Ok, not the whole world, but a good smattering of it. For those of you who watched our house tour video yesterday, you’ve seen a shot of these babies in action (and by these babies, I mean eight freshly framed prints that we hung in our hallway above the board & batten that we added). But here are some close ups with all the how-we-did-it deets.
It was a really easy project actually. First, we bought an awesome calendar at Anthropologie on sale after the new year for $13 (gotta love how calendars go half price the second that January begins) but we had zero intention of using it in the traditional sense since we make a quirky little homemade calendar each year.
We just loved the awesome illustrations of each city. And we knew they’d look nice in a collection of frames on the wall. Psst- It’s still for sale here, if you’re in the market for one.
At first we debated hanging all 12 of them in a grid in the guest room, but we’ve been craving something large (as opposed to a collection of smaller frames) for the big bare wall above the chairs in there.
And then when we finished the board & batten hallway project (here’s a pic from before we painted the walls)…
… it dawned on us that they might look cute spaced out as you walk down the hall.
Turns out they do.
As for how we hung them all at the same height, we just shot our laser level down the hall, and marked two dots for each frame that were 5″ apart (there are 10″ of space between each frame).
Then we just hammered nails into those two dots for each frame.
Why two nails for each frame? Well, since the back of these Ikea ribba frames rest on a nail to stay up, two nails about 5″ apart are nice and sturdy – and you’ll never need to straighten the frame like you do when it hangs on one nail). Plus you can slide the frame a bit from the left or the right, so it helps make the spacing extra easy to control, even if you pre-measure it all with the laser level like we did.
Then when you pop a frame onto them, it looks like this:
Since the eight Ribba frames are from Ikea, they’re just $9 a pop (and we already had four, so we just had to buy four more to complete the collection). So that’s how we got an entire hallway full of art for $49 – which breaks down to $36 for frames and $13 for the calendar.
Not bad to go from here…
… to here in about a month.
Especially since we walk up and down that hallway at least a dozen times a day. And although we’ve only been to one of the eight places: NY (do we get extra point for living there for a while?) John has already started calling this our travel bucket list. So here’s hoping we get to visit Rome, Paris, Istanbul, Sydney, London, Amsterdam, and Rio De Janeiro someday.
Odd confession of the day: I have three favorite spots in this house, and two of them aren’t rooms. They’re:
- the frame hallway that leads to the living room, kitchen, and our bedroom
- this hallway that leads to the other three bedrooms
- Clara’s big girl room, just because I’m beyond thankful that it no longer looks like this…
What are your favorite areas of your house? Are they unusual, like a closet or a bathroom or a specific nook (the wall o’ penny tile in the kitchen is up there for me too)? Or are your picks more traditional like the living room, the sunroom, or the bedroom?
Update: Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint color we used? Just click on this button:
Kiera says
So glad that you posted this- I meant to ask what was new on the “childrens wing” hallway walls after watching your video but forgot. Cute pics- we are a map/place obsessed family ourselves.
Renee says
I wish we had an IKEA close to where we live. Those frames are super cute! I need some for my son’s nursery.
Emily says
That is such a cute idea! I love it. I might have to buy one and do some like that for our guest room, it would match great and the room still needs some artwork! Love it! Thanks for sharing.
My favorite room in our house is our living room. It took such a dramatic change. Still working on the other rooms and will be sharing them soon!
http://emilyandtylerglover.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/home-redecorating-ballard-style/
Michelle N says
I always forget about calenders to use for art. I have a Chick-fil-A calender filled with cows. It’s the 2011 calender, all the cows are dressed up like reality TV stars.
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Cows/Calendar-Detail/2011
I wonder how that would look framed. Just kidding, Hahaha!
Have you guys checked out the Joss and Main, World Traveler event? They have a few awesome gradient map. Love the Green and blue world map.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh off to check it out!
xo
s
Meredith says
Looks awesome! I put the same prints from that calendar in my son’s travel themed nursery!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute Meredith!
xo
s
sherri barron says
This looks great! I love the travel bucket list idea.
Did you paint the air return vent when you painted the hallways? Do you need a special paint for that?
YoungHouseLove says
I just used a brush and did light coats. Stuck really well :)
xo
s
Amy says
I saw this calendar for sale at Paper Source around Christmas but it felt selfish to by MYSELF a gift at the time. :) Thank you for reminding me about it. We have been fortunate enough to visit 6 of the cities (only the airport of 1 of them but still not bad!) I just went ahead and treated myself to it. So excited!
YoungHouseLove says
6 is awesome! Lucky lady!
xo
s
Lisa E says
Love how it’s yet another genius project on the cheap. Amazing transformation of just a simple hallway.
sarah says
Love this! I *think* I recall you guys buying another travel themed calendar a while ago (I remember since I had purchased the same one with the intention of hanging up the pictures) It was by Cavallini & Co. Just wondering if you ended up using those photos? I found the sizes an awkward shape for the ikea frames..
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that’s all maps of the world. I actually have another project up my sleeve for that one!
xo
s
Lettie @ Living & Loving says
I was looking for a good excuse to buy this calendar and I now I’m totally going for it! Can’t go wrong for only $13! Love what you guys did!
Sayward says
I love this! (Ribba frames are my jam. I should probably buy stock) I just jumped on the bandwagon and ordered one of these sweet calendars too. I predict they sell out by the end of the day :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, I hope you love it Sayward!
xo
s
Katy@RICE says
I love that calendar and I love them in the Ikea frames. My hubby is having a guy’s rock climbing day tomorrow… maybe next weekend will be a girl’s Ikea road trip! haha
My favorite spot in our house is the corner by the fire and the bookcase… Virginia needs to get her stuff together.. this cold weather has to go!
http://ricedesigns.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/a-corner-of-our-new-living-room/
YoungHouseLove says
So cozy!
xo
s
Megan says
Super cute! I’m a travel junkie (only been to three of these cities though…should be four by the end of the year!), so I had to buy one too. Tip to anyone else thinking of buying it: I found it at calendars.com for $6.50 and was able to use a free shipping code too. No reason not to go for it!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, that’s an amazing deal! Thanks for sharing Megan!
xo
s
Beryl says
What is it listed under? I couldn’t find it somehow.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, we hear it’s selling out in a few places so maybe that explains it?
xo
s
bea says
Another thank you for the link! I just bought the calendar and plan on using it as art for my son’s room and our den. I’ve been to more 1/2 the places featured(NY, London, Rome, Paris, Moscow, Bangkok and Tokyo) and would love to visit the others! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cool Bea!
xo
s
Tara says
That’s quite the bucket list! They all sound like lovely places to travel. For me in your suitcase when you go, would ya? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Will do!
xo
s
Meg says
This looks amazing! What a great idea to use the calender art. If you check out our blog recent posts – we recently did over our hallway with an art display and I love it. But my favorite spot in our house is a little odd – it’s our shower. The sun pours in a little window in the shower in the morning and I just love that!
YoungHouseLove says
Um, that sounds amazing actually!
xo
s
Molly says
I love this project!! I feel like every time you walk down that hallway you go on a virtual tour of the world! Bravo!!
Christie says
My husband and I bought our first house two years ago and I feel like it looks like we jus moved in. I know it will get there. One DIY project and a time! As far as the bucket list goes, I am crossing off Istanbul this summer and couldn’t be more excited!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing Christie! Have the best time!
xo
s
jen says
Love those. Just ordered it! We have a big map from Crate and Barrel to mark our trips on and these will be great to hang along with it in the new playroom at our new house:) Looks so great, thanks for sharing!
Susan says
Great idea! I saw a fabulous calendar in a little shop in Maine and thought about buying it to do the same thing…but I didn’t. Big mistake!!
Looks great!
Susan
simplymodernhome.com
Emily says
I recently hung six prints from a calendar from papersource in our upstairs hallway. It was great to put a burst of color in such a blank, bare space!
Missy from NoVa says
I just finished a gallery wall of my photos from all the countries I’ve visited (32!), but this calendar is beautiful. I’ve been to all but two of those cities (Rio and Istanbul– someday). I love what they chose to represent each of the cities. Now I just need a bigger apartment…
BreAnne Neuman says
Happy Friday!
I used the larger Ribbia frames to hang some quirky wedding pics –
http://theneuzelproject.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/sneak-peak/
but the frames started to bow at the top because of the weight. They bowed ore and more, then finally broke off! Then I used command strips on the sides and that didn’t work either, wop wop. Hopefully yours stay put!
Love the travel bucket list idea!
Loyal Seattle follower~
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! That stinks! We’ve hung ribba ones of this size like this for years so it seems to work – I think you’re right that lightness is key (for the bigger ones we use the wire and clips they provide and hang them on a screw with an anchor since they’re heavier :)
xo
s
Julia Kent @ The Domestic Blonde says
Haha oh Sherry I was JUST wondering why you hadn’t replied to my comment on the house tour post (or did you? I’ll have to check) and then I saw this post in my feedly (which I am loving now, after mourning Google Reader). Hooray! I didn’t hang my pictures yet though. I bought the big, 19×19 inch Ribba frames and am hanging three of them on drywalll. Think picture hangers will hold the weight? What’d you guys use behind Karl?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We used nails for the frames behind Karl (hung on a wire) and that seemed to work well! Hope it helps :)
xo
s
Erin says
This might be my favorite update! As always, well done. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Erin!
xo
s
Erin H. says
I realized the other day that the guest room is my favorite room in the house. It is the one room that was not intentionally styled, and has collected all of the things that didn’t “go” in the other rooms.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so sweet!
xo
s
Charlotta says
Lovely art, and it fits perfectly into the hallway! Art makes it all feel more finished and lived in.
My favourite room is probably my craft/hobby/sewing room that doubles as office (and at this time of year plant nursery for seedlings). Why? Because it’s all mine… I also love our basement pantry, where we store wine, beer, homemade jam, apples, potatoes etc. I feel so rich knowing that I have all that food down there.
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo
s
Chelsea Wilson says
That is such a GOOD idea!! I feel like I’m a more creative person since I’ve started reading your blog & your book because of simple, clever ideas like this! I have a Charley Harper calendar that I’m still holding on to from last year because I want to do something similar!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Chelsea :)
xo
s
Amy says
I coulndn’t help notice the beautiful round mirror above the bed in the guestroom. Where did you find it? I’m hoping It’s a recent purchase so I too can have it in my home.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2013/03/mirror-mirror-on-the-dark-teal-wall/
xo
s
GreenInOC says
Uh oh, typo alert…
“the frame hallway that leads to the living room…”
That should read:
“The Hall of Frame that leads to the living room…”
Why no, I’ve never head the expression “beat a dead horse”!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahahahahahahahaha. I love you.
xo
s
Jillian says
Looks great, good job! Just ordered the calendar to do the same thing in our very white kitchen. How can you tell which walls in your house are drywall and which ones are plaster? When you are looking at them can you tell the “difference” between the two? Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
We can’t usually tell until we nail or screw into them :)
xo
s
Amanda says
“That’s what he said”
I so had to Sherry! It just had to be done.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah!
xo
s
Katy @ The Non-Consumer Advocate says
Those look fantastic. Very Etsy-y. (Is that an adjective? Well it is now!)
I may not have ever been to Istanbul, but this week my blogged was hacked by someone *in* Istanbul, so that counts. Right?
Such a huge pain in the tuchus!
My favorite place in my house changes constantly, as I am changing up the house at all times. This week I’d have to say my favorite place in my house is my front porch, as I’ve been a Craigslist-selling maven this week, and I do all transactions on the porch. (Sold a $30 dresser for $80, and a $50 Knoll chair for $175. Hooray for Goodwill!)
Katy
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! So sorry about the blog hacking- so scary! But congrats on those maven-ish craigslist sales :)
xo
s
Ashley says
Wow, this looks amazing! Two questions though — (1) how did you cut the calendar pages down? And (2) are those frames matted? They look like they are, but I can’t tell for sure.
YoungHouseLove says
The Ribba frames come with mats that fit the prints! So we just cut them down to fit the frame (larger than the mat so you wouldn’t see the edges once we taped them behind the mat) and we were done :)
xo
s
Sherri J. says
Oh, I local pictures. We have something similar set up in our hallway, it’s pictures of the sky that go from sun rise to sun down. It’s one of those things that you can at and stair out for hours, wondering what it means.
Wendy says
Gahh!! I bought this same calendar online in December because I loved the graphics and thought I could do something fun with them – and here it is! As always, thanks for the ideas!!
Hillary says
I have the same calendar on my office wall! Love it!
Alexa says
LOVE THIS! Such an impact on a realistic budget. I did something similar (not so extensive at all!) years back with a few favorites from a Pier One calendar that was made of prints of vintage travel posters. The only one that made the cut through all my moves is the “Joy and Health Await in South Africa” piece which I always manage to find a place to hang.
Kate says
This may sound like a dumb question, but everytime I buy an Ikea Ribba frame, I am so excited about the price and then I get it home and am so damn frustrated when I have to install 2 hanging spots and the wire on the back and I never seem to get it even. Do you guys have a system?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, if you check out this post we explain our system (no wire, just two nails about 5″ apart). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Adrienne says
Oh, I love this! A few years ago I bought an old calendar with botanical vegetable drawings on it that I did something similar with – they’re hanging in our kitchen and in my office at work (I’m a career counselor at a culinary school). I think my favorite part of our house is the entry way. It’s tiny, but the pictures on the wall are all family wedding photos. We collected them for our wedding, and now they hang on our walls – every time we come home our grandparents greet us all the way back to the great-greats!
JF says
I have a quick question — do you not paint the quarter-round on the baseboards on purpose? I notice in the photos of your hallway that it is wood-colored, as opposed to the white baseboards. The reason I notice is that we just bought our first home, and the entire house has wood floors with unpainted (wood) quarter-round. It drives my husband crazy because he says it looks unfinished and that we need to paint it all. Do you think its just a matter of preference?
YoungHouseLove says
We have seen it match the floor or the molding, and in our house it was all just matching the floor already so we left it alone. Didn’t seem worth the trouble to paint it all, plus it hides dust and scuff marks from walking more than painted quarter round does :)
xo
s
Mr. & Mrs. P says
Looks so nice!!! We so need one of those laser lever thingamajig!! lol
Mr. & Mrs. P
http://www.cristyandmichael.blogspot.com
Jane says
Sherry,
Those ribba frames are sort of hollow in the back , so they just hang on the two nails , correct ? If so , is it safe ? Do you think they may slip and fall off or something ? Your new wall art looks so cool , i may have to buy that calender for myself.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we leave the nails sticking out enough that they rest on a good amount of the nail so there’s no worry of them slipping off, but if you think someone might knock them or something you can use 3M command strips to further secure them :)
xo
s
Jane says
Thanks Sherry :)
Jen D. says
YAY! I love Rifle Paper Co. It looks great!
laurie eller says
Thank you for the link to the calendar. Just snagged myself one! Can’t wait to finish a project. I love the calendar, way better than a kitty one. Lol
Joanna says
Hi – any particular nails that you use to hang up all your different frames? Also I have a few things (metal art from homegoods) to hang that I know dont need heavy anchors…but the nails I have seem so small. Any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
We generally try to use small picture hanging nails (maybe 1.5″ long?) so they don’t leave giant holes, but with bigger frames that are heavier we use anchors and screws.
xo
s
Tina says
I didnt even read the whole post all the way through at first!! I loved the pictures so much I went right to the website and bought the calendar, lol! Our house is themed with around the world cities – every room is different, so this is right up my alley. I can’t wait to get it and do something fun too! THANKS!!! Oh and I went back and read the post, awesome as always;)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Tina! Hope you love your calendar :)
xo
s
kelly says
that looks so much lighter and brighter LOVE the frames. My favourite places in my house are my office/craft room where I do all my orders and my bedroom.
Camille says
Calendar art is undervalued but oh-so-cool and affordable. Over the years I’ve framed a bunch of calendar pages and they’re some of my favorites–1950’s beach scenes, old California travel posters. So smart that you guys chose something symmetrical and repetitive for the hallway. I’m trying to find prints for a similar area above a long bookcase.
Carolyn Williams says
Oh my gosh! What perfect timing! I am in the middle of redoing our guest room/ TV room and turning it into my daughter’s big girl room (we have another daughter on the way in August and she will just reuse the nursery). I am doing a big map of the world, but wanted other non-mappy, yet worldly accessories to go with it. We have been to (and love) New York, Paris, London and Istanbul, so those will be perfect!
ps I also did her dresser as a gradient like in your book. This is shaping up to be a YHL room! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw that’s so sweet Carolyn, I love it!
xo
s
lola says
WAAAAY too much visual clutter in your halls.
Alison says
I have to agree.