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Interactive Playroom Gallery Wall

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August 8, 2013 By Jackie

A gallery wall is a great inexpensive way to fill up all the empty wall space in a playroom. I knew we needed a gallery wall in the pirate playroom to fill the wall space near the entry to the room and to expand upon the pirate theme. I wanted our gallery wall to be interactive, so it is more than just a bunch of pictures on the wall. I am taking play time to the walls!

Pirate Playroom

Our pirate playroom gallery wall is complete! It is even better than I envisioned. At first, I wasn’t sure how all the different things I collected would go together. But, that’s the beauty of a really good gallery wall. The more eclectic, the better!

Pirate Playroom Gallery Wall

There is no denying this is a pirate themed playroom. From the pirate phrases to a rolled up treasure map, this gallery wall has it all.

There is one piece on this wall that I would hesitate to call kid-friendly. The faux educational pull down art I made with a vinyl quote needed to be up and out of the kids reach. I love how it looks right at eye level, half above the water line and half below.

pirate playroom art

The wall also features the three wood panel and fabric art pieces the boys helped me make over the winter.

pirate playroom art

Lower on the wall I hung a printers tray. I found it for a few dollars at Goodwill. I liked the wood tone, but still wanted it to pop from the dark blue walls. I painted a coat of white on the outside edge of the deep frame.

Printer Tray Toy Storage

I “wallpapered” inside some of the cubbies. This was a quick 5 minute project that gave the cabinet a little more personality. I used sheets of Shape N Tape, which is basically large sheets of washi tape. I just cut them down to size and popped them into random squares.

printerstraytoycabinet

The cabinet is a great place for the boys to store, display, and play. I imagine the little characters will change out daily, if not hourly. The boys figured out the Duplos kids fit perfectly in the smallest squares. Cars fit really well in the horizontal shelves. Of course we have minions. Ba-na-na! One minion is laughing as minions do, the other is scared of the crocodile! And, what pirate playroom would be complete with out Captain Hook?!

In the middle of the gallery wall, I snuck in a few picture frames. The round one I found at Goodwill and spray painted yellow. I never pass up a round or oval frame. They are always great for breaking up straight lines in a gallery wall.  I framed a picture of my boys walking together at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.  The lines of the arbor leading the eye into the photo look amazing in a round frame!

Round Yellow Frame

In the bone frame, found at Tuesday Mornings, is a favorite family picture. It is actually one of our Christmas cards from last year cut up to fit in the frame. I love the scallop edges. The picture was not large enough to fill the height of the frame, so I layered it in front of a scrap of Shape N Tape with a navy anchor pattern. I love how the layering shows off the scalloped edge of the picture.

Pirate Gallery Wall Anchors

There was one long, short space leftover to fill between the bone frame and the light switch. The boys and I played with my brass stencils until we figured out a good pirate word. We were limited because I only have one of each letter, and I already used T&L in my studio and GO on the family room picture ledge. After a little online search, we decided on YAR, which is a pirate greeting or expression of great joy…perfect phrase for a playroom.  I connected the stencils and then used poster putty to stick the stencils to the wall.

Yar Pirate Greeting Sign

The last element of the wall might just be my favorite… Something to play with! I made a special wall pocket to hold a pirate treasure map!!! I found the map at Goodwill for under $2. It looks old. I liked that it is a map of the British Isles and Ireland. My heritage is Irish. It only took a trip to Staples and a few minutes to make a kid-friendly roll-up treasure map.

Roll-up Treasure Map

Roll-up Treasure Map

  1. I had the map laminated at Staples.
  2. I tore a strip of pretty teal fabric long enough to tie around the rolled up map.
  3. I folded the strip in half to find the center and positioned it on the center of one short side of the back of the map.
  4. I opened the strip and used a small piece of Washi Tape to hold the fabric in place. I sewed the fabric onto the map by sewing a line parallel with the washi tape.
  5. I rolled up the map toward the edge with the fabric ribbon.
  6. I tied it up with a bow!

Play Pirate Treasure Map

For the wall pocket to hold the map, I used a shipping tube. I sliced it in half at a 50-degree angle. I covered the slanted tube with gray faux bois fabric. I used the cap on the bottom of the shipping tube to tuck the fabric in. I gave it a few good coats of Mod Podge to make it nice and durable. The treasure map sits right inside.

I expect lots of pretend pirate adventures to take place in this room!!

Play Roll-up Pirate Treasure Map

And, the hubby and I will be hanging out in the nearby family room!

Pirate playroom gallery wall

Sharing this project here:

House of Hepworths
Design, Dining, and Diapers
The Shabby Nest
Tatertots and Jello
Thrifty Decor Chick

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Comments

  1. Megan @ Rappsody in Rooms says

    August 8, 2013 at 9:15 am

    Hey Jackie! I love that you have a pirate play room. That’s just pretty fantastic in my book. The treasure map was a great find! I like that you made it kid friendly by laminating it. Did I mention how much I love your blog and can’t wait to continue our friendship from Haven?! :)

    • Jackie says

      August 8, 2013 at 9:45 am

      Thanks Megan! You just started my day off on the right foot. I am building toy storage for the playroom today and needed a little nudge to keep going :)

  2. Dee says

    August 8, 2013 at 11:58 am

    Love how all your rooms are coming together so perfectly. This is a fabulous gallery wall.

    • Jackie says

      August 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm

      Thanks, Dee! We are getting there slowly, but surely!

  3. Lisa says

    August 8, 2013 at 1:30 pm

    Love that display box for the boys. Such a cute idea. You’re room is looking great! Hope the kids have lots of fun in there.

  4. Emily says

    August 8, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    I’m in the beginning stages of planning my son’s bedroom, and an interactive wall is a great idea. <3 it.

  5. Beth @ incomplete guide to living says

    August 8, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    This is my favourite gallery wall ever!! I am totally going to steal this idea for my son ‘s “big boy” room. :)

    • Jackie says

      August 8, 2013 at 6:08 pm

      Beth, Steal away! So glad you liked it.

  6. Gwen says

    August 8, 2013 at 6:29 pm

    Perfect!!! Love YAR!! And can’t believe the great GW finds too!!! How fun!!!

  7. Sarah @ An Inviting Home says

    August 8, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    Jackie,

    I love the fact that you made a GREAT gallery wall but with interactive things for your kids…brilliant! My boys would have a ball with that treasure map and that picture from the Sculpture Gardens really is perfect in that frame. Thanks for linking up at the Inspiration Gallery! :-)

    ~Sarah

  8. Lauren H says

    August 9, 2013 at 6:52 am

    I love how you’re making your home beautiful but truly fun and interactive for the family, too. You are the coolest mom ever for making a treasure map and incorporating it into the decor!

  9. Colleen @ 58waterstreet says

    August 9, 2013 at 9:26 am

    That playroom is awesome! So much thought, and it all came together perfectly!

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