by London Hampshire
There are times that we walk into a store and find a great piece of art that would look absolutely perfect in our homes. But then we take a peek at that price tag and… YIKES. Not going to happen today! So, the alternative is to create your own. Let’s face it, most of us aren’t every day Da Vinci’s or Monet’s. Even if we see ideas online or on Pinterest, they may be kind of difficult to carry out. However, some ideas require small, simple talents like shopping smart and using a hammer and nails. These unique and clever ideas for the walls in your home or office can add flair and style to your space without breaking your bank.
Welcome to day two of unique methods of decorating and adding interest to your walls! Yesterday we talked about ways to turn paint chips, old shutters, and antique plates into beautiful works of art for your walls. Today is a slight continuation on the subject with old maps, wooden shipping pallets and metal bicycle gears and clock cogs.
For those of you who were unable to join Sacksteder’s for day one of unique wall decor, go check it out here!
World Maps
For the look on the left, different types of maps were turned into a collage to cover the walls. These maps can be found in old atlases, National Geographic, or in various travel magazines. The beautiful piece of art on the left was created with canvases in a variety of sizes. To create your own, start with a large map, an adhesive that works well with paper and won’t bubble, and a bunch of canvases or lightweight wood boards. Flip the map over (backside up), trace the canvases onto the map, then cut and glue. When hanging, leave enough space to be able to see that each piece is it’s own entity but keep them close enough to see that they fit together. This idea is perfect for a family that travels often – with these pieces parents can show their children where they’ve been and where they’re going; children can even be invited to mark or put stickers on their past and future destinations!
Recycled Wood Pallets
Oftentimes, companies that use wood pallets have to pay for a service to remove them. If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon one of these companies, ask if you can snatch a few of those bad boys up and start getting crafty with them! These pallets look great in their natural state, stained, painted, or antiqued. Let your space speak to you and have fun with it. The project on the left features a pallet that was partially dissembled and used for shelving. This one was used to display family photos, but they can also be used in a chic office space for bills, in and out boxes, and so on. The project on the right utilizes a pallet in its most natural state. This project is great for any home, but is especially spectacular for apartments, city living, and homes with small yards. In these types of spaces, sometimes seeing greenery means having to go to your local park…. which, for the majority of us, is quite inconvenient on most days (I truly envy those who get the free time to visit parks often). Having this indoor garden allows the green to come indoors without bringing a lot of dirt, taking up a lot of square footage, or being a huge hassle. For an in depth tutorial on how to create your own, I especially liked Design Sponge. For other neat ideas on how to use wood pallets in your home, 1001 Pallets will inspire you in no time, guaranteed!
Metal Gears and Cogs
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Adding these little metal bits to your space can provide an industrial, modern, and edgy look. The pieces can be found in shops that repair and sell parts for bikes, cars, watches, etc. Like the antique plates from yesterday, the gears that you get for this project don’t have to match in color, size or design. On the right, various bits of hardware were spray painted black and mounted to a white block surface to be used as art on top of a mantelpiece. Spare parts from your toolbox can create the design on the left. This concept can be constructed with just an adhesive, a canvas, mat or wood board, and whatever metal scraps, nuts, bolts or drill bits you can find.
If you liked our unique ways to decorate your walls, come visit us at Sacksteder’s Interiors! We love giving you exceptional design tips and ideas for your home or office.
