Creative Ways to Display Posters

As evidenced by our name, we are huge fans of posters!  As well as those who design them, print them, and love them! 

Whether you’re a collector of vintage posters, one who has an affinity for old concert posters, a sports enthusiast, a quote lover, or someone who simply loves funky, creative designs to liven up your living area or decorate your surroundings, creating the perfect poster display can make all the difference in showcasing your art.

Posters are made for hanging but many are reluctant to do so out of fear they may make your house, office, or garage look more like a college dorm room.  Have no fear!  Gone are the days of thumbtacks, double-sided tape, and cheap plastic frames.  As well as only having the more costly option of a custom framing job.  Here are some creative, affordable ideas for displaying your posters!

Visit local thrift stores, estate sales, and/or garage sales to find a unique frame.  People tend to discard their older, unused frames and thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales are often filled with great options!  These frames, complete with glass, can be purchased for very little money and then transformed to complement your poster.  You won’t believe the difference a can of spray paint can make on an old frame and how well the perfect refurbished frame can display your favorite posters!

Display your poster on a blank canvas.  Believe it or not, a simple, blank canvas can add dimension to your posters!  If you don’t mind permanent solutions, consider purchasing a blank canvas from your local art supply store and then mounting your poster to it by applying a gel medium or poster glue.  For a less permanent solution, opt for mounting tape or use a repositionable mounting spray. Adding a canvas behind your poster can really elevate its look and your display.

Create a poster collage wall.  If you have a rather large collection of posters with related themes or colors, creating a giant poster collage may the perfect solution!  You can hang the posters in a mosaic type pattern, display them in a symmetrical wallpaper style, or cut and collage them into a mural design. The opportunities for creativity are virtually endless. We recommend laying out your display on the floor before hanging, to ensure you’re happy with the layout.

Create your own custom frame with decorative molding.  Perfect for oversized posters (that would otherwise require a costly custom frame), consider attaching your poster to a wall and then creating a custom frame for it using decorative molding.  Affordable molding may be found at your local hardware store and cut to size.  You can then paint it to complement your poster!

Display one large poster in many frames.  If you have a large poster that you don’t mind cutting up into smaller squares, displaying them in many small frames may be right for you!  Using small frames of the same color, size, and style, you can create a “puzzle piece display” by cutting and placing pieces of your poster into the frames and then displaying them to recreate the poster in its original form.  The frames may be hung as close together or far apart as you desire, creating an abstraction of your former poster and a conversational piece of wall art.

Create a wire display.  For smaller posters, consider creating a wire display using a coated wire and decorative hangers.  With this design, the ends of the wire cord may be attached to the wall, using eye hooks, and small posters may be hung using decorative hangers.

For a minimalist look, use Swiss poster clips and foam board.  For this, simply mount your poster to foam and then use these Swiss poster clips to hang your posters up. They are inexpensive and unobtrusive for those who like a clean look.

Happy decorating!