From Flooded to Fresh: A Lake Condo DIY Frame Project I’m Loving
In 2022, our little lake condo went through the worst kind of renovation trigger — a flood. And not just any flood… our upstairs neighbor’s tankless water heater ran for six straight weeks without anyone knowing. By the time we walked in, it had completely destroyed our space.
Everything had to go.
Turning a Mess Into a Fresh Start
So we started over — new kitchen, bathrooms, hallway, and laundry room. Which meant new everything: paint, finishes, layout, vibe.
We went from 1990s lipstick-on-an-old-condo to the freshest, cutest little condo in the whole HOA. (Not biased at all.)
We even almost sold it this summer when we tried to buy a bigger fixer-upper nearby… but thankfully, someone with no contingencies (hello sale of the condo) swooped in, and now they’re living our HGTV nightmare. Bless them. And thank goodness for that divine intervention.
So now? I’m back to falling in love with this little place — and making it truly feel like ours.
The DIY Photo Frame Hack I Can’t Get Enough Of
I’ve always loved the look of unposed framed family memories — the kind that feel like heirlooms hanging above fireplaces or tucked into bookshelves. While our cute condo feels fresh and new, I didn’t think going ‘old’ was the move. I ordered white frames with a white mat to frame a few black and white photos. When the frames arrived, the white mats were too blue for our space. With some convincing on the husbands part, I jumped into this DIY and he quickly feel in LOVE.
This quick and easy DIY gave our hallway frames a completely elevated, traditional-meets-modern look — and it took less than an hour. (My college art school heart loved this project too. I felt like I was back in book binding class.)
What You’ll Need:
White frames (mine are from Hobby Lobby) but I love these from Amazon that also come with the mat set for an 8x10 photo and is significantly cheaper than a 50% off day at HL. (Hello Christmas gifts!)
White mat boards (included with my Hobby Lobby frames)
Fabric of your choice (I went with something soft and classic)
Super 77 spray adhesive (linked here)
Scissors or an X-Acto knife
Photos to frame (I printed recent iPhone memories!)
Here is the link to my amazon shopping cart! Everything but your photo prints is linked here.
How to Do It:
Trim your fabric to a slightly larger size as the mat board.
Steam or iron the fabric — important to avoid wrinkles!
Spray one side of the mat board lightly with Super 77 and place the fabric over top, smoothing gently. Personally, I sprayed one side at a time to ensure my fabric lines were straight.
Once dry, cut an X through the center where the photo opening is.
Wrap the inner edges of the fabric behind the mat, like you’re wrapping a Christmas present.
Secure the corners neatly, glue down any loose areas.
Pop your photo in the back, frame it up, and voila — an elevated, cozy, heirloom-inspired display.
Here’s Why I Love This:
It made our hallway feel instantly cozier and curated
I finally printed some of those iPhone photo memories
It looks designer, but costs less than $15/frame
It made me love this condo even more
A Little Encouragement?
Print your photos. Seriously. Don’t let them just live in your phone or your cloud. They’re meant to be seen, held, remembered. It is also scientifically proven to help the mental health of your children. (My professional photographer side talking) Whether you use this method or not, find a way to bring your life into your home — the real kind of art.
Whether your home is a condo, fixer-upper, or something in-between — I hope this project inspires you to make it more you.