Artify Your Home (No Artistry Needed… though a little would help)
So you want to spruce up your pad, accentuate your abode, make your home your own, right? Of course you do. But how? Where to start? And how to avoid the “Oh that’s so cool (kinda), I saw it at Urban Outfitters” response?
Here are a few simple ideas – not necessarily for copying, but for stimulating your creativity to think outside the box when it comes to artifying your home (yes, you can make up words, too):
1. Knobs & Hooks
a. Knobs. Got drawers? Sure you do. Dresser drawers, kitchen drawers, desk drawers…you get the picture. So what do you do with them? Fancy knobs!! Okay, so you find your local antique or salvage store, and you politely ask them where the knobs are. They’ll probably have a box of them somewhere and be happy to tell you exactly where they are (or at least the general vicinity). I recommend colored glass knobs, or whatever catches your eye, really – and don’t be afraid to mix and match. Then you know the rest: pay for them, bring them home, take off your boring old knobs and replace them with your supercool new knobs. Don’t have a screwdriver??! Go get one! While you’re at it, pick up some paint and paint your drawers! Expert advice: paint drawers and let paint dry before screwing on new knobs.
b. Hooks. You need to hang things, I know. Like keys, hats, scarves, twine, bibs, etc. Please don’t buy boring hooks or racks, or even clever hooks or racks. Go back to that antique or salvage store! Aren’t you glad you found it? Get an assortment of hooks. There are all kinds of hooks – and each has its own specialty. Can’t go into this now, but explore it for yourself. Or just trust me. You’ll eventually figure it out. So bring your stash home and fasten it to the wall in all the strategic places. Bonus: spray-paint hooks the same color – or different colors – for an exquisite antique-meets-spray paint effect.
n.b. Don’t feel confined to using hooks for hooks and knobs for knobs. All sorts of things could be used for either. Your old cell phones could work as drawer knobs. Okay, that’d be ugly. But you’ll think of something. And when in doubt, try spray-painting them…a metallic silver should do the trick, depending on your drawers of course.
2. Dental Floss
First off, we’re talking unused dental floss here. I recommend green mint flavored, but white’s fine too, especially if you want it to blend into the ether better (though from personal experience, people favor mint). Whatever the flavor, be sure it’s waxed for maximum dust resistance. And none of that weird ribbony stuff. Right, so what are we doing with our waxed fresh-outta-the-dispenser floss? We’re hanging artful things from the ceiling with it! Wait, I know what you’re thinking, but this can work. Why? Because dental floss is thin, strong, and not nearly as scary as fishing wire. Plus, it comes with its own little cutter on the container. Just go with it!! Going with it in Direction #1: “pure” art. This would entail selecting especially “arty” items, such as, I don’t know, a feather, or a figurine of some sort, or a bust of Bach…or a gaggle of gummi worms – just picture it! A school of gummi worms swimming up your bannister. Hanging art from the ceiling needs to be done more often. Face it, sticking art stuff on the walls gets old. Gotta use the space in between. It’s been wasted for too long. Okay, enough sermonizing – Going with it in Direction #2: “functional” art. This would involve hanging the pens and pencils and erasers and rulers and flash drives and whatnot that you kids have on your desks these days, so that when you need them, you simply stand up outta your chair (it’s good for you) and detach them as needed. Try velcro or if your functional artpiece has some sort of clip, loop the end of the floss and clip your pen to it. Clip on, clip off – easy. I don’t have to point out that in addition to being arty and cool, this setup also gives you minimal exercise and keeps your desk uncluttered.
Technical advice: You can use scotch tape, really, for all of this. Be neat with it and it will look fine. Taped to the ceiling, then taped or tied to your hanging art. If it falls, use stronger tape.
Don’t like these ideas?? Think of your own better ones!! And have fun with it. You’re likely to learn something, and end up with a conversation piece if nothing else.
— Jason Rylander, Guest Writer
Jason Rylander is an attorney and artist who lives in Brooklyn. Check out his latest forays into gummi bear art at redhookart.com.
