A while back, while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I came across a stunning picture of a gorgeous living wall hanging from the IG account @la_sidhu.
Her particular wall hanging consisted of an elaborate gold gilt frame with trailing plants hung inside the frame. I fell in love with this idea for a unique piece of living art. Some time passed but that image and inspiration for creating a similar piece for my home just kind of stuck with me.
I am currently making some “tweaks” to a space in my home, a space that has always kind of puzzled me on how to stage it in a stylish and functional way. This “alcove room,” as we call it, serves as a pass-through from our dining room into our family room. The walls in this space are wood paneling that I have debated painting since we moved in. I have probably asked about 1,000 people their opinion of the wood paneling and (to my surprise) the overwhelming response is, “DO. NOT. PAINT!” So, I’m keeping the wood and trying to work the space into one that is more aesthetically pleasing. It is still a work in progress, however I knew that this living, green, wall art would be the perfect compliment and style punch for this space. And, this meant I got to craft a fun DIY project which I love doing!
First order of business was finding a frame that would suit the space. I searched high and low in my local thrift stores but ended up finding what I needed in my own basement. A mirror that was hung over a vanity in our upstairs hall bath had been taken down and replaced about 2 years ago. Not one to throw things away, I had stashed it in the basement. It was a silver and black detailed frame that didn’t fit with any of our current decor, but would work perfectly for this project with a little creativity and elbow grease.
First I removed the backing and mirror from the frame. I then cut wire mesh to the size of the frame and, using a staple gun, attached the mesh to the back of the frame. I then spray painted the entire frame, and mesh, metallic gold.
I found small black hanging vessels for my plants at Soil Service and Family Tree Nursery. I used simple S-Hooks, found at any hardware store, to hang the planters to the wire mesh on the frame.
Once I had all of my frame-related supplies in order I went plant shopping.
I purchased leafy green plants that will trail as they grow and fill the space within the frame. I also usedthe lowest maintenance plant, air plants, to fill in and add visual interest.
This wall is the new home for my fun DIY art project, ignore everything else in this picture as it is going away soon! When this space is done and ready for it’s final reveal I am looking forward to putting together a “before and after” post to show you the transformation. But for now, I couldn’t wait to share this unique and easy DIY. I am really excited to watch this piece grow and transform, filling in and becoming more beautiful with time. That is if I can keep these little green babes alive! Cross your fingers for me!
