A large blank wall in your home or office space can pose a design conundrum—especially if you’re on a budget. Sophia Lee, interior designer and founder of By Sophia Lee, found a functional and inexpensive solution to this dilemma when she moved into her first office space.
“I had all of these walls that I didn’t really know what to do [with], but I wanted to do something to make it look really cute,” Lee says. “And every time I started to look at big artwork, I was like, ‘this is thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars for one of these.’”
With expensive artwork out of the picture, Lee, an avid Pinterest user, set out to create an inexpensive, DIY wall decor piece to set the tone of her office. Lee says she is not a DIYer—so she needed a simple and hassle-free project that could be completed on a tight budget.
Her solution? Three eight-foot tall pin boards to display her design inspiration. The concept is similar to a vision board, but doubles as oversized wall decor in her office space. “I’m the biggest Pinterest user. I am constantly pinning things,” Lee says. “[The pins] are all so beautiful. It goes with the brand. Why don’t I just make a big, life-size Pinterest board?”
To recreate the look in your home or office, follow Lee’s simple steps to create your own real-life Pinterest boards.
How to Make Oversized Pin Boards
You only need a handful of supplies to create these life-size Pinterest boards at home. Lee shares her simple instructions for how to make your own.
Supplies Needed
- Plywood boards
- Fabric
- Batting
- Iron
- Stapler or staple gun
- Matching pins
- Wall brackets (optional)
Step 1: Measure Your Space
Before you start gathering materials or assembling the boards, you’ll need to decide how big to make them. Because of the high ceilings in her office, Lee used three 4×8-foot pieces of plywood that would cover the majority of the wall. Before heading to the hardware store, take measurements of your space and decide the ideal size and number of plywood boards you’ll need.
Step 2: Choose Fabric and Batting
After you have the plywood, head to your local fabric store and purchase a roll of fluffy batting (the thicker, the better) along with fabric to wrap around your plywood board. Lee says to make sure the fabric is large enough to cover the front of the board with excess left over to wrap around the sides of the board. Lee chose a crisp, white fabric that wouldn’t distract from the images she pinned to her board, but feel free to choose a color or pattern that inspires you and matches your space.
Courtesy of Sophia Lee
Step 3: Assemble the Boards
When it’s time to actually assemble the board, Lee says the order is important. First, lay your fabric sheet on the ground, making sure there are no wrinkles. (You might need to iron the fabric first.) Next, lay down the batting on top of the fabric. Depending on the size of your project, you might have to lay multiple sheets of batting down in horizontal strips. Then, lay the plywood down in the middle of the fabric and batting. Using a staple gun, staple the batting and fabric around the edges of the board. Fold the corners like you would fold wrapping paper around a present to create a clean and polished look.
Lee says the more tightly you pull the fabric across the board while stapling, the more professional your boards will look. To achieve this, call on a friend to help hold the fabric taut why you staple around the back of the board.
Step 4: Add Inspiration
Now comes the fun part: Choose photos and quotes that match the look you want to achieve. Stick to a color palette for a cohesive look, or pick choose similar photos and designs. Print them out on cardstock (another way Lee makes her boards look more polished), and hang them up using small pins or clips. Purchase a pack of matching pins to create a cohesive aesthetic on your board.
Lee also attaches other materials like fabric swatches or paint chips to her boards to give them more texture and dimension. She says the photos and other materials change according to each house she is designing.
Step 5: Hang or Display the Boards
Because of their size, Lee leaned her boards against the wall rather than hanging them. If you have the space for it and you’d rather hang your boards, use French cleat wall brackets and a drill to attach the board to the wall. If you’re hanging your boards, make sure to use a stud finder to locate the studs on your wall. Drill into a stud, or use a drywall anchor if you aren’t able to locate any studs.
Whether hung with brackets or set against a wall, these DIY life-size Pinterest boards are portable and can be easily moved as you transition from space to space. “Another great thing is that so many people are in spaces that they’re not going to be in forever,” Less says. “You can move it from space to space.”
