Old Window Chalkboard Spring Display

Large walls can be an overwhelming space to decorate! You don’t want to put too many holes in the wall, but you’re afraid if you make a grouping of items, you might get sick of it. I like my decor to reflect the seasons and want the freedom to switch things up without making a lot of holes in my walls. Today I’ll share how I resolved this problem in my living room with an Old Window Chalkboard Spring Display.

For a few years, we’ve enjoyed an awesome, vintage map behind our sofa {see it in “Styling Tips: Using the Rule of 3 Multiplied”}. But I get tired of things. And I wanted to be able to switch things up once in awhile. So I took the map down to rest and looked at a blank wall, trying to brainstorm the possibilities.

Repurpose an Old Window Frame as Wall Decor

As we were clearing out a pile of old windows from the garage, I saw a large one that had been used in my former store as a divider backdrop {“Do I Miss It?”}. I guessed it was the perfect size for the wall behind the sofa. I’ve got window architecture throughout my home and they work so well as a changeable backdrop, or simply plain.

I sanded the frame down and gave it a good scrub. Once dry, I gave it a couple coats of poly to get rid of the slight mildew odor my nose is very sensitive to.  Then I tried it in it’s new spot:

Add Chalkboard Paint for Flexible Styling and an Interesting Backdrop

A perfect fit! I had Mr. Fix-it cut a couple pieces of thin board and I primed and painted them with black paint that looked like chalkboard (I had some extra black and didn’t have any chalkboard at the time). He used the nailer to attach it to the back. We had to measure and draw lines in order to know where the crosspieces were to nail into.

He put large eyehooks in the top and we hung it under the scaffolding shelf. Once up, I painted over the black paint with clear chalkboard paint, a couple coats.

After drying for a couple days, as the label instructed, I seasoned the whole thing with the side of a large piece of white sidewalk chalk. Then I wiped it down with a dry paper towel. Even without any chalk art, I love the backdrop of a chalkboard. I’m sure sometimes I will write things on the chalkboard, but for now it’s just a cool backdrop!

Use a Variety of Textures with Dimension in Your Styling

Now for the fun part: accessorizing. I found a fun black and white “Antiques” sign at Joann’s that needed to be in my house somewhere. Flowering pink apple blossoms in a rusty sap container, along with some spring tulips in one of the “Repurposed Drawer Wall Pockets” would give the whole vignette dimension.

Because I was using the tulips and apple blossoms, I didn’t want to hang another flower-themed wreath. That’s where the moss wreath idea came in. The “Mixed Moss Grapevine Wreath” perfectly brought all the elements together and gave the whole room a bolt of springtime green. I think it looks like the front window of a shop in Europe, which I love!

The scaffolding shelf above displays a “Family” themed array of accessories, with the pretty tin dollhouse colors driving the look. Do you notice all the different textures represented? Along with different types of metal and wood, there’s terra cotta, book pages, and many kinds of flora and fauna.

Enjoy Your Flexible and Transitional Wall Decor

The old chalkboard window backdrop is a perfect, changeable place to feature seasonal vignettes. When I get tired of the display, I can simply nail a couple more little holes in a different spot and switch it up! The large wall expanse is no longer a scary space to style. It’s a fun place to feature seasonal vignettes and not worry about putting a lot of holes in the wall.

Do you have a large expanse of wall you’ve been overwhelmed with? Maybe you can hit a spring flea or vintage market and find yourself a piece of architecture. I hope this Old Window Chalkboard Spring Display got your ideas flowing!

Sharing at these lovely parties:

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Vintage Charm

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Homestyle Gathering