Why Choose Printable Art to Decorate Your Home?
Hi there!
If you're here, you're probably curious about the option to print your own home decor. If you love your home but are living on a budget, like to change your decor with the seasons, and/or want to support small businesses and artists, then I would definitely say printables are the way to go.
On Etsy, you can find a plethora of printable home decor options for every style. There are public domain museum pieces, original illustrations, and even (the ever-controversial) AI-created artwork. For the sake of this post—and this hardworking artist’s sanity—I’m not going to dive into the ethics and personal opinions surrounding AI art.
Instead, I’d love to focus on how beneficial printable art can be for you as the consumer.
Say you have a frame on your mantle. You love the frame—it was a unique thrifted find from your local shop or maybe an impulse buy from Home Goods. Now it sits proudly on your mantle, just waiting for the perfect piece to fill it. All your family photos are already beautifully displayed or privately secured on your laptop. So, let’s have some fun!
Hop onto Etsy and type in “printable art.” Immediately, you'll be met with thousands of pages of results. To narrow it down…
Maybe you’re looking for art to decorate your reading nook or office. You can search "printable library art," and you’ll find tons of beautiful options. It’s just a matter of finding the one that fits your home style!
Or maybe you want something a little more kitschy. You type in “Sardine tin illustration” and discover a charming, eclectic illustration that is perfect for your kitchen. BONUS: you can print it off and have it framed in less than five minutes. Home decorating has never felt so easy.
Oh—and I totally forgot to mention the price tags on printables. Let’s just say, they are an absolute steal. Most instant download art files are under $10 USD, and many are even under $5. How budget-friendly is that?
"But how can they be so inexpensive?" you might ask.
It’s simple: the artist or seller sets the price. Instead of offering a physical print—which incurs production costs like paper, ink, packaging materials, and time—they can offer you the art at an extremely low rate because you take on the printing process. (And honestly, it’s not that hard from home.)
Now, you might be wondering: if it's easy for me, why is a physical print so much more expensive?
Well, as an artist, I can tell you—we agonize over the right paper stock, the most secure protective packaging, how the colors printed, which shipping carrier to trust… all to make sure your order arrives safely, beautifully, and earns a good review. It’s an intensive process!
When you download your own print, you don’t have to worry about shipping, and you can choose your own paper quality. The only thing that reflects on the artist is the quality of the artwork itself—and you already know it’s good, otherwise you wouldn’t want it!
Does that make sense? I hope so!
Now, let’s talk about the “why” a little more:
Why printables?
They are inexpensive.
They’re an easy way to refresh and decorate your home.
They offer a budget-friendly way to express your personal style.
They are a brilliant way to support small businesses and independent artists.
(Did you know that a lot of the museum public domain pieces you see in big-box stores like Home Goods or Hobby Lobby can also be downloaded on Etsy? Pretty cool, right?)
If you're looking for a way to fill your home with art that speaks to you, printables are absolutely the way to go. Believe me—I practice what I preach! I have a revolving frame in my home that's constantly filled with new printable art. It's a little burst of creativity for me to find something I love, and it keeps my space feeling fresh, fun, and personal.
If you have any questions about printables, feel free to reach out! I'm always happy to chat about supporting small artists and businesses.
Thank you for reading—and happy printing!
