I am a big Project Runway fan. Last summer I loved watching the All-Stars season (although I did REALLY miss Nina, Michael and Tim… Heidi not so much). I loved having the best of the best competing against, and fighting with, each other. I loved the fabulous, outlandish fashions. And I loveLOVED the workroom. So much so, that I created my own Project Runway inspired colorful pegboard based on the walls of the workroom.
Project Runway-Inspired Colorful Pegboard
Inspiration from Project Runway
The All-Stars’ workroom was either painted or papered in a gorgeous paint chip-esque treatment. The walls were a grid of colors gently blending from one tint to the next. I was smitten. So, I immediately started Googling. But for all the wealth of information on the Interwebs, there was NOTHING about those fabulous walls! I was dumbfounded.
What You Will Need to Make a Colorful Pegboard
I knew that when I was able to have a workroom of my own, I wanted to recreate that ombre grid in some way. I just had to figure out how to do it on my own.
My friend Missy and I went out to do some garage saling at a city-wide sale a few weeks back. While we were cruising up and down the side streets, I spotted this 4’ x 2 1/2’ pegboard and pulled right over. They were giving it away FOR FREE! I was planning on buying a pegboard to store my craft tools anyway, and it would be the perfect place to try out my rainbow inspiration.
The pegboard had obviously been used in the previous owner’s garage or basement, however, because it was super dirty. I busted out the bleach wipes and cleaned the front and back as best I could.
After the pegboard was clean, I gave it two coats of the flat grey paint that I used in my dining room. I would have used white, but I didn’t have any on hand and didn’t want to buy any new paint just for the background of my grid pattern.
I brought the dried pegboard inside and got to work marking off my grid pattern.
I chose to tape my grid off leaving 5”x5” squares to be painted. Be sure to use painter’s tape NOT regular masking tape so you have crisp lines that don’t remove your base paint.
Basic Color Theory
The painting process took a bit of patience and planning. I wanted to create a layout that had colors, tints, and hues much like the Project Runway workroom that originally inspired this idea. But before I tell you how I painted the pegboard grid, we need to review a little ART 101.
There is another element of color theory called a SHADE, but artists argue about how to properly mix them and I didn’t use them for this project anyway, so we’ll skip it.
Forgive me for making you do math, but at least it’s color math. To mix tints and hues, you need to follow the simple rules of color algebra. Start with a basic color and add white to make a tint. Mix two basic colors together to create a hue. Mix a hue with white to make a tint of a hue.
Creating a Gradient Color Pattern on a Pegboard
Once I had my grid taped off, I laid out my acrylic paints. I had chosen a rainbow of paints from which to make my colorful pegboard. (For some reason, I don’t own any orange paint in a satin finish. Random.) The PR inspiration walls were covered in muted tones, but I wanted a more vibrant look for my craft room.
MY BASIC COLORS: The letters signify the squares painted with acrylic straight out of the bottle. Each letter is a different paint (A is light pink, J is green, etc.)
TINTS: The formulas in the white type signify where I painted the tints. I mixed each of my basic acrylics with white craft paint to make a lighter version of the basic color. Therefore G+w means yellow + white.
TIP: I mixed my tints and hues in small paper cups that I could just throw away when I was done. If you have a large enough painter’s palette, you wouldn’t have to waste paper cups to mix your paint.
HUES + TINTS: I wanted to have a way for each column to refer to the columns on either side of it. The formulas in the pink type signify hues and tints of hues I created. On the bottom row of each column I mixed the second basic color from that column with the first basic color of the column to the right. EXAMPLE: For the first column, I mixed the darker pink (B) with the red (C) from the next column (B+C).
For the top row of the pegboard, I created a tint of each of these custom hues. Remember tints are made from mixing a color with white. EXAMPLE: For the top of the second column, I mixed the hue from the bottom of the first column (B+C) with white (B+C+w).
This is what my pegboard looked like with all my colors, hues, and tints all in place. PS I just got a heck of a lot of use out of that one photo.
It wasn’t until AFTER I had finished painting the pegboard that it dawned on me that the paint would leak through the pegboard holes. Oops.
If you put a big piece of poster board or a canvas under your pegboard, you could turn it into an unintentional masterpiece!
Using Powdered Drink Mix Containers as Pegboard Storage
In addition to regular pegboard accessories, I wanted some containers to hold my paintbrushes and markers. We go through so many containers of powdered drink mixes that I always have extras of these stashed around the house. I used some to organize my kids’ art supplies, and I knew they would work for mine as well.
Using an idea I originally found on Pinterest, I easily modified the containers for use on my pegboard. First I drilled two holes, about an inch apart, near the top of each container.
Next, I threaded a dollar store zip tie through the drink container, around the back of the pegboard, and back into the drink container.
When I pulled the zip tie tight, the drink container was securely fastened to the pegboard.
I even color-coordinated the dollar store zip ties to match the colors in the pegboard. It’s all about the details, friends.
The drink containers hang securely from the pegboard for additional storage.
Project Runway-Inspired Colorful Pegboard
I bought a pegboard accessory kit for $7-8 and got to work hanging my tools. I threaded my spools of ribbon (by color, naturally) onto a cheap curtain rod which I rested on the brackets meant to hold a shelf. I also used some of the pegboard anchors to secure a tie rack to the upper right hand corner of the pegboard. I arranged most of my thread on the tie rack pegs.
The powdered drink mix containers are perfect for paintbrushes and markers. If what I want to put in the container wasn’t long enough for me to be able to easily grab it, I just shoved some newspaper down at the bottom of the container. I did that with the fabric markers, and now I can see all the colors and quickly pull what I need.
I stole the idea for these twine and floss dispensing funnels from Martha. Lastly, I bought a pack of three funnels from the dollar store. They already had the handy hanging holes, so I added them to the pegboard. Now I can easily pull off as much as I need, without tangling or re-wrapping.
I am so pleased with my pegboard makeover. It adds so much color to my craft room, and it will help to keep me organized and (sort of) sane while I am working on my projects. What do you think of the colorful makeover? Is it too busy for your taste or is it just bright enough?
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that was such a great project well worth sharing. thank you
I love the crap out of this pegboard. Absolutely gorgeous. I’ve never seen a pegboard I really liked – they’re so useful, but never actually pretty. THIS one is pretty. Great great great idea!
I love your peg board, I have been thinking about trying a peg board for my jewelry ( I make jewelry), it would sure help keep me organized, lol
It’s called a Pantone wall
hi,
could you please help me?
i want to know the specification of pegboard..
thankyou you took a photo the back of pegboard so now i know the back side of this thing hehehe..
i really curious about how people stick it on the wall..
(sorry my english are so bad)
really pleased if you send me an e-mail 🙂 thanks..
Rani, the pegboard was installed by screwing cleats (2x2s of wood) onto the wall and then hanging the pegboard on the cleats. Then we screwed the pegboard down from the top into those cleats. Hope that helps!
Hey, I’m so glad I found this post! This was a great idea with gorgeous execution, and your tip on using cable ties is a life saver.
However, when I try to pin these images using your pin me buttons, the photo won’t show up in the pin preview or on Pinterest. It just shows the tiny jpg icon and when I try to view my pin, it says there was an error and redirects me. I haven’t had any problems pinning anything else, so I think it has to do with your images/pin button somehow.
Please let me know if you’re able to get it fixed.
Thanks for the heads up! I will look into it. In the meanwhile, if you use either the Pinterest Chrome extension or the share buttons at the top of the post, you should be able to pin this project. Thanks so much!
Great tutorial and your math on the colors was easy to follow. One suggestion regarding the zip ties would be to thread them from the back first and then through the can. That way, the “knot” is in the back instead of in the can where it could snag items when they are taken out of the can.
That’s a super smart suggestion. Thanks!
I love it! Using things you have on hand and getting creative with the design is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this great idea!
Thank you so much for your kind comment!