I warned you I was excited to go all out for our first real Christmas in the new house, so it’s no surprise I got giddy and decided to decorate an unexpected spot: the hallway. I swapped out 22 frames in our little hallway frame collection to give the space a festive feel — and it cost nothing. Over the top? Maybe. But it makes us smile, and that’s what matters. Let’s take a tour.
From a distance the change is subtle, which we like. One of the great things about a frame wall is that it draws people in; you have to get closer to notice the details. Up close you’ll see many of the original pieces replaced with seasonal touches.
For example, a paint deck that used to hang on the pig hook was swapped for a tiny yarn owl ornament I picked up on clearance after last year’s holidays (25 cents). I also tucked two old snowflake ornaments into two shadow-box frames on the left. The clear tree in the frame on the right is a page from a magazine — framing pages from magazines, catalogs, or calendars for personal enjoyment is an easy, affordable way to refresh art at home.
Moving a little further right, you’ll see more holiday swaps. The glitter ornaments and green trees come from a magazine ad for a glitter line; the blue star of ornaments to its right is a catalog page. Using catalog and magazine imagery gives the wall a cohesive, seasonal theme without buying new prints.
Beneath the glitter page is a Pottery Barn spread featuring festive shakers, and the frame above our console holds West Elm plates that read “Cheers,” “Joy,” and “Peace” — simple holiday reminders that feel just right in this spot.
One of my favorite pieces is a West Elm page of ornaments arranged into a star — I love the graphic, playful look it adds to the arrangement.
I framed a few more catalog pages, like a collection of holiday mugs and ornaments backed with green paper we already had, and a page of numbered and lettered plates — including a “Cookies for Santa” plate that sits low on the wall so Clara can see it.
The lower frames are fitted with plexiglass and secured with heavy-duty Velcro so they’re safe at Clara’s level. Since she loves Santa, we placed the “Cookies for Santa” plate where she can admire it — her reaction was priceless: “I love you, Santa!” and sometimes she even mumbles “buh-bye Santa” as she walks by.
From afar the updates blend in, but as you approach you notice details like two big jingle bells hung inside a backwards-facing canvas. To hang that canvas I used a small metal saw-tooth hanger on the frame’s front so it hangs over a nail when flipped. Nearby is a photo of stacked firewood topped with holiday pillows from a catalog, which adds cozy texture to the layout.
Across the wall we made several more swaps: a printed cardstock sign that reads “Happy holidays, y’all!” with red hearts, a strip of red wrapping paper behind a framed peacock feather, and a shadow box holding two small silver ornaments alongside a calendar with our anniversary circled. Another tiny yarn ornament — a bunny this time — adds a playful touch.
In the lower-right of that group I framed a West Elm page filled with playful numbered ornaments that feature fun shapes Clara enjoys, like a swan and a goose — she calls out “honk honk!” when she sees them.
On the other side of the wall we made six more quick switches: a Banana Republic ad with a pup wearing a bow tie under mistletoe, a funny Christmas sweater ornament taped into a backwards canvas, and a felt ornament that looks like an ornate paper cut-out when framed.
I also printed another text design on cardstock that reads “Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas,” and framed an illustration of holiday cookies from a magazine. In a top-left shadow box I added silver ornaments against leftover wrapping paper for a reflective, festive display.
So there you have it: 22 easy frame swaps that can be undone after the holidays. I left the original art tucked behind each new piece so everything can be returned to its pre-holiday look in minutes. The frames themselves came from Ikea, Target clearance, and thrift stores — we’ve collected them over time and repurposed many from our previous home to create one cohesive hallway display.
There’s something satisfying about adding free, festive touches to an often-overlooked area like a hallway. Did you decorate any unexpected spots this year — a bathroom, laundry room, or windowsill tree? If you’re looking for more seasonal inspiration, I pulled together a page of our holiday projects and ideas that’s easy to browse by picture. Ho ho hope it helps!
Psst — we picked a winner for this week’s giveaway.