Is your bachelor pad missing that extra… something? Why not incorporate a few pieces of fine art? Nothing classes up a bachelor pad quite like art does.
Unfortunately, quality art can cost you an arm and a leg. But what if we told you that you can create great art for your home only by using a printer? Here are 5 ways you can boost your home’s aesthetic through the tried-and-true practice of home printing. And you don’t have the break the bank to get an MTV-worthy crib!
1. Stylize Bathroom Tiles
A great bachelor pad must have a great bathroom. Your bathroom décor should be so clean and elegant that it’ll distract from that fact that the room is used for bodily hygiene. One element of the bathroom that makes a huge difference: tile. If you live in an older building, your bathroom tile might be chipped or faded. Or, it’s possible that your bathroom is too bland overall, in which case it wouldn’t hurt to spice up the bathroom tile.
You can use home printing to give your bathroom tiles a makeover. Silly as it sounds, it’s really easy to do and it can add a whole new flair to your bathroom aesthetic. Here’s what you do:
- Using a photo design document, like Photoshop or InDesign, create a stunning design that you can overlay over each tile.
- Adjust the design so that it’ll match the measurements of a single tile
- Print the design on clear matte sticker paper
- When printed, cut away the excess sticker paper
- Carefully stick the design onto the bathroom tile
- Print out the design in bulk and apply to all the tiles in your bathroom
In no time, the tiles in your bathroom will be more decorative, or, at the very least, their imperfections will be less noticeable.
2. Create 3D-printed Items
You can undertake more intricate art projects via 3D printing. What is 3D printing? Basically, a 3D printer allows you to print out 3D objects. The machine uses melted plastic and precise layering to craft any kind of item, so long as you can make a digital blueprint of it. 3D printing is still in its early stages, but there are smaller 3D printers available that are compact enough for a bachelor pad. If you don’t own one, don’t worry—this is the only 3D printer solution on this list. But if you do, here are a few artistic creations that you can produce:
- A bust of yourself and friends
- Lampshades
- Vases
- Sculptures
You can even craft furniture! You’ll have to print your furniture in pieces, and then assemble it IKEA-style. But if there’s a furniture design that you really want, that you either can’t afford or can’t find, a 3D printer can bring it to life. You can literally create one-of-a-kind creations with a 3D printer, so long as you apply some creativity and ingenuity.
3. Create Multi-Panel Art
One of the most popular pieces of hanging wall art is the multi-panel. You’ve definitely seen it before, but here’s an example if you need a little refresher. What’s great about multi-panel art is that it gives you flexibility on where and how you hang the pieces. And the separation between each panel provides enough wall space to make the art blend in perfectly with the minimalist aesthetic of contemporary décor.
Most printers aren’t large enough to print out a gallery-sized painting or photograph. But you can definitely print out multi-panel art to frame and hang on your wall. Multi-panel artworks are composed of two or more pieces, which makes the printing process manageable:
- Figure out how you want to segment the painting or photograph
- Print out each piece individually
- Frame each piece and arrange them on the wall
If you’ve taken a great photograph, or you’ve painted or illustrated an image you’re proud of, turn it into a multi-panel piece that’ll add some flourish to your wall.
4. Print Art
Do you have a favorite work of classic art? Or have you created your own work of art that you’d love to show off on your wall? Why not print it out and frame it?
Many folks are reluctant to print out artwork on a standard printer because they don’t like how it looks on standard printer paper. But that’s an easy remedy! Just pick out a different kind of printer paper that’s best suited to the artwork you’re going to print. So long as you use an inkjet printer (laser printers don’t print color images as well), you’ll be able to turn your bachelor pad into a small gallery.
5. Create Wood Art
Wood art refers to an illustration that’s done on a panel of wood. These make for some of the most luxurious artwork pieces you can place in your pad. It’s more complicated than printing designs for bathroom tiles, but it’s not quite as extensive as 3D printing—here’s a great tutorial on how to do it. The best thing is that it’s cheap! Head on over to Home Depot and buy a small panel of wood, and you’re halfway done.
Whether you’re trying to craft a stylish place to hang with your friends or an elegant abode to impress your date, printing artwork is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to class up your pad and give it an air of sophistication.