As a parent of 4 children, I have a lot of creative art projects coming through the door at any one time. Since my children are at different ages, the amount and type of art that I see on the kitchen counter has always been varied. But from their first doodle to the latest self portrait, I’ve saved everything.
A few beloved pieces have found their way into frames around the house. However, the majority now reside in a Tupperware system I established to keep it all organized. In my storage closet I have 4 big bins. Every 6 months, I gather all of the artwork that has accumulated in my house and lovingly store it away for their adulthood. What I love about the bins is that I can save even the smallest pieces of art. It is my archive for all things great and small.
As I was gathering the latest stack last week, it occurred to me that some of the art around my house has not been updated in a while. Six months is just the blink of an eye to me, but to my children it’s a lifetime! In that time they’ve already created dozens more fantastic projects for display. So I started thinking… if I could find easy ways to switch out the artwork, I could have more current pieces on display. This week I’d like to share some fun ideas to make your own rotating art gallery for your family.
Hanging Systems
I like this idea from Frills Fluffs and Trucks as a hanging system for your children’s artwork. Grab a curtain rod and use the rings to hang their art. Great idea!
The design blog Ohdeeoh has some great ideas for displaying your children’s artwork from a curtain rod. Here’s an example below from Ohdeeoh, using this creative hanging system.
Another artistic and simple idea to exhibit their artwork is to create a wall gallery, like the one below from Susanna Salk‘s book, Room for Children.
I love this seagrass wallpaper from Elle Decor as a wainscot around a room. It’s forgiving, so you can pushpin and nail to your heart’s content and never have to worry about marking up the wall. Kids can add and subtract from this wall collage as they please, to maintain and update the room.
Back of the Door
Allowing my children to define their own space is important around our house. I have to let go of the idea that everything is clean and perfect in my the kids’ rooms, and allow for their creativity to flourish in their own personal space. The back of a bedroom door is a perfect place to create a collage of art, stickers and posters.
Maps and Wallpaper Backdrops
Using large maps or other unique wallpaper as a backdrop is an imaginative backdrop for your children’s art. The base stays nice, and the maps or wallpaper will cover up the nail holes in the wall.
I’d love to use one of these wallpapers from Osborne and Little, the black background comes with a white or pastel rainbow type.
On a string or wire is another unique place for the gallery. Find clothespins and paint them in fun colors. String the wire above your kitchen sink or over your bed, and let the rotating gallery begin. Check out this room from Susanna Salk‘s book, Room for Children.
In my home I have a room that is dedicated to arts and crafts. If you can find a space, the eclectic sampling of art is always great. But sometimes a room requires a more sophisticated and organized assembly. Treating your child’s illustration like it’s a genuine Picasso is an innovative way to integrate their art with it’s more expensive counterparts from the museum. Result: everyone is in good company! Here are more examples from Susanna Salk.
I adore the idea of a chalkboard hallway… fantastic!
I can only say from my own experience that as the art work comes home, celebrate it, display it, and love it. As they get older, the steady stream of little doodles and other class projects starts to dwindle and the gallery becomes filled with the latest pop artists or photos of friends. Enjoy their little scribbles and have fun creating your family’s own personal gallery.
Will you use any of these concepts to display your children’s artwork? What method do you use in your home?
Comments
Michelle
I too save EVERYTHING the kids make. In the three short years since they started preschool I have accumulated A LOT of paper and projects. Right now I post their weekly crafts on a huge framed corkboard on the kitchen. Although, I love the wire gallery in the third photo. I think I need to find a bare wall and install something similar…..
Kristina
As an elementary art teacher, I’m TOTALLY saving all my kid’s work. A couple of years ago, I asked my mom for any of my childhood work to show my students what I did when I was their age, and she hadn’t saved much at all (let alone label which was mine and which was my brother’s, or the date or our ages). So I know how important it might be to a grown child (or a nostalgic moma years down the road).
I loved the idea of the curtain rod and clips. In fact, my husband and I already have a long curtain rod and clips (very similar to the ones in the post, actually), so we’ll save those until our girl (who’s not even born yet) gets big enough to create her own masterpieces that need to be proudly displayed :)
Christine
I frame some of their most special pieces and try to rotate them out. Love the idea of the curtain rod and clips! We just got these in our store and think they are fantastic! They make it really easy to create your own gallery.
http://www.saplings.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_57&products_id=663
Annette
Michelle ~ Go for it! I bet the kids would love some fun colored clips to hang their artwork.
Kristina ~ First of all, congratulations! I checked out your blog… only 6 weeks to go, how exciting! You have a good point about dating the artwork. It can be tedious, but down the road we’ll want to remember how old our little Picasso’s were.
Christine ~ Those are perfect! I love the circular shaped ones too… http://www.saplings.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_57&products_id=664
PrincessRaina
I think the hanging system is the easiest and most convenient. I have always liked the idea of a clothesline and wooden clothespins. It’s very flexible and I think it fits almost anywhere.
Marty
I’m totally doing the curtain rod! Easy and the kids will even be able to change it out!!!
Thanks for sharing…I’ve got a wall in our families gameroom begging for this and I just needed someoneto spell it out for me, ha.
Stella
I have something like the big world map at home. I used it to cover a big corkboard and I love the idea of having pushpins all over it. Only, what I have on it are photographs of travels.
Annette
PrincessRaina ~ It definitely is flexible, so easy to rotate projects in and out. And it’s something the kids will have fun doing as well!
Marty ~ I am SO glad this has helped you!! I hope your gameroom turns out wonderfully :)
Stella ~ What a creative idea, photos to represent all the places you have traveled. Also great for teaching the kids some geography!
honeywell enviracaire
I have sprayed plastic, wood, and metal to match finishes I already had. There is a slogan out there that goes, If it doesn’t move, paint it! Of course you can paint the hardware! Make sure you buy a can of spray that goes on metal, mask off the other parts of the door, and spray. Even if it only lasts a year, cheap! Just respray.
outside wall lights
I just finished doing this about an hour ago. called a friend for help and he said just keep pulling, it will come out. so i tried some more and it did. Only advise i can give is keep pulling and it will come out!
Eden
Such great ideas and fantastic visuals. I just added to my SkinnyScoop list titled “Favorite Organizing Products and Decluttering Tips”. In particular love the curtain rod for kids artwork but I referenced your whole post here –
http://www.skinnyscoop.com/list/eden/favorite-organizing-products-and-decluttering-tips#sfa
Buy Things
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Anna Lene
Thanks for ideas!!! I like idea with grab a curtain rod. Our personal gallery: