Many people look to paintings, shelves and similar pieces when it comes to selecting decor for a wall. If the wall you’re thinking of decorating is a really large wall, or if you’d just like to do something much different for a change, there’s an easy decor project which will instantly change the look and feel of the entire room. The project is easy enough for anyone to do and can be created in many different ways. Your style will shine through when you use Styrofoam to create decor for most any room in the house.
Craft stores carry a huge assortment of Styrofoam which is just what you need to start the decor project that will help you make wall panels that can be elegant, whimsical or just decorative. There is no set size of Styrofoam to buy; you’ll choose the size of the panels you want to make. Purchase a Styrofoam slab for each panel you want to build. You can create all sorts of different looks by the size of the panels you use and how many panels you upholster and hang. Create even more possibilities by hanging the panels in a horizontal manner rather than vertical designs. After deciding on the pattern you want to make on the wall select the Styrofoam slabs you’ll need to complete the job. The Styrofoam doesn’t have to be really thick; choose panels that are an inch or two in thickness. Keep in mind that thin Styrofoam will give the panels quite a different look than Styrofoam which is thick so consider thick Styrofoam if you want panels which are more prominent.
There are many different fabrics you can use to upholster the Styrofoam panels. You don’t have to have any knowledge of upholstery work to make impressive panels which will add style and color to just about any room of the house. Simply cut the fabric slightly larger than the Styrofoam and tape or glue the material to the panels. You can either measure the panels, then cut the fabric to the size you need, or lay the Styrofoam on the fabric and cut around it. After you’ve cut all the fabric pieces you can then begin to assemble the easy wall panels.
It only takes a few minutes to finish each panel. Lay the Styrofoam slab on the wrong side of the fabric and pull the fabric to the backside of the foam. Hot glue can help you quickly attach the fabric but you can also use tape. Attach one side of the fabric to the Styrofoam then pull the fabric taught and attach the opposite side. Now pull one end to the backside of the Styrofoam and secure it. Pull the opposite end taught and secure it. Do the corners last.
After the panels are covered in fabric you’re ready to hang them. You can use picture hanging, double-sided tape or you can even use glue strips. Hang them with spaces between them or butt them together, side-by-side. Hang only one panel on a small wall or a series of panels on a long wall. The Styrofoam slabs can be made to fit the entire wall, from floor to ceiling, or can be hung between the floor and ceiling. Hang one large panel, with two smaller ones flanking it, or just hang one horizontal panel across the wall. Each arrangement gives you a totally different look.
The finished panels can be further embellished by using upholstery tacks. The tacks are available through an upholstery shop, a craft store, hardware store or even a discount department store. Push tacks through the fabric and Styrofoam, all the way around the perimeter of each panel. Measure and mark where each tack will go to ensure they’ll be evenly spaced.
You can create an elegant look for the panels by using lace or other elegant fabrics. Create a unique look for a nursery or a child’s room by choosing fabrics with baby themes or even cartoon characters. Check your local fabric stores for fabrics which have been marked down in price to create a decorative set of panels for little money. You’ll find lots of different marked-down fabrics at most fabric stores.
There are a couple of alternatives you can use if you don’t have all the things you need to do the project. For instance, you can use cardboard or foam board in place of the Styrofoam slabs. And, you can use gift wrap or even wallpaper to cover the panels. Create even more possibilities when you mount an embellishment on each panel. Things you could mount include flat, painted wooden shapes, wrought iron pieces, dried flowers, frame-less mirrors, roping and many other choices. It’s a cool project that allows you to make themes that are elegant, whimsical or colorful to instantly change the entire feel of a room in little time.
Reference:
- Purchase embellishments here: www.acmoore.com
