I must say when Susan first said she had a few "fun projects" for me, I wasn't quite as enthused as she was! The problem is she always asks in that oh-so-sweet southern drawl that I just can't say no to. The idea was to showcase the Cottage Gate Wall Art in a non-traditional way and save some money on an expensive headboard! OK, so how exactly do you do this? Let me walk you through it...
Susan and Lauren hung the wall art in place to give me an idea of what the measurements would be. Then I drew a rough sketch on the wall around it to get a visual.
Next step is to translate this to paper. We used craft paper and drew out the measurements from the wall to the paper. Since most of it was straight lines, it was easy to use a ruler to draw it out. For the rounded top and curve we got a little more creative and found a circle mirror — lamp shades also work well too!
Once we translated the measurements to the craft paper and cut it out, we placed it on the wall and traced it with a pencil. This will give you a stronger visual of what it will look like before you even pick up a brush!
Tape down your straight lines first and leave the curves.
Paint around the curves first. Here's where you need a steady hand, and Celie did an excellent job! We used a small roller for the inside and painted two coats.
When we were finished, Kay and Susan hung the wall art back up. It also helps to do some research beforehand and get an idea of what shape you want. We searched the internet for "painted headboards" and came up with many different shapes and styles. Just be sure you are set on where you want your beds because it's not exactly the most movable headboard!
It's amazing to watch how this room went from this ...
To this! It's inspiring to see what a little imagination and a lot of teamwork can do. And as you can tell, we all have our parts to play...
Katie is our token "hanger," on location ... they just don't trust all of us with a drill ...
Silhouettes around the vanity add a sophisticated flare. I love how they look on the Dress-Me-Up Glass Platter and Eyelet Ribbon Plates.
Our Vintage Spiral Stand adds an antiqued look and is perfect to showcase and organize your favorite pieces of jewelry.
A well-styled bookcase always adds style to a room. We mixed new products along with some of Susan's personal heirloom pieces for a lived-in eclectic look. Covered books in fabric and soft patterns pull it together.
A grouping of our Fiona Lattice Shelves create an interesting mantle look. These are great because they not only hang but also sit easily.
Once we had everything in place it was time to roll out the rugs — 1-2-3 LIFT!
Whew, what a whirlwind of fun styling ideas! Keep checking back for more behind-the-scenes and style tips from Convention 2011!
