Papering over issues isn’t precisely Living photo director Ryan Mesina’s style. When he identified a worse-for-wear 1930s mahogany closet on the side of the road, he knew some découpage could camouflage its scratches and pockmarks. Our man with a DIY strategy pulled his favorite pictures from a 1921 horticultural manual, Wildflowers of New York, by Homer D. House; arranged them in a grid over the doors; and adhered them with Mod Podge. The outcome shops barware, and speaks volumes about Ryan’s love of gardening and unerring eye for upcycling potential. Learn how to recreate the ingenious look listed below.
Clean
Dab a cleaner and degreaser hybrid, such as Spray Nine ($ 5.28, amazon.com), onto a sponge and scrub the wood completely to remove dirt and wax. Wipe with a damp rag; let dry. On surfaces that won’t be découpaged, apply a scratch cover, like Old English ($ 5.38, homedepot.com).
Preparation
Get rid of the deals with. Procedure the dimensions of the doors and figure out the number of pages will be required to cover them. With a ruler and craft knife, cut the pages to fit.
Adhere
Beginning at the top left corner, brush découpage glue, such as Mod Podge, onto the door and the back of a page. Thoroughly position paper. Continue gluing pages, working in horizontal rows. Let dry.
Seal
Brush a thin coat of découpage glue over the paper. Once it dries, poke a little hole where the doorknobs screw in, and reattach the hardware.
