(ARA)
- Tired of the same old decorations? Need a designer’s touch
while maintaining your own sense of style? What better way
to add your personal stamp to a house than by creating
one-of-a-kind accents that you make yourself? Even quick,
easy projects can have a big impact on a room; with a little
expert guidance, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve
using supplies you may already have on hand.
Interior designer Christi Proctor, well-known to
audiences of TLC’s hit program Trading Spaces, enjoys using
found objects to create unique focal points for her rooms.
She has created everything from a pet pillow made from
beautiful antique fabric and personalized with the animal’s
name, to metal letter plaques spelling out sentiments such
as enjoy, laugh, hope and fun, made from easy-to-find
materials including a zinc metal floor tile and metal
letters.
The Texas native defines her signature style as “rustic
elegance.” “I get inspiration from the charm of the varied
Texas cultures, the old west and Europe,” she says. “Home
decorating projects don’t have to be complicated and time
consuming to achieve elegant results,” says Proctor. She
prefers projects that give big results with minimal fuss.
For example, both the projects mentioned above are assembled
using nothing more than glue. For the pet pillow, the fabric
is glued together instead of being sewn; the decorative trim
and the pet’s name that embellish the pillow are also
affixed using glue, making this a project that can easily be
completed in a few hours.
“The trick is finding and using the right glue for your
project,” says Proctor. “When you’re gluing metal letters to
metal tile, you need a strong adhesive made for metal
surfaces,” she says. Proctor recommends Perfect Glue 1, 2,
3, an award-winning trio that adheres everything from fabric
and wood to stone and metal. The three distinct formulas
ensure that the glue you are using matches the materials
you’re working with. One formula is perfect for fabric,
paper and wood; the second is made especially for glass and
plastic; and the third works with metal and stone.
Once you have the right glue, there are a few steps you
need to take to ensure a perfect finished project:
* Prep the surface properly -- most adhesives
require a clean surface for optimum adhesion. For some
projects, a rough surface may facilitate a better “grip” for
a stronger bond, so you may need to sand the surface first,
then remove any residual dust.
* Easy does it -- some glues, especially
cyanoacrylates, such as Perfect Glue 2, have a hard time
adhering if too much glue is applied. Simply place a few
drops spaced out approximately one inch apart for maximum
holding power.
* Allow for cure time -- once your substrates are
glued, allow them to cure fully before handling them. The
bond will be stronger and your project will last longer. To
guarantee a secure bond, use a brace or a clamp as necessary
during the curing process.
Proctor’s Tea Cup Window is a perfect example of how
everyday objects, put together with an artistic flair,
become a work of art for your home. You’ll need Perfect Glue
1 and 3, sandpaper, an antique window, four antique dinner
plates, two antique teacups, two antique saucers, an antique
gravy boat and a water mister. You can find the china for
this project inexpensively at thrift stores or garage sales.
1. Lay out the dishes in the desired positions
2. Lightly sand the dishes on the edges to be adhered
to the window glass; remove any dust or residue.
3. Apply prepared Perfect Glue 3 to adhere the teacups
vertically on the saucers. Let dry.
4. Run a line of Perfect Glue 1 around the bottom of
each plate and saucer. Mist water onto the window glass
(water/moisture speeds the curing process of Perfect Glue
1), and adhere the plates to the desired window panes. Let
dry.
5. Use Perfect Glue 3 to adhere the gravy boat to the
center wooden strip of the window. Brace and allow to dry.
6. Proudly display your finished project in a special
spot in your home.
