Maybe its a throwback from my classroom teaching days – but Fall brings out the “organizer” in me. My urge to purge and organize is always strongest in the Fall and this year is no different. I’ve been coveting a new look for my office and it’s going to be a step by step process to be sure – but I wanted to start with the mess of “organization” over my desk… A chalkboard, a metal magnet board and a framed peg board were functional but just messy looking. They also didn’t really cover as much of the wall as I wanted… the paint color in here is somewhere between “old latte” and “coffee-ish ice cream”. It’s not pretty or photogenic.
Candice has a beautiful and huge pinboard in her office that I love! After she told me it was foam insulation and fabric I knew it’s what we had to make for my wall! All we needed was foam board insulation, fabric and duct tape!
(Completely off topic, but that baby is completely adorable! – SFR)
The foam insulation sheets come in 4 ft by 8 ft pieces. You could cut it to any shape or use two to make an 8×8 square, etc. I used one sheet (about $14 at Home Depot). It’s SUPER light weight and a little flexible. Be careful when loading it up!
Measure your board and cut off any excess – mine is 4 feet high by about 5 feet long. You could keep the board exactly as-is if your fabric is large enough. I used a shower curtain (!!!) and was restricted by the size of the curtain.
Then use a straight edge guide and utility, craft or serrated knife to cut the board as cleanly as possible. (Make sure to wash your hands after you cut the insulation … the fibers are super itchy!)
To create the notched edges we traced a bowl and then cut to make a template and then used the original cut to trace the other three corners.
Lay out your (wrinkle free!) fabric out right-side down and make sure you’re centered and the pattern (if there is one) is straight. I used a shower curtain from Target – you could also use a twin size sheet, upholstery or home decorator fabric or sew some fabric to the correct length and width. You’ll want about 4-6 inches of overhang on each side for the “upholstery” part.
The foam doesn’t hold staples well, so we pinned the fabric down in a few places and then, working from opposite sides, we started tightening and taping. We used Duct tape, and we taped and smoothed as we went. If you’re creating notched corners like we did, it’s a little more work. You need to make a few more cuts in the fabric to keep everything at the corners smooth. Think of it like wrapping a present. Make the corners tight, but not puckered. Don’t go too crazy with the cutting in the beginning. You can always cut more if you have to, but it’s hard to go back if you’ve cut too much.
To mimic the look of upholstery tacks (but for a much lower cost) we used brass thumb tacks to outline the board. We bought 400 tacks for this project, and we only ended up using about half of them. That left us with 200 tacks to hang pretty pictures!
Because the board is so lightweight, we used hot glue and some ribbon on the back to create a hanger, and then duct taped over the glue to make it more secure. Then we just hung it like a picture! Candice nailed hers into the wall, so whatever works best for you!
As I was adding the pictures, I felt like something was missing! So I whipped up a circle monogram out of gold glitter scrapbook paper with the Silhouette Cameo 
And just because we like to give you options. Here is Candice’s pinboard. She made hers in a similar way but because it’s extra big, six feet by six feet she duct taped two pieces of insulation together and then cut two feet off from each side. She used inexpensive muslin to cover it. Because the edges are square it is also simple to cover.
Yep! Huge, easy to make and inexpensive. There are so many different ways you can reimagine this pinboard. We’d love to see what you come up with!
It turned out great. Now I want to see pictures of your whole office. You left me wanting more.
Since yours turned out so adorable I think I am going to make this my weekend project. I have just the spot and I have been trying to come up with a way to display the kid’s artwork and our “fun” mail (wedding invites, birthday invites, baby announcements, etc).
Where did Candice get her pins for her board? LOVE these! Thank you!!
Lori, they are black upholstery tacks and Candice got hers at Lowes. http://www.lowes.com/pd_58199-37672-532690_4294710882__?productId=3036032&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=
Thanks for the post. Wondering about that foam board. Obviously pins must stick in it, but does it hold up over time under continuous use? (Or do the pins tend to fall out after the foam has been punctured a bunch?)
A year later and it’s holding up great! I’d imagine that if you frequently pin and unpin many things over and over the foam would start to show wear and tear just like cork board. So far, I don’t have any spots a pin wouldn’t stick into!
How much did you pay for the overall project? I would love to recreate one but I am on a budget!
The foam board was less than $20 and depending on what deals you could find on fabric, you could keep it very inexpensive.
Such a great idea!
Wow, I love the monogram!! Can I have one done with my initials A.G.B and sent to me? Please?
Thank in advance!
What is the best way to join two foam sheets? I need your help. Thanks in advance!
We just joined them using duct tape.
Hello! I’m trying to find the metal table in the picture. Do you know where she got it from?
Tiffany: Are you looking for the wooden one or the metal one?
The metal one with the shelves and the fabric on it.
I just do it but my question is how to hang on the wall… ??
Could you use foam poster boards from my local Walmart?
We don’t recommend standard foam board because it’s not thick enough! You’ll want your base material to be about an inch thick to protect the wall behind it from getting poked with the push pins.
I love this! Why did you use the foam insulation instead of cork board?
Margaret: Mostly because it’s light and inexpensive. Plus it comes in large sheets!