Easily Upgrade Cheap Frames With This Peel and Stick Molding
April 02, 2026
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Easily upgrade plain, cheap frames with this peel and stick molding.
This product is SO fun and now my mind is swimming with ideas and different ways I can use it around the house!
If you've been around for a while, you may remember when I wallpapered the tiny hallway off of our kitchen:
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At the time I hung four large Ribba frames from Ikea -- they measure 13x17 and I painted the mat they came with a dark navy.
Recently I was looking at the frames and how bland they were. I wanted them to stand out more and thought about changing them out to these gold bamboo frames I found online:
I just didn't want to spend the money on them. :) Four would have been close to $120 and they weren't even as big as our current frames. So I started thinking...and remembered a product I already had that could create more detail on my existing Ribba frames.
A few months ago, I ordered this "peel and stick" beaded trim out of sheer interest. I wanted to check out the quality and was curious to see how they looked in person:
I purchased the smallest option available, the 8mm size that comes in ten foot lengths. They come in white and this wood look-a-like color, and are made out of a flexible PVC material. The description doesn't specifically say they are paintable, but mine painted just fine (with spray paint).
When I got to thinking about it, I realized this cute trim could give me a similar effect to the frames I shared above. The ten feet I already had was plenty for two frames, so I just had to buy one more roll.
You can attach this decorative trim wherever you want on the frame -- either on the inside more toward the mat and photo, or around the outside of the frame. (Or both!) I chose to adhere it to the inside, just to be sure I'd have plenty to work with.
The reviews for the sticky tape that comes with this beaded trim were horrible, but I didn't have any issues with it. I wonder if they've improved it over time?
I couldn't find where I put the tape that came with my first order, and luckily I had some thin double-sided craft tape in my stash that worked just as well:
I had just enough -- almost down to the millimeter! The tape that came with the flexible molding worked just like this one, it just had a red plastic covering the top.
Then I just stuck the trim on top of the tape. At first I tried cutting each length of the molding before I started sticking it on, but I found I got a much better fit if I laid it down and then cut each corner while on the frame:
(I added a small pencil mark exactly where I needed to cut.)
These handheld miter shears are perfect for this DIY! I cut each corner at a 45 degree angle:
It would look just as great without the miter cuts...if you just match the little beads up at each corner that would be fine.
Regular scissors also worked, but didn't cut as cleanly as the shears.
Quick tip for the tape that comes with this trim -- the plastic/paper on top was SO hard to remove! I used a sharp knife to separate it from the sticky part, but anything super thin should work:
The wood toned beads looked really cute when I was done adhering them to the frame:
I wanted to zhuzh them up a bit more, so I took each one out to the garage and sprayed them with my favorite metallic gold spray paint.
You can see the coverage of this paint on all kinds of materials in my brass spray paint comparison:
Once they were dry, I added a little more dimension with my Autumn and European Gold Rub n Buff waxes and mixed together:
You can read all about these awesome Rub n Buff waxes here. They are a great way to add more interest or detail to just about any material!
The combo of the two colors made for the perfect warm gold. I rubbed it on top of the beaded trim:
I also rubbed a bit of it onto the front of the frame as well. You don't need to use rubber gloves, but it does help -- this stuff is hard to get off of your hands!
These frames turned out so beautifully! I'm so glad I finally tackled this easy DIY project.
Now the navy photo mats really pop and look so good with the navy in the wallpaper:
When my husband walked by after I hung them back up, he commented on how the great the new pictures were. He thought I had just hung them! 😂
I guess the previous white frames didn't really do these justice:
I'm so glad I didn't spend money on new frames -- I was able to give these existing frames a new look for under $15. (I had the spray paint and Rub n Buff.)
There are quite a few different design options in this flexible molding. This peel and stick molding has quite a few pretty options other than the beaded look!
I didn't realize how the frames would tie into the inside of that IKEA hanging shade until I stood back to check everything out. I love it!:
This DIY trim would be a pretty addition to so many things around the house -- mirrors, cabinet fronts, furniture...the possibilities are endless!
Here's another look at the before pic from a few years ago:
And the after:
A few weeks ago I replaced all of the baseboards in this small hallway -- I just love the beefier molding!
I've completed a few more DIY projects in this small area over the years! Check out how I added trim to the end of the base cabinets, added DIY light rails under the wall cabinets and changed the color of our backsplash grout.
What would you use this pretty trim on? I have more ideas in mind. :)
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