Since lots of folks have asked for close up photos and more of an explanation about our little art switcheroo above the sofa, here it is. It’s such an easy project that anyone can do (probably for under $5 if you have the frames and some small photos or prints that you love (images from greeting cards or postcards could even work). So we figured we’d share the goods while we work on our backsplash (those goods will be up tomorrow am!).
Our frames above the sofa started out with colorful paper in them ($5 worth of craft paper from Michael’s to be exact). That added some fun oomph for a while, but the beauty of that $5 price tag was the freedom to switch things around and just sort of go with the flow. So they sat as plain blocks of color for a while…
… and then we added some fun local art prints (just taped in the middle of our colored paper)…
… but after our new rug arrived we were jonesing for something less colorful (since we had amassed a ton of colorful pillows and some bright accessories like the ceramic hurricanes on the desk). We also decided we could use some more texture, so that somehow triggered me to look in my fabric scrap bin and realize that I had enough burlap-ish textured linen-ish stuff to do the trick.
Sorry for that terrible description. It’s just a sand-colored fabric that sort of looks like linen or burlap (you know, it has those crosshatched lines running through it) that I got on super clearance from JoAnn fabrics a while back – so I don’t think it’s actually real linen and it’s a bit too soft to be burlap.
Here’s my completely not scientific framing method. I just:
- unstuck my little art squares that had been taped to the colorful fabric with a loop of tape
- used the same loop of tape to stick them to the center of the eight 12″ x 12″ fabric squares for each frame
- taped the fabric to the back of the frame’s mat on all sides (to keep it from looking saggy and wiggly)
- regular old scotch tape worked for that part, but if you have heavier fabric, something stronger like duct tape might be better
That’s it! Oh and these are Ikea’s ribba frames (with 12 x 12″ openings) if that helps. I love that my tiny polariod-ish prints make you look closer, and when you do, you see the texture in the fabric behind them. It’s really sweet, especially in person. I keep glancing over at them when I sit on the sofa.
Sometimes Burger takes John-sprawled-out-on-the-ottoman-taking-photos-of-the-art to mean that he’s supposed to sit on him. Naturally. So we took more photos and shared them over on Young House Life. Naturally.
Anyway, so the art thing was a free swap and I’ve been using the colored paper that I took out for other projects around the house – like John’s boyscout badge Christmas present.
Oh and since a few folks also requested an open-ottoman shot to see how it’s all organized in there, here ya go:
The big woven basket is my paint chip bin (yes I keep various paint decks in there and even save loose paint chips so I can later do weird things like make art or ornaments with them). The other three baskets are for various Clara toys. There’s also a giant blanket in there (it can actually stretch across the entire monster of a sectional that we have and cover me in one corner and John in the other corner, which makes me crazyhappy). It’s just a king sized blanket I found at HomeGoods a while back for 25 bucks.
So there you have it – two living room goings-on. What have you guys been framing lately? Any fabric “mats” or backgrounds? What about fabric as art? That’s always fun too! Any ottoman organization? We learned really fast that tossing things in without smaller bins and baskets = chaos. Like a small tornado hit ottoman-ville every time we cracked it open. So apparently it’s all about sub-containment inside of larger containment devices. Lesson learned.
Psst- A reader (thanks Caroline!) sent along the link to this article about why people seem to be “wired” with the desire to DIY things, and it’s so interesting! The “add one egg” thing is especially amazing to me.
I have a similar plan for wall art in out dining room – thanks for the tip on the frames.
We’re about a year behind you – just moved into our first home on New Years Eve. I’ve loved following your blog! We’re big into DIY and so happy to actually have space to get our projects done.
Are you still happy with the couch? We’ve been looking for a “pit” couch but they are so expensive! I’m nervous to buy IKEA for something we sit on everyday.
Yes, we’re very happy with Karl after almost a year of use! Still very comfy – we hang out there every night! Good luck with your happy new year house!
xo,
s
Do you all know this book?
http://www.amazon.com/Monkey-Tool-Belt-Chris-Monroe/dp/0822576317/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326236308&sr=8-1
If not….I think you’d love it….it’s a bit too old for Clara but it totally makes me think of you all! :) (So funny too!!!)
Adorable! Monkeys are one of her favorites!
xo,
s
I like it! sometimes we need a little neutral to give a room some breath-ability. I don’t think that’s a word, but I’m going with it!
I know you told us this before but I can’t seem to find it – but where did you get that awesome ottoman?
That’s from jossandmain (it’s a flash sale site, so the inventory changes, so you might want to try wayfair.com). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hiii! I happened across your blog & absolutely luv your style. Wish I were as handy/crafty…too bad I can’t hire your to re-do my apt! Thanks for the great ideas.
I just put up a new grouping of frames over our sofa this past month. I used collected frames and items I had with graphics I found online that I liked. I wanted to be able to change out the graphics for each season/holiday, etc…
Here’s what I had in them for Christmas: http://thekerstenhaus.blogspot.com/2011/12/framed-wall-vignette.html
I got the tip for using newspaper to hang them from you guys- thanks for that!!!
Love it! Looks amazing with the cardboard deer head in the mix!
xo,
s
Oh my Gosh – I love jossandmain.com! I have been missing out!! Thank you so much for both links.
Great idea for the swap. The texture is perfect.I love the living room color scheme. I think I’ll go organize the hidden ottoman storage now. lol
Hi! We just did a cheap diy wall hanging in our dining room. Here’s the link:
http://dianamatt.blogspot.com/2012/01/super-cheap-super-easy-dining-room-wall.html
It was really fun and much cheaper than buying a huge piece of art that everyone else might own. You were a definite inspiration for us – thanks!
Love it so much!
xo,
s
I’m sure this is posted elsewhere…but I just noticed the storage/tables behind your couches. What a great idea. Do you have any pics of what the tables look like? I’d love to get a closer look.
thanks :)
Cass
That’s actually a big console table we built! Here’s a post that links back to a bunch of other ones about various stages of building it: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/04/the-console-returns-one-last-time/
xo,
s
Love you guys, but I find all the parentheses distracting when reading your posts. They’re usually unnecessary. Not trying to be picky. Maybe it’s just me…
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing the backsplash tomorrow!
Sorry (we just can’t help ourselves!).
xo,
s
my husband, glancing at my laptop: oh, what are ole john and sherri’ (pronounced french) up to?
me: I’m not talking to you about them anymore.
him: why not?
me: because you make fun of me and them and they are my friends.
him: i read it too! they are my friends too, don’t withhold them from me!
…we are laying in bed and this is what we talk about.
hope you are appropriately freaked out. :)
xo.
Hahahhaha, I love it. “Withhold them” made me laugh out loud!
xo,
s
hi guys! i’ve been wondering – how do you keep changing the pictures inside the ikea frames? i have some frames from ikea but i find that the little pieces of metal holding the back of the frame keeps breaking off if manipulated too often, so my pics in ikea frames are usually just a one time deal. you change them up all the time, how do you deal with the metal thingies at the back? hope my question is clear :). Thanks for any tips!
I’m just pretty careful with those guys! Occasionally I’ll lose one, but since there are 3-4 on each side they’re usually all ok if the rest remain. I use a flat-head screwdriver to pry them up softly so they don’t get broken or come out. Usually works like a charm! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sherry,
Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones? It is wild! Love the blog!
xoxo Melissa
Haha, yes I hear that a lot actually! I always respond by saying that I’m not naked as much. Haha.
xo,
s
I love playing with my Ribba frames…these are just two things I did to use them for the holiday season:
http://made2style.com/2011/12/01/joyous-december/
http://made2style.com/2011/09/23/framing-leaves/
Love what you’ve done too!
So pretty! I love those ideas!
xo,
s
Enjoyed the article but got me thinking, what about people that have nearly zero desire for DIY?!
I totally appreciate DIY, am an Etsy Who-a (the way Olivia (Tony’s mother) on the Sopranos pronounced the word), and I am a fiend for YHL but doing it myself? I can feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it!
Haha, maybe you’re the rare smart mouse who wants to run up the less steep incline instead?
xo,
s
It’s called “being lazy”! If I had thought about it a littler harder before I asked the question but of course it was easier to ask rather than think – a perfect example of “being lazy”!!
Haha, maybe it’s just delegation. Very smart. Make others do it for ya!
xo,
s
Great idea to organize the ottoman with bins. I love that! Also, I wonder if it is coincidence that the musical toys are all stashed away for non-24-hour-a-day access? It’s not coincidence at my house. ;)
Camille
LOL, not intentionally – but maybe subconsciously. Although that alligator xylophone has made it’s way into regular rotation lately. Someone likes to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb while banging away on it. It’s cute. But a loud cute. :)
-John
Loving the new look on the wall! I recently bought some cheap square (16″x16″) canvases and a staple gun and covered them with some leftover Ikea fabric to make some ‘art’. The two different fabrics I used had quite a large pattern, so when you just use part of it, it looks more like abstract art (rather than a picture with repeating elements in it). Very happy with the result and it didn’t cost much at all!
Hi there. I just stumbled upon YHL about 3 days ago and ive seriously read just about every post in your four year archive. I adored your first house and Im swooning over house #2 as well. Ive already learned so much from you guys. In fact, I was so inspired I decided to stared a blog of my own documenting our home improvement escapades as well. Anywhoo just thought Id mention how much im in L-O-V-E with that amazeballs area rug as well as the fabulous chartreuese and teal blue color pallete. YHL is my dose of morning cofee (since I dont drink it for real) and you guys are changing lives. Thanks so much for sharing your lives with the world.
Aw thanks so much Shavonda! So glad you found us. And happy blogging!
xo,
s
I am truly impressed by your storage ottoman, maybe because our current home project is completely re-organizing our office as it has become a hot mess in the past years. It’s hard to go through more than a year’s worth of unfinished stuff, but so rewarding when you see the results!
Do you have any tricks on hanging the Ribba frames ? With the metal wire in the back.. is it soooo hard to hang them perfectly level! I have 6 frames that have been sitting in the corner waiting to be hung!!! Thanks!
It is tough, though these guys have been pretty good. One trick we use sometimes is to actually use two nails (or screws) in the wall. Find the center point of your frame (where you’d put one nail) and then measure our a few inches (4 or 5-ish) on each side and put your nail there instead. We’ve found that helps a lot. Just be sure your nails are level. Oh, and your frame will sit higher than if it were just on one nail, so you may need to place your two nails a bit lower on the wall. Good luck!
-John
Your ideas have caused a DIY rampage in the house! I got some Pantone postcards for Christmas (via Urban Outfitters) and put them in a frame above our sofa with 3-dimensional cube shelves. I loved your idea so much of color blocks and when I received them, it was perfect! Love the updates!!
Love the new art! I have a bunch of kids projects that are waiting to be framed. The boys will be in college before it happens. I do have four 16×20 canvases covered with fabric(sort of Ballard Designs-ish) that hang together at the top of a stairway. I switch them to new seasonable fabric every few months and ta-da, instant new art!
That’s such a cute idea!
xo,
s
The article link you posted was broken, but this one works! :)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228441.800-the-hard-way-our-odd-desire-to-do-it-ourselves.html
Hmm, just checked ours and it seems to be working! Thanks for the alternate link though! Maybe their site was just being glitchy for a second?
xo,
s
I love this…I loved it initially too, but this just looks so fresh and modern. Watching the transformation of your home is so much fun :)
Love your living room! Forgive me if this info is somewhere else but where did you guys find the ottoman? We’re about to have a baby and I think we need something like this instead of a coffee table.
That was from jossandmain.com, but since that’s a flash sale site you might want to try wayfair.com since they get most of their inventory there.
xo,
s
i love the new lighter feel. I have the same frames in my living room. I change mine out seasonally with different scrapbook paper from michaels/ac moore, etc.
Unrelated, for the life of me i can’t find your post on why you chose HD over Lowe’s for your counters with final cost…do you have a link? Thanks,
Tasha
Ack, I can’t find it either, but to answer your question, Home Depot just came in lower (fewer fees for things like cutting the hole for the sink) and would honor more discounts (they gave us 10% off for a project coupon we had along with an additional 5% off for using our Home Depot card).
xo,
s
I read through your reply comments to see if you mentioned it, but I noticed that you tried your old yellow PB rug from house #1 in the living room before getting the Joss & Main gorgeous rug. Yeesh that sort of makes me look like a stalker! Did you decide what you will do with that one? (Wasn’t it in the guest bedroom at one point?) Or with the green pouf ball one? I really love these new Joss & Main changes. Oh and the art upgrades are great, of course. :)
Oh yes, the yellow rug lives in the guest room! It’s so much fun in there with the teal walls! The green pouf ball one might end up in the playroom! We’ll keep you posted…
xo,
s
love the burlap/fabric idea. love how your style and decor is always evolving… I am pathetically addicted to your blog…
Aw thanks Lark!
xo,
s
Definitely a nice pairing with the colorful new rug. I need to manage this white frame gallery wall in my own place! So perfect!
Kristina
Something 2 Write About
Hey!!
I was just wondering didn’t you guys do a post like last week with the free printable artwork one had bacon on it?! Where did that post go? Maybe it wasn’t last week but I looked through like a bunch of posts I didn’t think it was that long ago.
Thanks
I pinned something on Pinterest with free printables but we didn’t make those! Just pinned them from an awesome site we found! Check out my pinterest boards for the source (I always add the url in the description). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks! It was pinterest!
Did you consider using fractures? We recently replaced all of our frames with fractures… no more broken fingernails here. =) =) Of course, it wouldn’t work with a 3d or texture “feel” but you could make the look. That being said, we love the look and feel of the room. Now, if we could only find a king sized blanket for $25. =)
Ooh I’d love to upgrade to those someday!
xo,
s
I love the change. I like that I could change some things out so easily without much money. I’ve found some old postcards that I’ve put into easy, inexpensive IKEA frames that add a lot to a small space.
I love the upgrade. That subtle change in the artwork goes so well with the new rug, it’s a great compliment to the now patterned rug. I am actually preparing to tackle a gallery wall myself, with only one screw in the wall. It’s an idea that I’ve been tossing around for awhile and I’m not sure it will work, but finally just decided I needed to give it a go.
My decision coincided with a few blog friends contacting me about participating in a new challenge idea. We collectively introduced it Monday and we are calling it the “Imagine the Impossibilities” challenge. It would (obviously) be super cool if you had a chance to check it out and (gasp!) participate! http://thespacebetweenblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/imagine-the-impossibilities-challenge/
We are hoping to inspire the blog world to put fear aside and tackle their most daunting tasks.
Thanks for considering it!
I love it! What a fun challenge! Can’t wait to see how you pull it off!
xo,
s
LIARS!!! No one is more organized than me….your ottoman is too organized!! I call your bluff!! I want to house crash your house in progress and see if your ottoman is that organized when I crash. I live in DC…..I’ll crash you two crazy kids….don’t test me, I’ll do it!!! PS Love the blog Clara and Burger are adorbs!!!! Gina
Come on over! Though the blanket is currently out of the ottoman and on our laps, but other than that it’s looking pretty much like the pictures… :)
-John
I love that the ottoman doubles as a toy box. We realized that our living room was being overrun by baby toys so I’ve been trying to find a toy box that would bled in with the furniture. I totally forgot that our ottoman opens up. Tomorrow I’m banishing the extra blankets in it to the closet and we will have an instant toy box :)
Hi, I’m a new reader…love your blog! I’m especially sooo in love with your rug, care to share where you got it?
Thank you,
Lynn
We got it from jossandmain.com but they’re a flash sale site so their inventory changes, so maybe try wayfair.com or overstock.com?
xo
s
Nice improvement, a lot cleaner and more modern! That’s probably muslin you bought at Joann’s, some of it has a weave that looks like linen. It’s my go-to fabric for crafty projects like this because even regularly priced it’s only like $2 a yard!
I actually don’t think it’s muslin because it’s more of a sand color (the muslin I’m used to is usually sort of an unbleached cotton color- somehow warmer and more creamy. Unless they make it in darker more tan colors, in which case it totally could be!
xo,
s
Where are your couch and rug from?
The sectional is from Ikea and the rug is from jossandmain.com but since that’s a flash sale site you might want to try wayfair.com or overstock.com.
xo,
s
Hi guys! My husband and I are in need of a new couch and the closest Ikea to us is, sadly, 7 hours away. If you’ve ever looked at having something shipped after an online purchase, you know it usually costs more than the actual item! We’re trying to plan a trip in the near future for some butcher block counter top for some projects and I was curious what you guys thought about your couch since you’ve had it for a while now. I catch most of your posts, so if you’ve covered this recently and I missed it, you can just refer me to the link. But I know that some Ikea styles seem to be lesser quality than others. So if you have any input on the fabric quality and build quality, I’d love to hear it!
Thanks!
We’re very happy with our sofa! Still holding up really well with a kid and a pooch. We sink into Karl every night! No complaints.
xo,
s
Love the idea of small paintings in large frame with different colored backdrops! Must try that for myself. :-)
Hey guys,
Approximately how high above a couch would you recommend hanging a frame arrangement like this? Note that we don’t have a console table behind the couch?
Thank you so much & happy Sunday :)
You definitely want things to visually relate so the sofa grounds the art. Maybe 18-24″?
xo,
s
Now that you have had Karl for a little while , what do you think? Isit comfortable? Would you recommend it ? Or should I keep walking and find another sofa?
Love him! Even did an update post over a year later and declared our love!
xo,
s
This looks so fresh and bright – I love the look. I remember your first post about hanging the RIBBA frames because it inspired me to do the same thing in my own living room :)
Hi there-
Hope you are having a good Friday!
I am having the toughest time hanging the large Ribba frames and I would so appreciate any help. What did you use to hang them, just regular old nails? I have tried finishing nails 1 1/4″ (2 of them) and a picture hanger hook. They swing away from the wall using the picture hanger hook (with the long wire thing at the back). With the finishing nails they just don’t seem sturdy enough (they are in dry wall). Yours seem so steady in the above project. I am afraid ours will come crashing down on the people sitting on the sofa! Do you have an idiot-proof way that you use to hang these things? I would really appreciate any advice.
Have a great weekend :)
I use the wire that comes with them to hang them over two nails or screws with anchors – usually placed a few inches apart. It keeps the wire more taut so it doesn’t hang so much out from the wall. Hope it helps!
xo
s
I absolutely love these frames and have been wanting to do something above our couch like this for months. The Ribba frames are $20 each at Ikea and we’d have to pay shipping which turns this into a pretty pricey project if we buy 8 frames. Joann’s has shadowboxes on sale for almost half the price. Do you think they could produce the same look?
Totally! I would try those out!
xo
s