster is $20, so I looked around on the internet and I found that Vistaprint will print an 18″ x 24″ poster for around $12.00. I found a coupon that took off $4.00 and shipping was around $4.00 so I printed my 18″ x 24″ for $12.00. Not as cheap as the smaller art, but you need less, so it’s still a savings. Always check retailmenot.com for a Vistaprint coupon before you check out. I bet they often have them.
I’m going to walk you through how to upload the Powerpoint file to Vistaprint in case you need help.
First, go to All Products – Signs and Banners- Posters
Scroll down until you see the box labeled Available Sizes, select Medium, then click Get Started.
Look for Upload a complete Design, and then click Get Started.
A box will come up that reads Choose your Size and Format, select Medium 18″ x 24″, then click Next. You will select this option if you want to print either an 18″ x 24″ or a 16″ x 20″ image. Both sizes are formatted to print as an 18″ x 24″ poster, the 16″ x 20″ option will just have white space around the image.
You will now be prompted to upload your powerpoint file. Select Choose File, select the powerpoint file that you have saved of the botanical print you wish to print. A response will come up that says Resolution Warning, this is because the images have been blown up to be printed as a large image. I had an 18″ x 24″ poster printed to check the quality. I was happy with it. The edges weren’t perfectly crisp, but it was not noticeable unless you looked at the image close up. I’ve included a picture below of the poster so you can see for yourself. Click on Next.
The next screen is Customize your Poster, everything should be set, so you can click Next.
The next screen is Check your design, if you’re happy click Next.
Approve your design. Check your quantity, I just wanted 1, so that’s what I selected.
You’re next be asked the type of paper you’d like, I selected Matte because it’s cheaper. Then I clicked Next on the millions of screens asking me to add more things until I got to the screen to pay. Remember, check retailmenot.com for Vistaprint coupons!
Ok, hopefully that helps. I think I was pretty thorough, probably a bit too thorough.
The picture below is the poster that I had printed to check the quality.
Where do I buy inexpensive frames???
Now, you may have a better source than I do, but I’ll let you know what I’ve found. The stores that are easily accessible from most places that I’ve been happy with the frame prices are Amazon and Michaels. For larger frames, I’ve had great luck at Michaels, but if they’re not 50% off, don’t buy. They are almost always going on sale for 50% off. Now, in terms of the cheapest 8″ x 10″ or 11″ x 14″ black, gray, silver, or grayish wood frames I think Ikea is great. They have 8″ x 10″ frames for $6.99. That’s a great deal! I know for some people though, Ikea is not a feasible option. We have to drive an hour to get to one. Homegoods is also probably a good place to look for frames. If you really want to go cheap, the Dollar Tree has 8″ x 10″ frames, but the quality is not very good. I’ve also checked places like Amazon and ebay, but I haven’t been overly impressed with their prices. I have a feeling you can probably find some good buys on 8″ x 10″ frames on Amazon if you look, but unlike with most other products, Amazon is not my go-to for frames. I use Amazon for a ton of other stuff, especially since I have a 3 year old and going to the store is not a very pleasant experience.
I hope I’ve helped someone bring some color onto their walls without breaking the bank! Thanks for reading!
Rebecca
