Let me preface this post by saying these shots are raw...not staged and you may even spy some dust! But...here goes, keeping it real. I've been working on turning my dining room into a library, of sorts. I want to create a space for my girls to use for school. Being that they are now in 8th and 11th grade (AND a senior in college), I need something more than a playroom and still keep it usable for serving meals during the holidays. The answer is a library with a large table. The dining room has a cathedral ceiling so there's a lot of wall space to cover. In the past, the largest wall has been blocked by my huge armoire used for a craft cabinet for my altered art supplies.
You can see it was massive and messy! It looked so much smaller in the store. Well, thanks to Craigslist and a young nurse needing "bulkier" furniture for her newly purchased, first home, it's gone. It's being replaced by this...the beginnings of my gallery wall of vintage maps for the library.
The maps are from a 1930s National Geographic magazine. Beautiful vintage colors and lettering! I would have hesitated at cutting them in pieces except they were already ripping from being folded for so long. The frames were all found at thrift stores and painted black. I know there is a big void on the upper left side. I'm still working on finding the perfect frame and bigger piece of map to fill the spot. This is a work in progress. I've also got plans for the two side chairs. I would love to slipcover them in dropcloth or linen and paint the arms and legs. It's on the ever increasing list. : /
The large chalkboard was a yard sale find y-e-a-r-s ago. It was painted bright yellow with hot pink cardboard covering the tin. For $5, I brought it home and peeled the brittle cardboard out of the center and found that it was lined with 1950s newspaper pieces. I finally made it to the bottom layer and revealed the tin backing. I painted it with flat black. I didn't know about DIY chalkboard paint back then. It has hung in several places in our home since then and has served many purposes.
Well, this is the beginning of my gallery wall. I'll keep you updated on the progress of my library. For now, here's a sneak peek at the other wall.
I hope you're beginning to experience Fall where you are. It's beautiful here in Tennessee. Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie
I link to these parties. Be sure to check them out!
.JPG)
