Chevron Tray Tutorial

Hey friends!  I’ve learned that I enjoy making the projects and get into a habit of having too many projects going on at once without blogging about them.  I will try to fix that!

Kaitlyn from For Better orBratwurst and I decided we needed a crafty day.

I needed something awesome to go with my new funky orange chairs, so I took an old frame that didn’t have anything in it.  By putting it down on the table and adding some handles, it turns into a funky tray that can be used as a picture frame at any minute.  I love up-cycling (ie, recycling old stuff to be super chic). 

Materials:

            Frame

Paint

            Painter’s tape (I like the Duck brand)

            Brushes, art supplies, etc

            Pencil

            Ruler / Paper

            Scissors

            Patience :-)

1.     I removed the piece I wanted to use for the painting from the frame, which was in my case, the back.  I have seen some people paint the glass which does look really cool, but if I ever wanted to reuse the frame or change the art, it would be much more difficult.

2.     I LOVE THE CHEVRON PATTERN.  I started with choosing how many changes in direction I wanted on the final product, for example if the pattern looks like “M” then you have 3 changes, if “N” then 2.  I wanted the off-kilter look of the “N”.

3.     Mark off with your pencil where the pattern should change and mark it accordingly. I took some paper and measured it the length of the board because I didn’t have a ruler nearby, and folded it into 3 equal sections.  Easy!

4.     Lightly extend the marks all the way down the board with your pencil so the end product looks professional.

5.     Choose how far you want to have between the lines and mark accordingly.  For example, you want the 1^st and 3^rd piece of tape to line up identically to each other, not having one piece longer than the other. Mark how far down you want it to go (for softer chevron, smaller space, for more dramatic chevron, more space!). 

6.     Tape accordingly!  I did all one direction first, then came back and cut the other pieces. I didn’t worry about getting the tape cut at the perfect angle, I ripped a piece longer than what I needed, then cut it so I didn’t have any unsightly gaps. 

7.     Paint!  I wanted a pop of color for the table, so I applied a multitude of muted colors in two coats.

8.     Peel the painter’s tape off before the paint is completely dry! This is imperative.  Otherwise you will peel part of the lines off unintentionally… no bueno.

You could apply a topcoat, but I think that is what the glass is for. Enjoy!

The Lewis Dots

Wall Art Design, first draft

Now that the bookcase and end table have been completed, let's move to the white walls.  Because I rent, I can't change the wall color without having to change it back in a year, which sound horrendous. What's a cute couple to do about the walls? Make them look like you intended them to be white.

I chose to do a black and white color scheme not only because it is masculine (and actually the hubby's office), but also because it incorporates the white walls into the design.

First, as with any project, measure out what you are working with.  The office previously had nothing on this big white wall next to a big white desk, very bland.  Instead of putting a bunch of holes in the walls and seeing what I liked there, I tried multiple arrangements and shapes, turning frames sideways if the pictures or art was removable.

I started with multiple frames / photos / art that I put on the floor (also with stylish purse hanging open nearby, but let's ignore that because it isn't going on the walls). See that yellow line behind the art? That's the tape measure to make sure I didn't go over the desired area.

If I had eventually chosen that design, a great way to make PERFECT replica on the wall is to lay the design on parchment paper, then trace frames onto paper.  Tape the paper to the wall, and nail through the paper to the wall.  Rip paper off dramatically and voila!  Perfect.

I, however, had to drastically simplify my design because (if you can see above) I have great frames but  no pictures to go in them. I bought a bunch of funky frames at Goodwill because I liked the varying sizes, shapes, and textures of the frames, but haven't quite decided what pictures I want to go in them.

I also simply photocopied two color pictures to make the scheme work.  I really like Young House Love's hallway design, especially their incorporation of color.

I'm not in love with it yet, but it works for now.  I like how abstract and off-kilter it feels.

Anyone have any ideas?  I'd love to hear what you think!

Love,
the Lewis dots