DIY HOME DECOR ON A BUDGET

Turning An Old Cork Board and Wallpaper Scraps Into Art For Your Home + Free Coastal Watercolor Artwork Download

This week on the blog, I’m showing you how to use an old cork board and leftover wallpaper / wrapping paper scraps to create a high-end looking artwork for your home.

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Now that 2019 has arrived, Operation Sell This House is in full effect. We’ve just ordered supplies to complete our master bathroom renovation and I’ve turned my focus to the bedroom.

There’s not a ton that needs to happen in this space to make it top-dollar-worthy, but I do want to add a few things to enhance its already amazing features. For instance, the ceilings in this room are high and I love that! I want to call out to the architectural details here, so I knew I would need to add a large piece of artwork over the bed.

The trouble is that I don’t really want to spend any money on adding decor to these spaces, since it will all be coming with us when we move. I needed a large frame, but large frames are expensive. Looking through my garage, I realized I had an old cork board on-hand that has just been collecting dust.

I know not everyone just hoards office supplies but I have seen these at thrift stores for super cheap. Like $2 – $5 cheap. So you could feasibly replicate this entire project for less than $10.

Here’s how you can take an old cork board, some leftover wallpaper (or even wrapping paper) scraps, and create high-end looking art for your home:

SUPPLIES LIST:
wallpaper scraps
cork board
artwork (get the free watercolor print shown above here)
sharp scissors
tacky spray adhesive
wallpaper smoothing tool
putty knife
ruler / tape measure
straight edge
pliers

Remove all hardware from the cork board. Use pliers to remove brand plaques. Give the board a good scrub down. Paint, if desired, and allow to dry.

Spray the center of the board with Aileen’s Tacky Spray, or another spray adhesive.

Place your print on the board, using a ruler to make sure each edge is the exact same distance from the frame.

For instance, my frame was 32” wide and the print was 19”, so each side would have 7.5” of space between the edge of the picture and the frame. Write down these measurements, as they are the length and width your wallpaper scraps will be trimmed down to.

After measuring and marking the exact dimensions needed to cover the cork area on the back of your paper, use a very sharp pair of scissors to trim appropriately.

Spray the back of the wallpaper with the adhesive.

Place the first strip down on the cork board, making sure you’ve placed it evenly. Use a wallpaper smoothing stool to smooth any wrinkles or air bubbles.

Use a putty knife to gently tuck the excess paper under the frame.

Repeat each step on the parallel sides.

Repeat the trimming steps with the next two strips but DO NOT APPLY ADHESIVE.

Once the paper is trimmed, lay it face-up on the cork board as you would to apply it. Then take a ruler with a straight edge and trace the angle from the corner of the frame to the corner of the art print. You will cut this line to create your custom look.

Repeat this process on all four corners.

Then spray adhesive and secure the strips to the board.

You’re done!

You now have a custom piece of artwork with expensive-looking matting for less than $10!

Ready to tackle this project?
Click below to download your free watercolor art print.

This post is part of the Inspire My Creativity link party which happens every month on the second Wednesday. Each month, we’ll pick a new theme and show you how to create something lovely. Our theme this month is FREE FOR ALL which is perfect because it allows us to show you our own unique styles. 

Shani  |  Sunshine & Munchkins

Christine  |  Swordfights & Starry Nights

Meg  |  See The Happy

Candice  |  She’s Crafty

Julia  |  The Quiet Grove

Heather  |  Glitter On A Dime

Rachel  |  Adventures of a DIY Mom

Jenny  |  Cookies, Coffee and Crafts

Anna  |  Practical and Pretty

Keala  |  Recipe For A Sweet Life

Carmen  |  Living Letter Home

Cathy  |  A Boy and His Mom

Sarah  |  The Strawberry Nest

Adree  |  The Keele Deal

Aimee  |  Things Small and Simple

An InLinkz Link-up

Next month, our theme will be: BUTTONS!

I hope you all enjoy this DIY project. Remember to tag me in your posts when you complete it, so I can share with my followers! I love seeing your hands-on updates to my tutorials!

xoxo
Teri

Commenting on this post is disabled after 24 hours so I can focus on our upcoming projects + client designs. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear from you. Send me your questions and comments on Instagram by either commenting on my latest post or sending me a direct message. I really love to chat it out! xoxo

ready to save the most in 2019?

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