How to use a table runner as art

November 12, 2009

How to use a textured table runner as wall art! 


I was feeling the itch for a Goodwill trip today -- it's been about a week, and after that long, I start daydreaming about it, and getting hives at the thought of something totally fab and perfect and lovely that's there waiting for me rightthisminuteandI'mgoingtomissit!!

Whew. So I needed to go. 

I found a few goodies for under $10 -- the other items I'll show you soon. This one, I just couldn't pass up. It was a table runner, all beady and natural looking. 

I stood there with it in my hands staring at it, but I couldn't figure out where in the heck I would need such an odd sized table runner. It's only 31 inches long. 

And then it hit me -- I knew just where it was going. Over the toilet!

For the longest time, this is what I've had over the toilet in our little room in the master bath: art for over toilet Don't ask. I have no clue what I was thinking. I was thinking spa I guess? It didn't turn out well. And towels over the toilet? Um....that's just not good. I mean, we didn't use them, but still...
 
So I had a vision, and it turned out exactly how I had hoped! First, I just nailed the runner to the wall using little finishing nails and my hammer:
I used my nail sinker to get them in close enough to the wall so you couldn't see them:
hanging a table runner Most of them I was able to just push in with my finger.
 
I didn't take pics of the molding process, but I added some thin molding I had in the garage around the runner to finish it off:table runner art with trimI spray painted the molding before I hung it, but it still wasn't just the right tone. 

So I just brushed some of my walnut stain right over the top of the wood, and now it matches perfectly!
table runner on wall
Because I love it so stinking much, I took a ton of pictures, so bare with me:
wood bead table runner artI'm not sure what you would call the style of our bathroom, it's a little traditional, a little fancy, a little nature-inspired. But this works, no matter what it is. :)

How gorgeous would this be in a dining room -- in a set of three on the wall hanging horizontally? FAB!
beady table runner art
The before again: art for over toilet
The much lovelier after:
table runner artTotal cost? Four bucks baby. And it took about 30 minutes start to finish, to complete. All during nap time, with time to spare to watch my stories. ;)

I will decorate anything if I can do it for cheap!
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Comments

  1. I just love this!!! What a great idea!
    I soo need you to help me with my laundry closet! Yes, its a closet with the washer and dryer and shelves above it. It's ugly! So ugly and in our den. I can't even reach the shelves so I don't know what to do with the wasted space!

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  2. I REALLY like it! Has so much more "presence" than the old decor! Would be fun to even hang a couple pieces of artwork on it or something too. Great idea to hang three of them in a dining room or something too. Bottom line - love it! :-)

    pk @ Room Remix

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  3. I, too, get a lil' jittery when I haven't been to the goodwill in a week. I get anxious thinking of the possibility that something that would be perfect for me house or that I may "need" would show up and I would totally miss it...or worse yet that it would be for 1/2 off. (my mother would say "then it wasn't meant to be" but I'd like to escape from that thought when it pertains to the goodwill)
    by the way -- gorgeous! Love it now, don't get me wrong, but a sconce in the middle might look cool (ya know if you didn't already have them on the other wall...or for the DR idea)

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  4. Girl, you need to stop with your bad self! I LOVE it! I never in a million years would have though of hanging that on the wall :)

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  5. I laughed when you talked about "needing" to go to GW! that is sooo me! Other people just don't get it!! I have loved finding your blog and am so going to do the picture frame molding in my dining room this weekend!! Been wanting to for 2 years and after your tutorial, now I feel like I can actually do it myself and not wait for DH to get to it "someday". Going to go buy a miter box. What do you think abut using liquid nails instead of hammer/nails for this?
    Dani

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  6. GAH.... GORGEOUS!! You are such a fabulous re-use girl. Never would I have thought to do this... leave it up to you my dear girl.

    DI
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  7. Very good idea and reuse. Very chic looking.
    Kathy

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  8. I gave a similar table runner to my niece last year....whew, glad to know you're not in the same city...thinking maybe she donated it! EgAds.....LOL....looks good, my friend. It came from Target and it looks good there!

    Suzanne

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  9. I have been b-stalking you for a while now, and I luurrrrrrve your ideas! Thanks for sharing yet another fab one. You're a rockstar and my thrifty decor 'idol'. Much love sista!

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  10. Main thing - it makes you happy - cheaper than a steak dinner, or a vacation, or a new outfit. Sometimes decorating is just medicine for the person...we occupants that live in the home see that wall, corner, whatever all the time...so when we change it the pleasure is all ours...if others also like it - just even better.

    Keep making yourself happy with your decorating adventures.

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  11. It looks AMAZING! How creative of you to think of using it as wall art - and the moulding just finishes it off perfectly. Well done!

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  12. I love what you did with your treasure! I just so happen to have a hospice thrift store near by and can not go to that town without stopping. I found a few treasures today myself. It makes me happy to find new uses for things. AND saving money on fabulous finds....all the better!

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  13. Love it!
    really like the 3 in a row in a dining room idea!!
    Have a great afternoon!!

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  14. What the heck!!?? That is wonderful! I am absolutely in love with it. And YOU, my dear, are absolute genius. I am not even kidding.

    {Ps--You need to upgrade your Photobucket to pro!! Check out your blog}

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  15. I like the way your (creative) mind works! Janell

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  16. That. Looks. Great! I love it! Leave it to you to work molding into this too. : )

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  17. Punch. Nail punch.

    Love the mini runner with all it's scrumptious texture loveliness. The one at Target winks at me everytime I pass by. So far I've held out, but now...

    I think this would make a great "matte" for 3 black and white framed photos in a vertical line down the middle. You know. Just sayin'.

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  18. Oh girl, only you could see this in the Goodwill and know it would be perfect above your toilet!! I am in awe of your brain~I love it!

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  19. I am neeeeeeding a trip to GW myself. I love the table runner thing! It is so pretty on the wall like that. And the molding around it is the PERFECT PERFECT touch! What a great idea!

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  20. I believe that little tool is called a counter sink. I like the wall hanging but it would also make an awesome rug for stepping out of the shower (with a little tray under neath for catching the water, like the mats made out of stone I've seen hanging around the internet)

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  21. WOW! This is so pretty and unexpected :)

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  22. You are incredible. I am so glad I found your blog, you have opened up a new world for me! I used to think decorating my house was too pricey, so I have hardly anything on my walls. Now I know about spray paint and my local thrift store (better than our goodwill). It has been a JOY to be able to come up with ideas for our home. I was able to find brand new with tags wall decor from joanns- 3 pieces- for $10. That would have cost me $100 at joanns!! I am in LOVE with your table runner wall art!!!

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  23. GENIUS!! This is definitely what this wall needed! GRRREAT job!!

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  24. OK WEIRD... I JUST Made the exact same thing with my odd shaped table runner. Well not the exact but VERY similar. Weird how there is an abundance of these odd shaped table runners at the thrift stores. I am posting mine tonight

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  25. It looks great! I need to go to a "good" Goodwill. The one here never has anything. :)

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  26. You are definitely one of the most creative people I "know"...I would have never thought of that, but it looks like it was meant to me...& much more than the $4 price tag! Thanks for the continued inspiration...

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  27. totally love it! i think we have the same bathroom, i swear. will have to send you some of my pics, it even looks like the same color! love it. i have been trying to spruce up mine too. used peir 1 place mats for a similare effect@!!!

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  28. Agree with Annabelle, I have gotta find myself a good goodwill! All of you have been blogging, wow I found this at goodwill, thrift, etc and I'm like, how?? All I see in these stores are crap.. but I haven't seen all the thrift shops in my city, so..

    I like your new toilet art much better than the old thing you had before - you could add your candle scones on your other wall and put them on each side of your new art and it would be COOL!

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  29. Oooooh, very zen. I'm all relaxed just looking at it. Such mod art ! Have you seen the river rocks shower mats ? Oh my goodness, I want one for my feeties !

    xoxo
    Kate

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  30. "counter sink"...not sure what the actual tool is called, but you are counter sinking the nail....
    Cool idea....I'm on it!

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  31. Awesome look! Also, you are my new hero. I have an awkward section in my front hall where the air intake is right in the way of the chair rail...and NOW I know how to fix it! I'm going to us the picture frame molding and incorporate some molding around that intake. I won't be able to get to it until after the holidays but I confess I did some measuring yesterday...... :)

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  32. Love it! The tool I believe is called a "nail punch"? I too think sconces would look good on either side, but you already have them on the other wall. Our closet GW has NOTHING...I am jealous!!

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  33. Your blog is my favorite go to for decorating! I absolutely love what you did with the runner! I love how you think outside the box. How you are frugal!

    I love all your tips! You are awesome girl! Thanks so much for all you share!

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  34. Great find and amazing texture. Much better toitie art :-)

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  35. Great idea! I love the texture it adds!

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  36. This is why I love your blog - it seems like sometimes you're reading my mind (I thought about making one of our runners wall art). You rock! Now it's confirmed and I need to try it! ox

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  37. That is way cool! I never would've thought to do that. Aren't you clever?!

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  38. Ok Sarah, all I can say is W.O.W.
    Barb

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  39. That is really terrific! What a great find, and then to put it above the commode as art is very creative. You have inspired me!

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  40. Love this idea and the dimension feel of it. Go you! ;)

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  41. OMG, only you would hang a table runner on your wall and make it look sooooo fabulous! Love the moulding around the edge. Ingeneous and beautiful.

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  42. Great idea. The texture looks really great. And it's nice to decorate places that are just for you and your family. You're somebody, too, right? :)

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  43. I LOVE this! What a wonderful idea! And now my head is just spinning, because I finally GET the fact that, with molding, you can create your own frame. Any size. Anywhere. Oh, the possibilities.

    You are so very, very much fun.

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  45. I absolutely love this idea. Much better than fake dusty plants or towels that can fall in the potty. We may be moving in the next couple of months and this gives me some great ideas where I will have to redecorate walls (that I have family pictures on now that will have to come down).
    Always, great blog!!!!

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  46. I think it looks BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

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  47. That was definitely thinking outside the box! I do not think that I would ever have come up with that idea. I love it! I would sure love to let you loose in my house for a week!! Now I will be on the lookout for a runner like that or something similar because I have thought of something I would like to do with it in my house! So very glad I found your blog! You have really been an inspiration to me.

    ~ Tracy

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  48. Totally awsome im for sure gonna do something like this in my kitchen or dining room. Thanks for the tip.


    SM

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  49. I love this idea! I have just found your blog and I am enjoying every moment of it (I'm going through the archives). OMG I just love this idea!!!

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  50. I'm pretty sure it's called a nail punch but your name for it is oh so much better :)

    Makes your "water closet" (sounds more fancy than toilet area :P)oh so much prettier.

    Thanks for all the wonderful ideas you give us!

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  51. I think it looks great but I think it would look even better with the candle thing hanging on the side wall mounted to the top of your runner. Maybe a couple of candle sconces in a row on it would look neat.

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  52. wow! thats awesome- now if only you could make it into a waterfall! how amazing would that be! LOL! I love it!!

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  53. Wow! Great! I hate the word toilet too. At least you didn't say tor-lit, or toe-lit. My gramma calls it the COMMODE. Drives me NUTS!

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  54. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

    I love it! And...duuuh, who doesn't decorate the space above the potty???

    ~Amanda

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  55. Actually, This will make you smile...I found the exact same table runner at Target today, and it was $29.99 and there were placemats to match. You really did get a deal, girly!!

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  56. Very cool! It looks great. I totally understand about something YOU see everyday. It just drives you crazy til you get it right, doesn't it? ;)

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  57. That is an awesome idea! It looks AMAZING!!

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  58. Love it, made the room pop. Great job and a very good deal. Thanks for sharing.
    Sandy

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  59. Very cool idea...never would have thought of it, now I'll be looking for one!

    Sue

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  60. Oh! I love that! You are so clever!!

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  61. lol!! I loved what you did with that finding and the molding!.. and yes the loo looks kinda hip now :) Kind of like Moroccan style.
    Thanks for sharing. I found your blog only a few days ago when you were talking (and videoing) about the molding... I see you like molding :)
    Elizabeth.

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  62. My sister introduced me to your site a few weeks back and I LOVE IT! I love that your teach us how to do everthing! You are incredibly creative and this wall hanging is simply brilliant! It's so eclectic, modern, and tactile. You know everyone who enters that bathroom will be rubbing their hands all over it!

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  63. How do you make EVERYTHING so beautiful? :) Seriously. It is amazing.

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  64. was in target today, and saw this table runner...with matching placemats! started to laugh...as I remembered that it had just gone on your bathroom wall...! How funny...if only they knew. ( and why would someone have already sent this to goodwill...?)

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  65. I love to change, mix, and re-do. Looks like you do as well. I liked the before and I liked the after. What if you put the two together? I mean put the towel holder over the wall art some how?

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  66. Very, very sophisticated...

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  67. I wish our goodwill was like yours. Ours never has good things in it...

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  68. Wow - that project is amazing! You are so clever. Great job Sarah!!!

    XOOX
    Jen

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  69. I saw this table runner at Target. $25 bucks! So you got it for a steal! They have place mats to match.

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  70. LOVE IT--I think it would be neat to fins some unique piece and hang it on it.

    Great job--I have a party every week- Its So Very Creative (mondays--but goes up on Sun night)--would love to have you be an inspiration to other gals.


    Cheri

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  71. How can I hang a table runner on my wall? I've seen really nice decorative hangers in the past, but not lately. Any idea who sells them?

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  72. love it! im in envy your skills!

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