I found two frames at a yard sale for $1 a piece several weeks ago and snatched them up.
I really loved the chunky frame, the black and gold colors, and the patina-look the frames had. I wasn't in love with all the dust though. The inner part of the frames were really nasty and a gray color I wasn't fond of. I gave them a good cleaning up and just set them aside because I wanted new pictures for them.
Finally this weekend, I found two pictures at Hobby Lobby. They ended up being $14 (50% off) for both tax and all. I removed the matting because the frame already has a kind of matted look (and they wouldn't fit with the matting).
I now turned to fixing the dirty "matting." I just put two coats of my dining room wall color on the gray part. I had the paint on hand and I liked the look. You can see the dining room from where these beauties now hang in our entry hallway so the color is a perfect tie in.
I am really happy with the look the frames give for a total cost of $16. Though, I think I talked myself in hanging them too low. I might move them up after I live with them for a bit.Before:
After:
