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This summer, I moved into a house off-campus. In the pursuit of bedroom decor inspiration, I spent many hours scrolling through Pinterest. One night, I saw a linen pinboard, decorated with light pink fabric and art prints. I was instantly hooked. As a minimalist, I love the idea of having one place to hang up all my personal mementos. I texted a friend and we set out to make these boards ourselves!
If you have been on TikTok or Pinterest recently, you might have seen this summer’s newest DIY room decor: fabric pinboards. These boards are easy to make, fun to decorate and bring personal flair to any dorm room or home. If your style is beachy, vintage, or full of school spirit, your board will reflect that!
I made mine in only a few hours, and it was a great activity to share with a friend! If you are interested, feel free to follow my instructions!
- Buy A base
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The base of a collage board is typically a bulletin board or a blank paint canvas. Bulletin boards are thicker and easier to use with tacks, but paint canvases have a wider range of size options. Paint canvases can be slightly more expensive, but both range from $15 – $30. You can purchase these at Walmart or Michaels. Both stores are located in Hadley, about a ten-minute drive from campus.
- Choose your fabric
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Choosing your fabric is your biggest opportunity to set the board’s tone and aesthetic. Pastels like light pink or blue are softer on the eye and blend well with white walls. Bolder prints like gingham or dark colors will make a statement and highlight your decorations. For either option, stiffer materials like cotton or linen are preferred because of their durability. Jo-Ann’s fabric store in Hadley has a large selection of fabrics that offer a cutting service. When ordering, make sure your fabric is a few inches wider than your base. This is important for the adhesive process.
- Purchase Adhesive Materials
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Next, you will need to attach your fabric to your base. For the adhesive process, I would recommend gorilla glue, hot glue, or a staple gun. Gorilla glue is easily accessible at stores like Michaels, Jo-Ann’s, and Target. If you are concerned about creases, a staple gun is the most effective method for ensuring a clean look. They seem intense, but you can purchase one online for $15-$20. If you split the price with friends, it might be a worthwhile purchase. Be careful and take your time while adhering to your fabric. If you live in a dorm, remember to pick up Command Hooks or some other adhesive to hang your board up.
- print Photos
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If you are interested in printing photos for your collage board, I recommend CVS. Their photo-printing services are efficient, inexpensive, and available online. Choose meaningful pictures of family and friends, download images from Pinterest, and send them to your nearest photo-printing service.
- Decorate your board!
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Now that you have your pinboard assembled and your personal items ready, start decorating! Use Pinterest for inspiration if you need it, but follow your inner creativity. I recommend using tacks, push pins, glue dots, or tape for adhering your materials. Have fun and appreciate the piece of art you have created!
- materials
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- Base (bulletin board or blank paint canvas)
- Fabric (cotton or linen)
- Adhesive Materials (to secure the fabric to base, photos to fabric, and the board to the wall)
- Photos and decoration materials
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Expressing yourself creatively is a great way to de-stress and feel more at home, wherever you are. The practical skills that come out of DIY projects will continue to benefit you as you go forward in life.
If you liked this, share it with a friend! Crafts have the capability to build community.
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