This post will be the inaugural post of a category I’m calling “Pinned There, Done That.” I pin things to my Pinterest boards all the time, and I’m determined not to just pin them and let them collect dust – it's all about action! So here’s an example of something I pinned that I adapted for my house. Sometimes the projects are quite literal, as in this case, and sometimes it’s more of a feeling, a color palette, or a technique I’m interested in recreating. But anyway… this project’s about zazzing up the end of my hallway.
The door to the garage is visible at the end of the main hallway in my house, through my laundry room. When you turn the corner to the hall, that door is the focal point. A few years ago, I painted the door with chalkboard paint and every now and again the kids or I will scribble something up there, but it’s really haphazard and not nearly as cool as I’d like. I was really looking for something that would make a statement as you come around the corner and see that door at the end of the hall. Something more like art. Then I promptly put it somewhere near the end of my to do list.
Cut to a few weeks ago when I introduced my kids to the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. It’s become a huge hit in our house and many of the lines are quoted back and forth. Then I remembered that I had pinned a great chalkboard version of a F.B.D.O. quote on Pinterest and knew I had the answer to my art!
The talented folks at Friends of Type created an amazing rendering of this John Hughes quote from the movie. Since I’m not nearly as talented as they are, I completely copied their beautiful design to the best of my ability – theirs looks way cooler but I’m really happy with my laundry room upgrade!
Oh, man...don’t look at the gross carpet or trashed linoleum or ugly orangey-oak cabinets in these shots. Imagine beautiful hardwood floors instead. We are a “shoes off” house and yet our carpet is still pretty disgusting. I’ve lived in this rental house for nine years now and if I had only known I would be here this long I would have made some changes that I would’ve felt good about getting so many years of use out of. Hopefully the chalkboard art and the gallery of photos on the wall (soon to be highlighted in their own post) distract from the flooring. I've also been wanting to paint the cabinets a gray color, but I have a feeling my time in this house is coming to an end (sniff sniff!) so there’s no point in spending time on that labor-intensive project now. Knowing that the end is near though makes me want to beautify any remaining spaces I can with some quick fixes, and feel like I “finished” what I started here in this house.
Not only is there a focal point at the end of the hall now, it adds a little more fun to our house which is important to me and the quote is a good reminder for us all.
Have you done any Pinterest-inspired projects? I want to see!