Log Slice Wall
Is it art or are they logs? This is a simple, unexpected, and fun way to dress up a wall over your dining room buffet. Or, try it as a headboard for twin beds in a boy’s room. Use simple 1/4” log slices and hang them one by one using adhesive Velcro squares. Start at the top of your wall, butting the edges together. Decide on the width you want, and work your way down to a piece of furniture or bed.
Pictured: Mass votives and a collection of bottles. Fill bottles with water and simple flower stems; place your votives behind bottles, and light. For a boy’s room, you could also hang a piece of art on the center of your wood wall.
Canvas Wall
On a budget and need a way to dress up your mantle? Create a canvas wall using an assortment of plain white canvases. A simple way to figure out how many you need is to measure the space that you want to embellish. Using those measurements, use string and tape to mark off the size on your floor and lay out canvases on the floor to create your design. Start hanging canvases from the top of your space, and work your way down. If you have a gap at the bottom, you can always hide the empty space with accessories.
Pictured: White canvas wall embellished with a metal box of pillars and 2 vintage Hungarian vases filled with wild pussy willow.
Metal Utility Box
Don’t have a candle holder? Break the rules. Use a metal utility box as a place to hold your candles. Group pillar candles in various sizes so they touch each other. Light candles and let the melting wax seal the pillars together. Once the candles have burned down, simply place another pillar on top of the old candle and light. This also makes a great centerpiece.
Pictured: Vintage metal utility box filled with 3×3 and 3×6 inch pillars.
Pop of Color Antique Mirror
Need to add some color to a room? Don’t be afraid to use a little paint. A simple way to add color to a room is to paint an unexpected item, such as a mirror, a bright, bold color. Mirrors are a perfect choice because the frames usually don’t take much paint.
Pictured to the right: An old family mirror, painted in a bold, poppy orange.
Trowel Hooks
Need a place to hang a coat, beach towel, or hat? Break the rules and use your tools in an unexpected way. Mount an assortment of trowels on a wall to hold all those items that need a place to hang.
Pictured: Vintage gardening tools.
Displaying Your Collection
A simple way to show off your collections is to repeat simple shelves on a wall to display all your items. Using raw 1×3 boards and some metal “L” brackets from a hardware store, it’s easy to create shelves. Cut the boards to fit the size of your space – use unfinished wood to let your items shine. Measure out the distance you need between your items and mark your wall with a pencil. Start at the top and work your way down. Again, you can always fill gaps at the bottom with accessories. Let your collections speak for themselves.
Pictured: A collection of green bottles and green glasses make a strong impact on a wall when using multiple shelves. Let your items shine!
Wall of Antique Mirrors
Have a collection of art or mirrors but don’t know how to hang them? Find a piece of furniture in your home and hang your items the same width of the piece. Hang items starting at the top and work your way downward. It’s always easier to lay your pattern out on the floor to visualize the layout before hanging.
Pictured: An assortment of tinted mirrors of various sizes creating a vertical wall of art over an industrial furniture piece.
Industrial Furniture
Could your décor use a rough edge? Break the rules by bringing industrial pieces inside and using them for furniture. A cool piece is a cool piece no matter where it’s used – and it’s always a conversation starter!
Pictured: Vintage metal work table with chipped paint and all, embellished with stacked books and a vintage wine bottle.
A Bundle of Birch Logs
Can’t seem to keep a plant growing in that dark corner? Break the rules and bring a little nature inside. Use wire to bundle birch logs, and conceal the wire with jute or rope. Don’t have access to birch logs? If your yard has crape myrtles, they also have a clean, sleek look, which would look great bound, and placed in a room.
Pictured: Bundled birch logs.
Antique Floor-Length Mirror
Have an assortment of mirrors hidden in the closet but not sure what to do with them? Hang them on top of each other to create an instant floor-length mirror.
Pictured: Two antique family mirrors, hung with frames touching to create a floor-length mirror.
Joe Jumper is the owner of The Clay Pot in Riverview