Home improvements have been sweeping the nation as homeowners are taking pride in their dwellings and creating a strong root system on their properties. With home improvements comes the need to throw out the old in order to bring in the new. Or, in some cases, the need to do some demo!
When these changes occur, someone else’s trash could be your treasure. In this situation, we are talking about cabinet doors. Yes, these doorways into storage and food pantries make excellent canvases for altered and three-dimensional art pieces. It doesn’t matter if they’re scratched up, dinged, or an ugly color.
Here are some suggestions for projects:
- Create a shadow box with a door. Construct the box so it is the same depth as the door hinge, or a little larger. Add a backing or use the wall’s surface as the back as it hangs on the wall. Add any kind of art in the shadow box so, when it is opened, viewers will find something beautiful and interesting.
- Use small doors on large canvases. Pick a piece of stretched canvas or canvas board and prime over the surface. Choose a fairly large piece so there is room to paint around the door. Trace an outline of the door on to the canvas and then create a painting or mixed media art piece within this area. Embellish and paint around the tracing, as well. Affix the door (the smaller cabinet doors work best for this project) directly to the canvas so it can open and close. You may have to add a clasp or a tie to keep the door closed.
- Use the door itself as a canvas. Alter the door so it is an interesting piece of art. Alter it so it looks like a decorated door hanging on the wall, or alter it so it doesn’t resemble a door at all. Be creative and add a lot of unusual elements for interest.
With these ideas, you should be able to come up with a lot of interesting uses for old cabinet doors in your art projects. Don’t forget to make some interesting door pulls and door handles out of polymer clay, or buy some plain ones to paint and embellish. Don’t be afraid to experiment with crackle paint, decoupage, and embossing. If you’re working on a wood surface (not laminate), experiment with a wood-burning tool. There is a lot of opportunity to spread your creative wings.
