Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Oh, I'm totally keeping him

The Husband is not often around.

When something in the house breaks, I am usually the one to deal with it. I have successfully navigated broken toilets, fixed doors, and even saved us what a plumber would cost by unclogging my own disgusting sink.

Yes, I am awesome.

But the Husband makes up for his absence in our day-to-day lives in many other ways.

Like this, for instance:

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I saw a similar idea at our local Ethan Allen store and wanted one of my own. I didn't like theirs quite as well, and described to the Husband exactly what I was wanting. He then happily spent his day off doing my bidding and I now have this fantastic shelf above the sofa in our basement.

I wanted prints of all different sizes, textures, and mountings to adorn the shelf. I didn't want frames - felt the naked, raw look of the prints would make the images pop.

Plus, the basement has been declared a breakable-free zone. We want the kids to be able to go down there in the winter and play or toss a ball around without fear of glass shattering on their heads. So frames were definitely an impracticality.

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Some are mounted on mat board, some on canvas, some on foam core. They are all pictures of our favorite places and our favorite people. I just love it.

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The photos here just can't do justice to the scale of the prints. The larger pictures are like 24x30 and the smallest ones are 8x10.

The display is HUGE.

You know, like my ego.

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But I am so happy with how it turned out and am perfectly willing to keep unclogging drains in exchange for the Husband's free time being spent on pursuits that are far more beneficial to me.

It's a win-win for both of us.

[I am also shopping for throw pillows to go on that sofa. Any suggestions or favorite sites? Your help would be much appreciated.]

35 comments:

melissa walker said...

That looks great--I need one for my basement too! Can you lend out your husband?

Rochelleht said...

Amazing.

Anthro always has the best pillows, but for less expensive options, amazingly, Pier One has great pillows!

Anonymous said...

I love it! I might steal your idea!

Anonymous said...

Oh...TJ Maxx or Marshalls for pillows!

Karey said...

I love it. I've been wanting to do unframed prints down my stairway but haven't been able to find a place to do that for less than the price of a car. Care to elaborate on how you did them?

I've found some beautiful pillows at Ross and TJ Maxx. Great prices, but you have to be willing to mix and match and sometimes buy them one or two at a time.

Good luck on the pillow hunt!

CZYK Publishing said...

What a great way to display photos!

TheCatLord said...

love it!!

Tristan said...

That is so fantastic! I'm in love with the fact that you did not use frames!! I need to copy that idea now.

Travelin'Oma said...

That husband is totally worth keeping. For sure, keep him. (Cool as he is, I don't want him back.)

Christy said...

Beautiful. I love your photography.

Terra said...

Had to stop lurking again for a comment! Just this week I posted about a light switch I replaced...and while I too navigate my way around many fixits - I have my limits to being on my own...mostly - Dead Mice in my yard and Praying Mantices in my kitchen (EWWWWWW) I totally freaked out at these!

Unknown said...

Stunning! It's simple yet it makes such a statement. I'll be another one who may have to steal this idea.

Lala said...

I love it! I need a basement to do that in. =) The non-breakable zone would be very practical for our family, although 4 boys, we need a whole house like that. =)

Juli said...

Nice! I also have something similar to that on the wall behind the couch. Ours was more practical though, as I was trying to hide an electrical box and a thermostat. Oh, and I had to do it myself. I think I like the looks of yours better though, and the unbreakable thing...genius! -J

Lauren in GA said...

Ilene has a friend that makes the most incredible throw pillows. Paige ordered some, once. I will try and find the post about them.

It looks so fabulous!!!

I love large pictures and wall art like that.

Thelma said...

Every time I go to Pier One I fall in love with a pillow or two.

Your picture shelf is fabulous!

Lauren in GA said...

Okay, I'm back. On Ilene's blog there is a post called, "Pillow Talk" from her Friday August 21, 2009 post. I would link it for you in this comment but I still can't figure out how to do that.

Ilene's friend has an Etsy called Meringue designs. I have never ordered from an Etsy store...I guess you could log into Etsy and then type in Meringue designs? If that doesn't work you could just go to Ilene's post on Greenbean Ruminations.

I mean well but I don't understand the Internet the way I want to.

Liz said...

Add this to the list of things that I am desperately trying to copy about you. Also, it will not surprise you to learn that just this week my kids had a talk with me about my sailor mouth.

Separated at birth . . .

Meggan said...

I am totally stealing this idea. But for my living room. It's great. And easy and doesn't break...absolutely love it.

erin said...

i love this idea! i am a frequent reader and found you through marta. thanks for posting this! :)

brooke said...

I love this--especially the hugeness of the pictures (is hugeness a word?)

How did you mount those pictures on foam and all that other mumbo jumbo. Please enlighten us, or more accurately, how did the husband do it?

I like TJ Maxx and More, Home Goods, Pier 1 and target for pillows.

DarbyM said...

LOVE , LOVE, LOVE it! I'm a firm believer that anything smaller than an 11x14 is a shame and big prints ROCK!

Have you tried the Styrene Board or Masonite mounting from WHCC? They are rigid and won't bend or warp when not using a frame. They are amazing. Give em a try next time!

Anna said...

Love, love the pics and the shelf. The carpenter is definitely a keeper, he's so cute.

Julie From Inmates said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this display! Your hubby did a great job! Love the whole no frame ideas, though, I wonder how those would look here at the McResidence after *forgetting* to dust in the basement week after week. Ahem.

Karey said...

Thank you, thank you for the info on the prints. I can't wait to get started!

jen@odbt said...

I love this idea and now I'm noodling how I can get my husband (who's not so handy) to make one. Your photographs are amazing.

calibosmom said...

FANTASTIC! Hmmm...the plotting now begins to get my own husband on this project. Hey, I did change the dryer door-that's gotta be good for something. I LOVE the large scale-we may need a tutorial on the mounting process.

Ilene said...

LOVE it.

Pillows? Here is my recommendationd. Check out
http://www.etsy.com/shop/meringuedesigns

It is my SIL's, Cynthia's, site and I have a bunch of her pillows scattered throughout my own house. Cynthia's pillows are fun and she uses great designer print fabrics so you can't be afraid of color or pattern. She has slowed down her shop for summer but once school begins again at the end of the month I am sure her pillow availability will be up and she will again be doing custom orders.

OR if you don't want to go that route, I would pay some family member or friend who knows how to sew to whip up some pillows from the fabric of your choice. You can get pillows from box stores but having your own unique pillows is so much more fun and costs about the same. Pillows are way overpriced in stores.

There is my spiel. Do with it what you want.

Chatter said...

I love it!!! Tutorial please :) I have just the place to duplicate your idea.

Becca @ My Crazy Good Life said...

I LOVE that.

Hmmm... going to show this to hubby now :)

Natasha and Jesse said...

How cool! What a great idea.

Natasha from: http://days-of-natasha.blogspot.com/

sistaoutlaw said...

Love the photo wall. Try Plum Cushion on Etsy for pillows.

jessica said...

AWESOME!!! I am so copying you! If I lived by you I would totally make you some fancy pillows...

Cindy said...

That is a wonderful idea! I may just need to try that out as well!

dragonflydreamer said...

I love it! I also love the color of the walls and the sofa is a dream.