In our new "industrial loft" condo, we are hanging, among other things, a rug we got in Morocco 30+ years ago, and a vintage "bus blind" I just bought on Ebay. That's in addition to framed posters (shows we've been to, places we've seen, that kind of thing), family photos, and various framed pictures and "objects" we've acquired In our travels. "Real" art has never been our "thing". The only original paintings we own were done by a family friend who is a professional watercolorist.

I have antique maps of my dh's and my places of birth framed in the living and dining rooms. I have also group multiple small frames with matted post cards from favorite trips in both my upstairs hall and powder room. Also in my stairway I have an old stain glass window used as art. I have used old doors to fill wall space from time to time as well.

Thank you for the responses. One of my favorite pieces is an old sidelight window, it isn't stained glass, but does have a design in it. I keep bringing it in from the garage, trying to find a place for it! I also have a set of legs from an old iron table that I use as wall sconce candle holders. I have a place for them but have not put them up yet.

While I have a lot of original oils and watercolors I also have a lot of non-traditional wall decor, little of which is mass-produced. Purchased inexpensively in 2nd hand venues (yard sales, thrift and antique shops) many are one-of-a-kind items, some repurposed or repainted from the original.

Some wall decor I currently have or have previously used collected over 4+ decades

-mirrors
-a metal wall hanging made from an old piece of wrought iron fencing
-tapestries
-a quilted wall hanging
-framed ancestor portraits
-vintage photos
-a wall cabinet made from a large picture frame with shelves behind it
-framed vintage doilies
-framed pewter Christmas decorations I bought in Rothenburg
-French memo board made by me with photos
-vintage embroidery hoops with fabric or sewing patterns
-pottery and plate clocks
-decorative plates, platters, as well as silver trays of various shapes and sizes in groupings
-framed tiles I bought in the Netherlands
-ceramic Beswick birds
-collection of pottery cookie molds
-cast iron cookie molds
-antique cast iron biscuit pan
-cast iron trivet
-decoupaged plaques made by me
-carved wood wall shelf and hangings
-ornate wall brackets (sconces)
-plate rails which are wide enough to display various decorative objects
-decorative original paintings done by youngest GD when she was 3 which could probably be termed non-traditional wall decor

You might have a look at etsy or ebay for unique wall decor ideas. Also there are Christmas arts and crafts sales starting soon where you might find some unique things.

The snow has already fallen...just a bit. I hang old snow shoes (full size and a small pair), plus an old wooden child's sled. There is one corner where I change out rather than all over the room.

The rest of the house stays the same. Bedroom has a fireplace surround I took the lower 2/3 off of and use as a shelf for mirror and a couple of sentimental items. A clear glass/leaded star hangs from a curtain rod.

Door knobs with patina door plates in bathroom for hanging towels.

I'm traditional with some rustic, the old farm days can't be forgotten. But a tad minimal on covering/using too much.

My middle son brought me 2 beautiful table runners. They are in a color that is not me and have no clue what to do with them. Same thing with a huge silk cloth from oldest son when he was in Afg. They need a wall to hang on, but just can't get them in use.

Love old books around too. There are many items which should be framed just for keeping history.

I keep a file of photos of non-traditional art for projects. If they are simple enough, I duplicate them. Here are a few examples

We made an arrangement out of a collection of antique walking sticks we had...under the kitsch antlers. Gramma always said every home needs antlers, so there they are!

In the main level guest room, I had three dresses framed DD2, my sister and I wore in our 1yo portraits.

Also in that room is one of a pair - iron gate.

Same room; vintage evening bag and paper doll with lace and satin handmade ribbon dress.

In a lower level guest room; leaded glass sidelight window over the bed.

Framed Yen given to me by my mother's pen pal from Japan when he visited us when I was in HS. They are still pen pals, started when they were in JH and are now 80yo.

In our MBR, I have a grouping of five handcarved German antler plaques. Over our bed is an unpainted wood arched window (no glass).

In the lower level den is a rattlesnake I killed and skinned. :)

In our great room is an antique zinc French butcher shop horse head - upper right in photo:

DD2 has a wooden saddle stretcher hanging in a picture wall grouping.

But Beverly, how do you get those people to always stand there?

Allison,
Your home is filled with so many beautiful and interesting things.

Beverly -- are those cheetos in test tubes? That's....um....interesting. And making me hungry, LOL!

I have some antique tin ceiling tiles that are mounted on wood squares and hung in a grouping in my great room.
The center top one is from a 1912 building in New Platz, NY. The center bottom one is also 1912 but from Rockport, Maine. The other two are from LaGrange, GA 1931 but the added little squares on them are from a 1907 Dickenson, TN building.
I would love to know a more of the history of the buildings.

Don't think they were Cheetos. Not sure what they were, but I thought they were jelly beans. An effective way to add some color to the room I thought.

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding,,.............we have a winner!!

Baby Carrots it is!! Just checked the title on the picture.

To clarify, they removed my post with the winning baby carrots comment, which was located between Beverly's two posts. I asked them to remove some spam and I guess the spam and my comment on it were removed.

As for non traditional art, I have a 1979 London Underground map, a rice paddle from Japan, a framed tee shirt, and a beautiful certificate my Dad received when he crossed the equator in a Navy ship.

Beverly,
I have been trying to find "the hands". Any idea where? Keep seeing them pop up on sites, but never where they can be bought.
Thanks

Alison...what a beautiful home you have and the collections are so well done. Feels like home.

Beverly...never mind on the hands. They are easy to find. At $65 each, think I can get over this one. Still a unique idea.

hh, as always, you made me LOL with your question about the people. Thanks, I have coffee stains on my shirt now.

I have one of these 'climbing men' on my dining room wall between a window and a doorway. People seem to like him. When I bought him, he was at a boutique-y store so I thought he was, you know, Real Art. But if you can get him at the Interior Mall... I guess it's not a rare find.

I also have this decal over the doorway in our mudroom -- so this is what you see when you come in my back door.

Here is a link that might be useful: climbing guy

I also have these ceiling medallions in DD's room at our beach house. I just spray painted them and hung them with those 3M thingies.

Thank you, hhireno and technicolor! I enjoy finding "different" things around town or when traveling (reminders).

LOL I thought they were Cheetos too!

I am procrastinating about cleaning some windows, so I went around and took some quick iPhone pics of other non-art around the house. Sorry, I have to post them all separately.

I got this...Something...on Etsy years ago. It's weird but I like it. It looks huge in this pic, but it's maybe 8" tall.

I have these tiny plates near my "coffee station."

Another Etsy find. Had to add a bit of dimension to my obligatory stairway photo wall.

DD was born in Korea...this is her little traditional Hanbok hanging over the desk in her room.

One more, because it's a good example of inexpensive art. We went to an artists' open studios event and DD really liked this one particular artist's work that incorporated fabrics, ribbons, etc. I didn't want to spend as much as a larger piece of art would cost for her, but this artist had small postcard-sized works that were priced around $20, I think. I let DD pick one out, and I put it in a $5 Target frame. So this is DD"s first piece of Real Art.