I had this vision at the start of this year, and that was to source 6 vintage wicker mirrors, spray paint them in all different colours and create a modern and bright gallery style wall in our living room!
One of my favourite things to do is to source and update pre-loved items to create unique furnishings/decorations for both my own abode and my client’s homes. I just love the whole process, from scouring the local charity shops and skips to find beautiful items to update to deciding how to upcycle them and what to decorate them with. There is something so special about bringing an item once cherished to life again!
I just love wicker designs, there is something really lovely about the look of these vintage products, I love how they give a space that retro feel, and by introducing natural elements into interiors you can really create a sense of serenity within your home.
I don’t know about you but I have found myself getting a little confused over the whole wicker, bamboo and rattan thing?! So what is the difference between them all? Well, I have done my research and did you know that wicker is the type of weave and rattan and bamboo are the types of materials used to make it? Also, did you know that the first piece of wicker furniture landed in America on the Mayflower in 1620 (wow!). The item was a wicker baby cradle.
So anyway, going back to my gallery wall. I’ve had a lot of lovely comments on my Instagram feed about my wicker design so I thought I’d compile 5 simple steps if you would like to have a go at creating something similar in your own home!
Materials required
- A cloth
- A mask
- 2 rolls of Frog masking tape
- 5 different colours of spray paint (I used Kobra as it provides a really good finish and seems to give the best coverage. I also find it doesn’t drip)
- Scissors/craft knife
- A large sheet protective sheet to spray on
The process
- Visit your local charity shop, also have a look in antique stores and on Gumtree/eBay. Five or six make a good-sized and shaped gallery wall.
- Mask out the mirrored areas with frog tape, for the corners/edges you will need to create thin pieces of tape and use a craft knife to cut them into the shape of the edge of the mirrors/frames.
- Give each mirror a little clean using a wipe or damp cloth and dry off fully.
- Once at a time place the mirrors onto the centre of an old large sheet and elevate with bricks or a small stool (this gives you easier access) and spray the paint evenly across the wicker frame in long sweeping movements – make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area, outside is best. Give each mirror two coats and let each coat dry properly before spraying the next layer (there’s no need for a primer!).
- To hang – when creating gallery walls I always start with the middle item then I work around it, you can use a long ruler and pencil/piece of chalk/frog tape to mark where to place each mirror. It’s usually easier if you work with someone else at this stage, one person can be holding up the mirror and the other can be telling them where to place it!
2 Responses
I love a gallery wall with a difference. We have a clock one in our home.
That Apple mirror is so cute
Hi Kara, Oh I bet that is so lovely! It’s so sweet isn’t it, the apple is my fav, such a great find 🙂