When I organized our basement last fall, I was on the lookout for items we could revamp or repurpose for DIY projects.

One item I found was the mid-century modern chair from my husband’s childhood bedroom, to which he has already given a snappy makeover.

A Piece of Art for My Office

Another item, a simple wood-framed cork board, is coming in handy for the office makeover that I am currently working on.

Of course I want the cork board to serve a practical purpose in my office but, since it will be hanging above my desk, I also want it to stand on its own as a nice piece of décor that adds some femininity and old-world glamour to the space.

The Paint

I started by painting the wood frame. Since the frame could not be separated from the cork board easily, I just masked off the perimeter of the cork board with blue painter’s tape.

I primed the frame with a water-based primer, then painted it with “Venetian Gold” craft paint.

Once that dried, I painted a dark charcoal-colored craft paint called “Wrought Iron” over the gold paint.

Then I immediately took a damp, soft cloth and lightly wiped the charcoal paint off, leaving traces of it in the cracks of the frame.

This smudged the frame up just enough to get the old-world look I was going for.

The Fabric

I had some cute burlap fabric left from a gift bag project – enough to cover the cork board.

I used the burlap because I want to use push pins to secure papers to the cork board and, because of its loose weave and rustic texture, push pins shouldn’t snag or harm the burlap as easily as it might other fabrics.

I also love the contrast of the natural, rough texture of the burlap against the refined French-inspired pattern and the gold frame.

I glued the fabric to the cork board by slightly diluting craft glue with water and painting it onto the cork board with a paintbrush, then putting the fabric in place.

I glued a ribbon of 1/2-inch black trim fabric around the perimeter for a finished look.

The Push Pins

I want my office colors to be primarily black, white, shades of cream, and some gold. Since colorful push pins wouldn’t look right, I am using wood ones that blend harmlessly into the background.

Stay Tuned for More

I have several other items from the basement to use in my office makeover including a WWII ammunition case. How can that possibly work in my feminine, old-world office? More on this coming soon.

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