January Jumpstart: Extended!
Posted by BlueprintThe deadline for the January Jumpstart contest has been extended to today! So you’ve still got time (today to be exact) to tackle a small project. Here are some more ideas from the Blueprint archives.
Chain Suspended Shelf
Conjure the stylish illusion of a space-saving suspended shelf.
Chain suspended shelf (Jan/Feb 2007)
How To Make It
1. Drill holes in the shelf’s two outer corners, 1 inch in from both edges. (The holes should be slightly smaller than the screw ends of the loop hooks.) Screw a hook into each hole.
2. Attach shelf to the wall, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Dangle a plumb bob – or a house key tied to a length of string – from the ceiling until the tip just touches the loop hooks in the shelf. Mark the ceiling there and drill holes for screw anchors, tapping them in with a hammer. Screw in two remaining hooks.
4. Measure the distance from ceiling hooks to shelf hooks, and purchase (or cut) two lengths of chain to fit.
5. Hang the lengths of chain between each pair of hooks, and step back to revel in your own sleight of hand.
“Lack” shelf, $15, ikea.com. 3/16-inch brass chain, $60 per yard, grandbrass.com
Think about the duel powers of paint: decoration and deception.
The red racing strip on the bottom of this vintage sink was painted by sculptor Elena Colombo (July/August) to add color and hide stubborn rust stains that no amount of elbow grease or steel wool could erase.
Create Your Own Wallpaper
Photographer Tosca Radigonda decided to stop hiding her collection of Polaroids in boxes and put them on display by taping them to her walls (March/April). Put your own spin on the idea by using vintage postcards, pages torn from books, or printouts of your digital photos. Simply attach them using acid-free double-stick tape. To preserve the images piece together sheets of Plexiglas to cover the area, then attach with screws at the corners.
Fabricate It
No time to hang wallpaper? Can’t commit to one pattern? Drape a length of fabric on the wall, like an Old World tapestry to highlight a ho-hum space – then swap in another fabric once you've grown tired of the pattern.
How To Make It
1. Cut fabric 3 inches wider and 5 inches taller than the area (for extra-wide areas, sew 2 panels together). Fold over side edges twice by ¾ inch, and hem. Stitch 2 ½-inch rod sleeves at top and bottom.
2. Slide in 3/4-inch brass tubing (the bottom tune will weigh down the panel and help it hang smoothly; brass tubing and inside-mount brackets are available at hardware and curtain-supply stores.)
3. At the top, attach ¾-inch inside-mount brackets to the wall; hang tapestry. If the fabric is heavy or the pole sags, mark the wall in the middle, just under the pole, and hammer in a 4-inch nail behind the fabric; rest the pole on it.
4. To hang a mirror or frame, mark the spot with fabric chalk, then hammer a 4-inch nail through the fabric.
The chain shelf is the most innovative thing I've seen all week. I'm trying desperately to help a niece to organize her life but she is extremely unorganized. She loves pink, so this immediately caught my eye. Great touch on the kitchen spot too!
Posted by: colorthemes | Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 12:17 PM
That's smart! I'm so sharing this with everybody.
Posted by: Meg | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 10:27 PM