Recently, we painted our the beat-up, thick wood trim in our 77 year old home in hopes that it would brighten and update the space. And boy did it ever! I’ve already shared the huge difference painting the trim made in our living room turned mom cave.
I couldn’t believe the transformation the paint made in our dining room and wanted to share it, but I needed a little something in the wall art department. And yay, I finally figured it out this week, so here it is.
I was struggling to find a piece for this space! I tried nothing, I tried lots of little somethings, I tried a huge honkin’ chalkboard (“16 days until Christmas” graced my board in January), but nothing worked.
I hung this sign from my friend Pamela and loved it in the spot, but the other side still needed something else. I was stuck. On Monday, inspiration struck and I was in a project whirlwind.
I saw the below picture pop up on my Instagram feed on Monday. My friend Ashley at The Handmade Home shared it, her post was on Decorating with Photos and making a simple cork board, isn’t it lovely?
I pretty much freaked out when I saw this because I finally knew what I wanted to do. I would not be surprised if an actual light bulb appeared over my head at that moment. ;)
I bundled up the kids (we have three under four) and ran to HD to have the sign color matched. I had a bulletin board in the attic that I had redone, but never truly loved, so I dug that out. On Tuesday, I got to work deconstructing the board in the hopes of painting it the same color as the sign.
Here’s that pic again, you can see me tearing it apart right above Lily’s head:
It was a bigger task than I had imagined. Remove 300 thumbtacks with needle nose pliers? I can do that. Peel off fabric? Okay, no biggie. Peel hot glue off of wood and cork? Uhhhhhh… HOT MESS.
But I got there. And when I started painting the cork, and realized that paint just wasn’t going to cut it. I needed something to hide the bazillion holes and missing cork chunks that my sloppy DIY left behind.
I racked my brain for something with texture and found it in my stash: burlap. I would paint the burlap.
Did a little mock-up (above, right), and it was perfect. I was getting giddy. Painted the edges to hide the blue, cut the burlap to size, use adhesive to spray it down this time, and got painting.
Between naps and meals and breaks all day, I got it done and hung last night.
I added the “Tomorrow is Fresh with No Mistakes” print from my friend Lindsay, some Instagram photos, snips of kid artwork, and quick B&W prints from our printer.
I’m in love. It’s big, it’s neutral and cohesive, has an old texture, and is full of personality and life. Our life. :)
Here’s the before and after of our dining room. I really didn’t think we did that much in here until I saw this comparison (I always do that to myself). But if you’re thinking of painting your trim, this may make up your mind.
Same room, same cheap painted hutches, same spray painted $5 chandelier, same thrifted table. We painted the walls an updated greige (MS Sharkey Gray) and the trim white (Valspar Bistro White), and added larger, more cohesive wall art.
I’m so glad we painted that darn trim white. :)
linking this up to: 
with Sherry, Katie, Megan, and Michelle
as well as: Whipperberry and Tatertots & Jello