how to: create a stainless art installation

Supplies:
1. Stainless balls, 6” or 10”, quantity as needed.

2. Enameled balls, 4” or 6”, quantity as needed.

3. Drill with a 3/32mm drill bit.

4. Drywall screws.

5. Pegboard, plywood or MDF, sized as needed.

6. Mounting hardware—consult your local hardware store for the best advice.

Directions:
1. Design a composition based on a mixture of stainless and enameled balls, 4”, 6” and 10” in diameter.

2. On a rug or protected flooring, layout the balls per the sketch to get a 3-D vision of the design.

3. Safety first: wear protective eyewear and be careful to keep the drill and balls from slipping out of control. Using the 3/32mm drill bit, drill a hole into each ball. Note: it can take a moment to ‘puncture’ the metal with the drill bit, so keep the pressure steady.

4. Screw a standard 2” drywall screw from behind the pegboard into the pre-drilled hole.

hint: if you’re not able to “float” a panel, attach the installation to a board sized for the design and hang it like wall art using the appropriate hardware for its weight and the wall.

Thanks to chris, midtown atlanta store designer, for this creative and beautiful DIY project.

displaying modern art

Mixing modern and vintage is right on trend but it can be a challenge if your architecture is from another century. We hope you can forgive us for the quality of the image, but this creative idea from our Miami store was one of our favorite solutions that we wanted to share.

In Victorian times, picture rails were incorporated into the trim or molding as a way to hang portraits and art. Usually thick ropes ornate with tassels were attached to the artwork and hidden clips allowed for easy placement and positioning on the rail—without doing damage to plaster walls.

While the bungee cords shown are looped around the metal pole, consider latching their hooks on to actual picture rails to hang modern art or framed photos. Cords come in a variety of thicknesses, lengths and colors; check your local hardware store to find the most appropriate for the task and hang on!