If you're anything like me, you browse instagram at least once a day for inspiration, design ideas, or maybe you're just having a really crappy day and your apartment doesn't allow dogs, so for a little visual therapy, you need to see what @frank_the_wiener is up to today!

Hence, in an attempt to bring a little more color and a little more joy to the instagram world, I painted some fresh new backgrounds. I got tired of flimsy card stock and poster boards that end up bent and wrinkled in no time. I knew I needed something sturdier, and decided to check out Home Depot for a better solution. I found these inexpensive gypsum boards (also known as wallboard or drywall). They sell them in 2 ft. x 2ft. squares, and they are perfect for painting. You can paint the front and back for extra versatility, and they can be stored in a closet or under a bed or sofa.

They're my new favorite thing, and work great as backgrounds for instagram or blog photography.

What you'll need:

2ft. x 2ft. gypsum panels (I found these at Home Depot)
Paint roller with tray
Behr paint samples in different colors

DIY Instagram backgrounds via A Charming Project

Note: If decide you want to use a bright color, I would suggest painting the gypsum board with a primer or just paint a quick base-coat with any white paint you may have on hand (which is what I did). I used Behr sample sizes and had plenty of paint left over for other projects.

Use a small hand roller to apply a white base-coat, allow the paint to dry for about 10 minutes, then apply your color. I used 2 coats of bright paint on each board, and the color really pops!