Easy Peasy Design Wall

I need a proper design wall, but I haven't really got a spare wall for it, so I decided to try to make a lightweight, super easy, super cheap one that folds away to nothing. No tools needed and done in 5-10 minutes.

AND IT WORKED!!! Here's how....

Here's what you need

• 4 metres x 901cm wide light grey felt on sale $27.96
• Balsa wood 6.5mm x 75mm x 915mm $4.89
• Double sided tape 16mm x 16m $4.99
• Command Clear hanging strips - mini hooks $6.69

Total Cost for 2 design walls 90cm x 1.8m: $44.53

Now to make your walls

1. Cut felt into 2 pieces - it's sold as 90cm wide but was actually 96cm (which is handy cos I used the excess to make  no sew side hems).

2. Cut balsa wood lengthways into 2 pieces - one for each design wall.

3. Put two rows of double sided tape onto one side of the balsa.

4. Peel off the paper and stick the balsa to the top of the felt, then put two rows of tape on the other side of the balsa and peel off the paper. Turn the balsa over so that it neatly sticks to the felt. Your balsa is now enclosed in felt. :)

5. You'll note that the balsa is shorter than the felt. We're  going to use the excess felt to make neat side hems, which actually makes it hang nicer. But first we need to neaten the top edge. Cut the felt level with the edge of the balsa like so...

6. Now apply more double sided tape to the very edge of the felt, peel off the paper cover and fold the felt over to make a neat side hem.

7. Do the same to the other side, and also to the bottom edge so that we have neat hems all around.

Your design wall is now actually finished!!! How easy was that?

I don't want my design wall up all of the time, which is why I've made these ones which I can simply roll up and put on the shelf.

Hanging your design wall

I found 4 x 1" wide bulldog clips which I had kicking about in the "bits" drawer, and clipped one to each end of the balsa.

Then I used these nifty clear hooks and stuck them on my wall, matching up with the clips on the balsa wood.

Then I hung up my newly made design wall and voila! All done!

Of course, a 90 cm wide design wall is not all that useful, but 2 walls makes 1.8 metres, which is very handy indeed, so I made a second one and made sure I placed the hooks so that they butted up close together. You can hardly see the hooks on the wall at all.

And then it was time to put my design walls away. Simply unhook them, roll them up and put them in the cupboard, on a shelf or wherever.

I am feeling rather pleased with my project and can't believe how quickly and simply it came together. ! :)