Trying to keep a home organized and running smoothly can be a hassle. On top of keeping track of a bunch of different schedules, there’s the inevitable paperwork that everyone has. Forms that need to be signed, bills that need to be paid, important reminders, emergency phone numbers, to do lists, receipts, etc. Our homes are full of them! I’ve found the one thing that helps ensure my house runs smoothly is a well-placed bulletin board. It’s an easy way to keep track of all those things and be able to see them all at a glance!
We have one of these in our kitchen, and not only is it so helpful for remembering important paperwork, it’s also a nice place to display some of our family memorabilia, such as photos and postcards. I love my bulletin board in the kitchen so much that I decided I needed to make one for the office as well. I have a few notes and papers I’d like to be able to easily see at a glance, and a bulletin board is the perfect place for them.
Of course, not just any bulletin board will do. You see, as much as I love the idea of a bulletin board, I don’t really like the look of them. The cork is a little bland for my tastes. I want something with a little more pizzazz and personalization. I want something with style that matches my decor. So I decided to get a little crafty and create a one-of-a-kind DIY fabric covered bulletin board!
Choosing the fabric for the bulletin board was really the fun part. I didn’t want it to clash with the curtains, since it will be near a window, and though I wanted it to look pretty, I didn’t want it to be too bright and draw too much attention. So I found this awesome gray chevron fabric at the craft store, and right then and there I knew it was the one. You can’t tell from the photos, but the chevron is actually a little metallic and has a slight shimmer to it. I’ve never been so excited about chevron fabric in my life!
Materials Needed to Create Fabric Covered Bulletin Board
- Framed bulletin board
- Paint & foam brush (if you’ll be painting your frame)
- Spray adhesive
- Fabric
- Decorative trim or ribbon
- Glue/glue gun
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Pen
Steps to Create Fabric Covered Bulletin Board
1. Paint your frame with the paint you selected. My frame was a neutral wood color, which I’m not a fan of, so I painted it white. If you like your frame the way it is, just skip this step and move on to the next one.
2. Measure your bulletin board and cut your fabric so it is the same size as the cork section. Be really careful with your measurements here so your fabric will fit right in the frame. A good crafting rule to follow is to always measure twice and cut once!
3. Spray your cork board with the spray adhesive, and carefully adhere the fabric to the board. Make sure to use the spray adhesive outside! Not only because of the fumes, but also because you don’t want sticky spray all over your house! So save yourself the hassle and just take the project outside for a few minutes. This stuff usually takes a minute or two to really bond the materials, so you have a bit of time to reposition the fabric if it’s not right the first time.
4. Glue your trim or ribbon around the edges to give it a nice, clean look and cover up the edges of the fabric.
And there you have it, a wall decoration that is both beautiful AND functional. That’s definitely a win-win, right? Now you don’t have to stare at a bland cork board and instead have something that is so much more pretty and chic.
What a great way to keep track of all that paperwork, and it looks good doing it! Bye, bye boring cork board! I think this DIY fabric covered bulletin board will go nicely along with one or two of my free motivational printables, what do you think? The only question left is where to hang it?
So tell me, what is your solution for keeping track of all the endless important paperwork? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter below so you can receive my weekly creative inspiration right to your inbox!
Celeste I tried this a year ago and it was an epic fail! LOL! But I really like yours with the bling! It adds a special touch and it hides the edges of the fabric! Very clever of you! And I totally agree about wanting to keep your important stuff at eye sight otherwise you’ll be likely to forget it.
Thanks, Mary! My main concern was hiding the edges, so when I found that trim it just seemed like the perfect solution! It really wasn’t too hard to make. It’s definitely worth a second try! 😉
What a clever idea! I’m swiping this for sure. – Jerusha, ThePositiveYear.com
Thanks so much, Jerusha! I hope you have fun making your own fabric covered bulletin board!
Thanks for sharing over at the DIY Crush Craft Party. A great way to jazz up a pin up board ! We’ve added this to our Pinterest board. Don’t forget to stop by next Thursday to add your tutorials to our next DIY Crush Craft Party!
Thanks, Domenica! I always enjoy linking up with you, and I’ll be back for sure!
Love this quick and easy DIY tutorial. We have a messenger board in our kitchen also, but not as fancy as this. I believe it needs an upgrade. 😉 I really like how you used trim in this, very clean. Thank you for linking up with us at Funtastic Friday. I’m Pinning, and hope you come back to visit us again next week!
Thanks, Mistie! The trim definitely helps cover up the edges and gives it a nice finishing touch!
Celeste, this fabric covered bulletin board is awesome!! Love the chevron print! It looks great! Thanks for linking up at Sweet Inspiration!! Have a great weekend!!
Thanks so much, Keri! The chevron fabric is my favorite part! I’m really enjoying your new link party!
This is so cute! Great job 🙂
Thanks so much, Kati!
Love this! Normal cork boards are definitely super ugly, so making it pretty is a great idea!
Thanks, Morgan! Regular cork boards are so boring. I am not about to have that in my home, haha!
I’ve bought my materials today and asked a friend for a tiny bit of paint, as soon as I get that and get a child free morning/afternoon I’ll be creating… couldn’t find trim half as nice as this , ended up with lace? Did you dab glue dots right along?
Yours is very effective x
Lace sounds like it will turn out beautifully, Emma! Yep, I just ran a line of glue around the edge to hold the trim down. Happy crafting!
I love your covered cork board. One question, I made something similar years ago, then personalized it. I cut letters out of felt and glued the letters to the fabric. (The kid’s name). What kind of glue should I sue on the back of the felt to glue it to the fabric? I remember that I had to use a special glue, but now I forget.
Lynda, you should be able to use fabric glue or a general craft glue. If you read the back of the bottle it will tell you what surfaces that kind of glue will work on. Hope that helps!
Did you tape off the frame before you sprayed the adhesive? Or will the slight overspray hurt it?