Memo Boards

After posting the door-come-blackboard idea yesterday, I got thinking about memo boards. There are so many ways to DIY and they really can become ever changing works of art!


I love this idea of turning an old metal tray into a magnetic memo board from Sparkle Power as a guest blogger on Sherry Turley's Oh So Lovely blog. A lick of paint, some patterned paper and a plate stand turns a rather non-descript platter into a lovely feature! Here is the how-to.

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Now for a more minimal approach... Funkytime has used an window frame minus the glass. By attatching string and using pegs to display photographs, Funkytime's Sibylle shows us just how simple it is to create something new for your home. I'm keen to try this but I think I'll be going a bit bolder with colour!

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And back to yellow, we have a painted antique frame from Ashely Ann at Under the Sycamore with chicken-wire inserted to give more space to attach your photographs and notes. Ashley Ann has also made her own customised clips using the illustrations on memory cards. This adds to the fun feeling of the memo board and ensures it will never look bare! She gives a full how-to here.

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It actually seems as though Ashley Ann has making memo boards out of chicken wire down to a tee! I have just come across this image of her bedroom:

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Yet another headboard inspired post from me but I could not resist! Headboard, memo board, wall art all rolled into one. It is a bold idea but an amazing one at that! Find more images and the how-to here. 

Ashley Ann has put the chicken wire over the whole wall but I would be inclined to keep it to just the headboard... but maybe thats just me chickening out! 

(Sorry, that was a terrible pun... must be time for my bed!)

Door to Door

There is a place in Glasgow called Glasgow Architectural Salvage which is an Aladdin's cave of rescued furniture and fixings. When I went along I was in awe of the rows of old wooden doors which were stacked up against the wall. I told myself I'd come back for some one day, but I wasn't sure what I would do with them...

Then I found proof that doors can be incredibly multi-talented! 

A door can be a blackboard!

Here, Mandy Lynne has transformed a shabby door into a blackboard for her children's home-school room. This idea could also work well in a kitchen as a memo board... or in a cafe... or anywhere for that matter!

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Or a door could be a headboard!

A few posts ago I showed ideas for making a bench from a headboard and now we are almost going full circle and looking at how doors can be headboards! I like the idea of having a home full of furniture with a topsy-turvy function!

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This idea came from Martha Stewart and the how-to can be found here.

ehow have a great set of step-by-step instructions for another door to headboard project here, if you feel you need a more in depth guide.


Or how about a door as a garden table?
It's difficult to see from this picture but this garden table is made by Re-Nest from an old door and two saw horses for support.
... Maybe I could sprinkle a little sawdust and transform this idea into a Ziggy creation!

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Or could a door become a swing?!

This swing isn't actually made from a door but I think it would be quite amazing if it was! Indoor or outdoors it would make a fabulous feature. The how-to for this swing was found at Vtwonen, but it would be fun to mix it up a little!

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Well, with all this food for thought I think I can justify another trip to Glasgow Architectural Salvage to get my mitts on a few dusty old doors!

Off the wall!

I like a neutral wall- a clean, blank canvas that allows a personal injection of fun. Whether it's pops of colour, an eclectic mix of ornaments, vintage frames or, in my case, sets of brass flying ducks!


I've come across lots of inspiring and unusual approaches to wall art on my travels through the Internet and here are three examples that really grabbed my attention:


Whilst browsing Lonny magazine's wonderful website, I found this image by interior designer Lisa Sherry.

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A large frame (that would take up most of a wall) hosts little doodles of photo-frames in different shapes and sizes. Within these drawings found images, feathers and real photo-frames feature to create an opportunity for an ever-changing and personal mood-board and feature. It is a relaxed structurethat leaves plenty room for creativity.

Next up, inspiration from Funkytime.

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Inspired by Kari Herer's illustrations, Sibylle at Funkytime decided to make a piece of wall art for her bedroom. She literally only used 2 black pens, some faux flowers and a bit of glue. Find the 'how-to' here. It's a simple idea but it really adds a new dynamic to a plain white wall.

And last but by no means least, Payton Cosell Turner.

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Featured in ELLE Decoration's September issue, Payton Cosell Turner creates wall art installations from individual stickers! Click on the image and you will see that it's made up of everything from apples to ladders to bears! This was a commissioned piece for a bedroom and its a wonderful alternative to wallpaper... All you need to do this yourself is a crate load of pretty stickers, a steady hand and the patience of a saint! Payton, I take my hat of to you.

An alternative to wallpaper; these are quite literally 'off the wall'!