Mad Walls: How to Create a Joyful Decluttering Antidote
Look away now all minimalists out there! For you might not like this post. Part of me understands for I’m a stickler for brilliant white paintwork. But then I like to liven up my living space by adding lots of colourful accessories and furnishings. One way that I do this is by creating ‘Mad Walls’, a name invented by my son. Things that were once untidily displayed on horizontal surfaces around the house now have their own vertical home. In the end I didn’t upset my inner declutterer at all..
Do you remember when your Nana hung plates on the wall and they were trussed up in a wire holder that wrecked the china? I think that’s where the inspiring for hanging my weird and wonderful collection of random ephemera comes from. My objects aren’t just ceramics. I have a collection of objects made from all manner of materials. . If you look at my photos you’ll see fabric, plastic, glass, paper, wooden annd metal objects up there.
The Creation of A Mad Wall
If you fancy a mad wall of your own start off with gathering together a collection of articles to display. Search high and low inside and outside your home. You can use pictures, toys, found objects from nature, bits of china and any flattish knick knacks that are gathering dust on tables and shelves. I think the key to success is choosing only what you love. After all you don’t want to be looking at a collection of random crap every day.
Don’t worry if you think that your collection is a little sparse . I see my mad walls as ongoing projects and buy new things to display when I think that I deserve a treat. I’m especially pleased when I find objects that allow me to support charities or artists. Red Alan from the Royal Academy gift shop is a recent find.
There are various ways to hang your treasure. Brass picture hooks and plain old nails are my go to fixtures. You’ll need to experiment with what you’ve got. What works depends on the object. Just make sure that your walls are strong enough to take whatever you’re displaying.
I’ve found disc hangers very handy. You just dab on a bit of water to the paper backing, leave it for about five or ten minutes to let the glue go sticky and then apply them to whatever needs been hung up. After an overnight wait to allow for the glue to dry completely you’re ready to go. They stick to all sorts of bric-a-brac and come in various sizes not just china. The biggest one will hold an object that’s up to three pounds in weight. If your wall will take it that is!
Multiple Mad Walls
Here’s the one in my living room. There’s a real hotchpotch of memories and plenty of space to hang other finds as these are discovered. Some of the treasures that I picked up from Yellowstone National Park, my favourite place in the world. are here.. There’s also a wooden Salvador Dali that I bought from his house in Spain. He’s sitting on a bit of the ruined West pier that I picked up from Brighton Beach!
I was so happy with my first ‘Mad Wall’ that I made a second one that’s pictured at the top of this page. It’s in the front bedroom of my house at the foot of my bed. I wake every morning to a joyful array of colourful memories. You’ll notice that I’ve cheated and used the mantlepiece as an integral part of the display.
I’m not sure that I’ll make anymore inside the home. That could be overkill. But we are redesigning our courtyard garden at the moment so one outside is a distinct possibility.
Mad Wall Across the Water
When my American friend, Martha, visited me in Brixham she fell in love with my Mad Wall’. So she ‘commissioned’ me to make one of her own when I stayed in her New England home. Her own personal collection of bits and bobs was a complete treasure trove. It includes artwork made by her now grown up son , souvenirs from family holiday, a portrait of Frankie, a dearly departed pet, a tapestry made by her mother in law, an advert for Wonderbread, her grandfather’s company and a tin commemorating the coronation of Edward VIII. ‘ Of course it’s a Mad Wall.’ said my son. ‘It’s got a kangaroo scrotum on it for goodness sake!’ And so it has.
Sadly Martha’s husband, Nigel, a very conventional Englishman wasn’t enamoured at all. He’d been away when I created it. ‘This is utter insanity’ he texted Martha when he first took in all its spendour on his return home. But Martha loved it and stood her ground. It’s really funked up her traditional decor. Let’s hope that Nigel eventually came around. I’ve never dared ask him.
Disclaimer
This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.