I love to use nailheads in all kinds of shapes and sizes small and big alike. They have been around forever in design circles tracing their origin back to the reign of Louis XIII. In modern times, nailheads can be used in a variety of ways from outlining upholstery to giving decorative distinction to walls. They come in all looks and finishes ultra modern to very traditional.
I recently decided to use them in a foyer to make a grand entrance. First, I outlined the walls using nailheads that come on a roll. Outlining unifies a space. Then, I created decorative panels on the wall using more of the nailheads. Since creating the panels. I have been brainstorming about what to put in the panels. Maybe a hand-painted motif using a stencil for the design and outlining the silhouette in coordinating nailheads? Maybe a design created with shells? I love shells. Shells have a long history of being used as decorative material from 18th century grottoes to garden pots to Victorian Valentines. Over the summer, I visited Newcastle, Maine and picked up vintage corks that were used in the fishing industry. The floaters have a patina colored dark taupe to light brown that is just beautiful. In a moment of inspiration, I decided to use the cork and shells together. The corks would serve as medallions on the walls and the shells would be placed in a design around the cork.
The combination turned out to be smashing. Each decorative panel took about an hour to create. The install was easy. I did run into a few snags. One was the glue. I tried several different types from silicone adhesive to Elmer’s to a glue that claims to bond anything. I found that Crazy Glue worked the best. Take a look at the video to see the process. Enjoy!
In a recent article featured in the New York Times, I noticed a quote from Stephen Drucker, the former editor of House Beautiful. He stated that ” decorating always has two goals: comfort and display.” It got me thinking. Comfort and display are important, but hearth and home can serve a much larger purpose too. If we take a thoughtful approach, home can promote healthy living, nurture creative and innovative thinking, remind us of our larger missions and visions, and celebrate ideas from around the globe. Truly inspired living starts at home.