Big Lots Wall Art: Budget-Friendly Decor Reviews 2026

Okay so I spent like three weekends at Big Lots because my client’s budget got slashed and I needed to find wall art that didn’t look cheap, and honestly? I was shocked at what they had in 2026.

The canvas prints they’re carrying now are way better than that stuff from a few years ago. I grabbed this abstract piece in blues and grays for $24.99 and it’s actually holding up in my staging room. The canvas wrap is tight, no weird rippling at the corners which used to be a huge problem with budget pieces. You gotta check the edges though before you buy because some of them still have that loose fabric thing happening where it looks like it’s gonna peel off the frame in six months.

Their metal wall art selection exploded this year. I’m talking actual dimensional pieces, not just flat printed metal. Found this geometric sunburst thing for $39.99 that I used in a modern farmhouse project and the homeowner thought it was from West Elm. The trick is avoiding anything that’s too trendy because Big Lots gets stuff that’s like… six months past peak trend? So if you see those word signs that say “Blessed” or whatever, just keep walking. But their abstract metal sculptures are solid.

Wait I forgot to mention the framed prints situation. They partnered with some new suppliers apparently because the frame quality jumped significantly. I picked up a botanical print series, three pieces for $59.99 total, and the frames are actually wood, not that plastic-trying-to-be-wood material. The glass is still obviously cheap but it’s clear and doesn’t have that green tint. My dog knocked one off the table when I was photographing them and it didn’t shatter into a million pieces so that’s a plus.

Oh and another thing, their oversized pieces are where you get the most value. Like I found this 40×60 inch canvas for $79.99 which is insane. At HomeGoods you’re paying $150 minimum for that size. The print quality is decent if you’re hanging it in a room with softer lighting. Direct sunlight shows the pixelation a bit but in a dining room or bedroom? Totally fine.

This is gonna sound weird but check the clearance endcaps obsessively. I go every two weeks now because they rotate stock fast and the clearance stuff is usually just overstock, not damaged. Found a set of four small gallery frames with nature prints for $12, originally $34.99. The only “issue” was one had a tiny scratch on the frame that I covered with a brown Sharpie in like ten seconds.

The textured wall art is hit or miss. They have these mixed media pieces that combine canvas with wood elements or metal accents. I bought one that looked amazing in the store but when I got it home the wood pieces were glued on kinda crooked. My client didn’t notice but I did and it drove me crazy. So if you’re going for those, really inspect them in the store. Bring someone with you to hold it at a distance while you step back.

Their boho macrame and woven pieces are actually legit for the price point. Got a large woven wall hanging for $34.99 that’s held up for three months now without unraveling. The cotton is a bit rough, not that soft organic cotton feel, but once it’s on the wall nobody’s touching it anyway. I staged an apartment with it and the tenants ended up buying it from the landlord.

Okay so funny story, I was watching The White Lotus while trying to arrange a gallery wall with Big Lots frames and I realized their frame sizes are kinda random. They don’t always stick to standard sizes which makes mixing and matching annoying. Like they’ll have a 14×18 frame next to an 11×17 and then a random 16×20. So if you’re doing a gallery wall, buy everything at once from the same collection or you’ll end up with weird spacing issues.

The mirror selection deserves its own section honestly. I’ve bought probably seven mirrors from Big Lots this year for various projects. The decorative mirrors with the sunburst frames or the wooden bead frames are fantastic deals. There’s this arched mirror I got for $49.99 that looks SO expensive. The glass quality is obviously not perfect, slight warping if you look at the edges, but straight on it’s great. Just don’t buy the mirrors with lots of small mirror tiles, those always have gaps and the adhesive shows.

You gotta be strategic about when you shop. New shipments come in Thursday mornings at my location. I asked the manager because I was there so much she probably thought I worked there. If you go Thursday afternoon or Friday you get first pick of the new stuff before it gets picked over. Weekends are a mess, everything’s disorganized and the good stuff is gone.

Their seasonal wall art is weirdly good? Like I’m not usually a seasonal decor person but their fall collection had these sophisticated autumn landscapes that weren’t all pumpkins and “Fall Y’all” signs. More like moody forest scenes and abstract leaf patterns. Bought three pieces for a coffee shop client and they kept them up past fall because they weren’t obnoxiously seasonal.

The 3D wall sculptures in wood are where I’ve had mixed results. The quality varies wildly between pieces. I’ll see a geometric wood piece that’s perfectly sanded and stained next to an identical one that has rough edges and uneven staining. You really gotta inspect each individual piece. I spilled my latte on one while loading my car which actually showed me the finish isn’t waterproof, so keep them away from humid areas like bathrooms.

Wait, their floating shelves count as wall decor right? Because those are actually solid. Got a set of two rustic wooden shelves for $29.99 and they’re holding up my pottery collection without sagging. The mounting hardware is basic but functional. I added my own anchors just to be safe because the included ones looked sketchy.

If you’re into that maximalist gallery wall look, Big Lots is perfect because you can buy a ton of pieces without feeling bad if you change your mind later. I created a whole eclectic wall for like $180 that would’ve cost $600+ at other stores. Mixed their frames with some thrifted pieces and honestly couldn’t tell the difference once it was all together.

One thing that drives me nuts is their lighting situation in stores makes everything look different than it will in your home. That teal abstract I thought was gonna be perfect turned out way more green in natural light. Now I take pictures with my phone and check them outside the store before committing. Sounds paranoid but I’ve been burned too many times.

Their textured canvas prints, the ones that have the raised brushstroke effect, are surprisingly well done for $34.99. Not hand-painted obviously but the texture adds depth that makes them look more expensive. I used one in a doctor’s office waiting room and it’s held up to fluorescent lighting without fading for eight months now.

The sets are usually a better deal than individual pieces. Like their three-piece botanical series or the two-piece abstract sets. You save maybe $10-15 buying the set versus individual pieces. Plus they’re designed to go together so you don’t have to worry about coordinating.

Just avoid anything that’s trying too hard to be farmhouse or coastal. Their “Beach Life” and “Farm Fresh” stuff looks exactly as cheap as it is. Stick with abstract, botanical, or simple geometric patterns and you’ll be fine. The more specific and trendy the theme, the cheaper it looks.