Easy DIY frame-ups
Instead of hanging a poster in the traditional way, I created a headboard using an image from a favorite artist.
The painted frame is glued and nailed to the poster.
White paint is dry-brushed over an aqua base coat to produce a soft, distressed finish.
Q. I have a large poster in colors that radiate the awesome beauty of the desert that I bought while traveling in the Southwest. I’d like to put it above my bed. Should I have it framed? What’s the best way to hang it? Thanks.
A. This is a good question. Posters that you want to last need some form of protection. Framing is your best choice. For large pictures, this can be expensive, but you can search out stores that provide self-framing. They supply the materials, and you do the work yourself. Or you can make a frame with just a few simple tools. The headboard shown here is actually a poster from renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe. I had the original poster blown up to fit the bed, framed and laminated it so that it would be easy to clean. I added legs to the frame and attached it to the bed, but you can hang the headboard frame above the bed just like a picture. It will be just as dramatic and beautiful.
Measure and cut a piece of medium density fiberboard the exact size of the poster. Using wallpaper paste, glue the poster to the MDF.
Paint the back of the MDF with primer to seal it. Measure and cut four lengths of stock molding the length and width of the picture. If you have the tools, miter the corners, if not, simply butt the ends together neatly. Prime the molding and paint with a solid color or create a distressed look as I have here. The base coat is aqua, and a little white paint is pulled across the surface in one direction producing an aged finish. Use a hot glue gun and finishing nails to attach the picture frame around the edges of the poster.
Q. I remember seeing a mirror that you framed on one of your shows that had twigs glued to it and then you covered it with some kind of silver wrapping and then painted over it. I would like to duplicate this project. Can you please give me the details and the materials you used? Thank you for your brilliant ideas.
A. This mirror frame was fun to create, and it was a huge success.
Paint or distress the frame first and let dry. We then collected small twigs that would make an interesting pattern and glued them onto the four sides of the frame. A single twig, or a group of three twigs – two short and one long – looks good. The silver wrapping is in fact silver leaf. Real silver or gold leaf is costly, but imitation leaf is available at arts and crafts stores, as well as the size, which is special glue designed to adhere the leaf onto your surface. Apply the size to the frame and twigs being careful to get into the crevices around the twigs. Let the size dry to the tacky stage and then apply the silver leaf. Once dry, use a soft brush to gently remove loose or excess leaf. We rubbed on a tea-colored wood stain to age the frame, but you can go with the fresh silver look.
Apply varnish to seal and protect your frame.
Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.