Dining Room Map Art

Before I moved to New Jersey, I got 2 cupboard doors from the reject section at Ikea.

I had no clue what I would do with them, but at $4 each, I couldn't pass them up.

I finally decided they would look great in my dining room and I remembered that I bought an awesome calendar of vintage maps from a museum in NY. I got it years ago with the intention of framing them, but I knew 2 of the maps would be perfect for this project.

I originally wanted to somehow cover the front panel of the doors, but after failed attempts at painting them (I totally forgot to use primer so the paint just wiped off) and using burlap, I realized they looked better as is, so I just taped the maps on with double-sided tape.

They looked great, but I wanted to add a little bit more to the mix, so I picked up one of these shelf brackets from Ikea ($3) and stained it with Minwax Dark Walnut.



I attached the bracket to the wall inbetween the maps and rigged a lantern to the bracket, using wire, a washer, and a bead (the bead is just a temporary solution).

 I just love this lantern!! I bought it on clearance at Cost Plus a few summers ago because I loved the patina... and I just love lanterns!

And here you can see it in relation to where the airplane panels are.

The bamboo ladder is there temporarily until I get a plant for that corner. 

I'm thinkin' something tropical-looking, like this plant from Ikea: