Review: Photowall Canvas

Disclaimer: The canvas and frame were gifted to us for the purpose of this review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m the first to admit that I don’t really have very much idea about interior design. We’ve renovated a kitchen in a previous house and two bathrooms here – I just don’t have enough confidence to do anything particularly quirky so each time we’ve chosen something neutral and uncomplicated, but inoffensive too.

When we refurbished our master suite two years ago, I agonised over wallpaper for ages, eventually choosing a lovely pale grey tree design.

Similarly, we’ve got bits and bobs of art around – some small scenes of Glasgow tenements, a photo of a lighthouse in a storm and then all the requisite motorsports art that comes naturally with himself’s love of Le Mans. There’s a 1960s Ford GT40 on the living room wall, a whole set of Gulf racers in the playroom and a beautiful black and white Porsche in the downstairs loo. Then of course the kids’ art and family photos bedeck the halls and bookcases.

But there’s nothing that I feel really passionate about.

So when Photowall contacted me with the offer of a product in exchange for a review, well, I jumped at the chance.

Ordering

Well, ordering wasn’t really the first challenge – choosing something took me ages! I searched and filtered and refined and added images to my favourites until I’d narrowed it down from the 1000s of designs they have on offer, to 18. Then I sat himself down and we looked at the favourites together – by the way the website makes it really easy to come back to your “liked” designs.

Some sort of generosity overcame himself and he just said “order the one you love” – because there was one design which had totally tugged at something inside me the moment I saw it.

If you’re ordering a canvas, make sure to add the frame too and in the right size. It took me a little minute to find where they were on the site – so here’s my tip: at the top of the page click Prints & Posters then choose “Order stretched canvas frame” below the image (can you tell I’m a technical writer now?). Or even easier, click here.

I’ve got to admit that the cost of the frame rather surprised me – I think I had the mindset of someone who buys their photo frames in B&M or in bulk on Amazon. But I’d already researched how the canvas and frame work, so I knew it was a clever solid wood system, and its integral to the canvas looking good so its not unreasonable that the frame should cost almost as much as the canvas. 

Delivery

The delivery was so well organized, completely hassle-free and prompt. I ordered on a Monday evening, the package was dispatched on Wednesday and arrived on Thursday afternoon. It came by courier so there were all the usual updates on its progress and it was really well looked after in transit.

I’ve got to say as well, I was impressed by the packaging. In a world where we waste so much, and use so much plastic packaging, it was refreshing to receive my delivery with almost no plastic. Just three ties on the outer box and a small bag with the smallest bits needed for construction – everything else was cardboard and paper and went straight into the recycling bin.

Construction

This was the bit that had me worried – himself isn’t allowed to do DIY after an incident with a shelf, a drill and me getting covered in dust in the next room. But I’d already watched Photowall’s YouTube video before ordering so I thought I knew what I was in for.

As well as their video, there were clear instructions in the packaging – and believe me, if I say they were clear that’s high praise! I’m a technical writer by trade and almost all instructions irritate me one way or another – sure there are a couple of tiny gripes, but they’re from a professional criticiser of instructions!

I’d ordered quite a big canvas, 1m x 1m, and himself was working when I came to construct the frame. So I cleared the kitchen table out of the way and laid a clean table cloth on the floor so I had a clean but hard surface to work on.

Then it was simple really. I checked which way round each side of the frame needed to be placed (so that the groove is towards the canvas), stuck them down, folded them in, and screwed everything in place with braces. No tools needed!

The Completed Installation

Having tightened the frame and being sure it was secure, I turned the canvas over. It’s even better than I expected.

Oh I’m so pleased with this. Its up on the sitting room wall and every time I walk into the room, I smile to see this.

Its just so full of positivity and hope. The optimism of a golden sunrise just shines out from the picture.

Our home is still a mish mash of pictures and art that we like individually, its never going to be a magazine-ready interior designer’s dream. But this canvas from Photowall absolutely makes our sitting room.

Discount code…

The very lovely people at Photowall have kindly provided a 25% discount code for my readers. This is valid for a month, until 26th November 2020.
andsmelly25
(all lowercase)
Get ordering, one of their products would surely make a wonderful Christmas present.