Open floor plans create the illusion of large spaces with limited square footage, but can create a problem when you’re trying to make a distinct space for a distinct purpose. I ran into that very problem with my dining area and living room. There isn’t a distinct division between my dining area and living room so I came up with the idea to add something to frame the dining table and create a visual division between the two rooms. Instead of spending a ton of money on a large piece of artwork, I decided to make these panels myself:
What you’ll need:
- 2 – 4′ x 8′ x 0.25″ plywood
- 55′ pre-primed molding
- Paint (I used Martha Stewart Living 10 oz. Metallic Glaze Mercury Satin Specialty Finish)
- 1 roll of Wallpaper (I got mine from Graham & Brown)
- Superglue
- Wood glue
- 6 MonkeyHooks
- 6 picture frame hangers with 6, 1/2″ screws
- Staple gun and staples
- Level
Directions:
- Cut the plywood into the size or shape of your choosing (below is a template for the size and shape I chose)
- Measure and cut molding to go around the perimeter of the plywood (I measured mine so the molding hung off the edge of the plywood 1/2 an inch)
- Wipe the molding down with a damp rag to clean and remove any scuff marks
- Paint the molding and let dry overnight
- While you’re letting the paint dry, cut your wall paper to fit each panel (leave 1″ margin of plywood so you can attach the molding)
- Attach the molding to the plywood with wood glue
- Once the wood glue has dried, staple the back outside edge of the plywood to ensure that the molding doesn’t come off
- Attach the picture hangers to the back of each panel, one on the right side and one on the left
- Measure and use a level to place the MonkeyHooks in the wall
- Hang your panels on the MonkeyHooks
