Yesterday I shared a brief (and somewhat darkish) video on my Facebook Page of the kids room as it stands right now. I was cleaning their room Monday morning and as I shifted furniture around I was struck with the impulse to pull a quick rearrange before Ryan got home for lunch.
Oliver and Hazel loved getting to ride across the room on Oliver’s bed and, like most kids would be, were giddy to run around their room and it’s new spaces.
Anyway, all that time spent in their room reminded me that there was something in there that I’d been meaning to show y’all. Just a simple necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention idea that I thought might be nice to pass along.
I’ve been working over the past year or so to collect cool prints and frame favorite pictures for in their bedroom. Just a collection of things about them that make me glad. I wanted it to feel eclectic and sort of pulled together over time (which it was), and not have the uniform feeling that our stairway wall has.
So, There are lots of colors and different wood shades and various yard sale finds all nailed up on the wall.
And since I wanted large frames (but didn’t want them to be filled to the edges with photos), I needed mats. But white mats would feel too uniform (and would also cost money!). (Yes, this is all my crazy thought process…) I wanted color and texture and before I knew it, I was digging through the baskets in my sewing room to find it.
Fabric! Why had I not thought of this before!
I started pulling out colors and patterns I loved – some of which were already repeated in other places in the room. And I was suddenly very pleased.
I even managed to take Oliver’s letters (which once sat on a shelf above his crib when he was a baby) and tack them into a yellow-painted shadow box with a favorite fabric as the background. So much more interesting that a solid color!
And one frame was just the wrong size for the photo I wanted to put in it, so a little (now out of print) Cathedral in Dusk did the trick perfectly. (Secret: since I loved that fabric so much and didn’t want to part with 11″x14″ of it, I just cut two strips to fill the gaps down the sides. Don’t tell the framing police!)
And that is my little solution to framing photos and adding color and interest. See, I told you I could give you a fabric project that didn’t involve sewing! :)
Have a lovely Thursday, friends! Any big plans for the weekend? I think we’re headed to the zoo!
What a great idea instead of mats! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Why have I never thought of using my fun fabrics in this way. I was inspired by your stair wall and have started one in my living room. But I love the eclecticness (is that a word) of this type of wall art with the different color frames and matting. I must pin to Pinterest and start on this kind of a frame/wall project soon.
What a great idea! I have tons of yard sale frames as well as fabric that I could use. I really love the frame with the letters – a very unique way to display names!!
I absolutely love, Love, LOVE this idea – thank you so much for sharing!!!
LOVE! Perhaps this would be a bit of therapy for my fabric-hoarding ways. I’ve also covered old/ugly but cheap canvases with fabric to make unique art pieces. Yay!
That’s awesome Raechel! I totally love it. As for this weekend we’re off to something called Farm Fest ’round here. The farms/orchards in the area open up and have all sorts of free and paid events for everyone. I’ve been going since I was like 8 or something. There’s apple picking, hay rides, corn mazes, pony rides, apple tasting, craft selling and so much more.
If anyone’s in the Upstate NY area you should check it out :) If not, I’ll have a post up on my *new* blog after this weekend!
Such a great idea! I have frames with just fabric in them in my son’s room. But fabric + a picture = genius! I loved the room tour.
Okay… I absolutely love this!!! THis is one of my favorite ‘do-it-yourself’ decorating you’ve shown me. And I’ve loved a lot (why I have absolutely fabulous looking clocks in my house right now) but this one is just awesome! Can’t wait to try it!
And a big thank you for linking to B. Children’s Wear. Gabe just received 2 of the cutest t-shirts ever (one Oliver has) and I’ll be ordering a few more to add to our new Texas winter-is-more-like-an-Ohio-spring wardrobe.
Yeah, you’re right, this is PERFECT for a kid’s room. I especially like what you did with the shadowbox and Oliver’s letters. Yay! Good simple project, lady.
What a great idea Raechel – thanks for sharing! This may be a way I get to hang on to some of the fabrics I’ve loved for projects that I gift or sell. :)
Beautiful idea! So colorful and fun! Now, when do we get to the camera strap???? :)
Ah, yes! I keep promising it and then being too busy to deliver. Hm – I bet I could pull things together this weekend though and put them in my shop next week sometime! Thanks for the reminder!
What a cute idea, I love it! And I love the new look to your blog!
Thanks, Alysa!
LOVE this idea! I have actually been thinking of doing that in my laundry room…I have a huge wall that would look great with frames. Now to find fabrics that will compliment my apple green and white laundry room. :)
Yay! So glad this is useful for you! Have fun picking fabrics!!
I love it! And I’d love to see a shot of the full wall with all the frames. I really want to do a frame montage like this in our bedroom, but I’m not sure how to get started. You are a great inspiration!
I don’t have a full-wall shot on my computer, but you can see the whole thing in my video if you have facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2462986254467
If not, let me know and I can try to snap a photo for you!
I am loving it….we just bought a new home and needless to say it looks like a BIG bowl of vanilla ice cream….NO COLOR is to be found. What a great way to add that pop of color around the house. Where did you find all the frames…..garage sales:)
Hey Lesley! Yep – I think these frames are all from yard sales :) Sure makes it economical!
Brilliant. I’m going to soon be re-doing the kids’ room, since Piper is 8.5 months old and there’s still not a girly thing in the room she shares with her brother. Poor dearie. Some girlie fabric sounds like an easy way to go! (Especially since the whole finishing her quilt thing is not going well….)
Ashley…love your daughter’s name. That is also my daughter’s name who is 6.5 months old.
what a cool idea!! totally gonna keep that one in mind for the future.
Wonderful idea, can’t wait to try it!!
Such a good idea! You are a very creative momma! I love hearing about your family and seeing your amazing creations… My next one to make is the flat iron cover:)