The Wall-Covering DIY That Makes A Bold Statement

There are plenty of easy DIY accent walls that even beginners can nail, but flashier ideas that require more time and effort could do wonders for revamping your interior design and make a strong first impression. Rather than simply painting one wall a different color, consider turning your space into a multimedia project. One recommendation could be following in the footsteps of Montreal-based thrift store Friperie Notre Dame, which garnered a lot of attention on TikTok for a video showcasing its DIY mosaic of broken-up CDs.

The project is simple, requiring just a variety of colored and non-colored CDs and a caulking gun at minimum. Fair warning to those who are renting, as it will require a lot of elbow grease to remove them. However, for those who have the time and resources to invest, it's an eye-catching idea that also signals your commitment to living sustainably; what better way is there to get rid of old belongings than to reuse them for art that's going to freshen up your home or place of business? Despite its bold look, a DIY wall mosaic made from old CD shards also isn't particularly complex, making it a good starting point for those who don't feel artistically inclined to, say, paint a more traditional mural.

The first step to getting your CD mosaic together is breaking apart those CDs, once you've chosen the room in which you'll be putting up the project (and this should be carefully considered; one TikTok commenter suggests the blinding effect of so much reflective material could be a problem if that wall catches a lot of outdoor light). Two main methods to consider for gathering your CD shards are either putting on gloves to snap the discs manually, ideally in a plastic bag or over a bucket to prevent shedding too much sharp plastic, or going at them with a pair of scissors or shears. Pick up some protective eyewear to ensure you aren't hurt by flying plastic, they're as cheap as $5 at many big box stores. You can also run the CDs through a shredder to get smaller, thinner pieces, though ultimately you'll want chunks you can apply about a pea-sized amount of caulk onto.

No prep work is required for the wall, but it couldn't hurt to clean things up just so your project will last longer. Start by fixing damaged surfaces, cleaning with a solution of degreaser in warm water, and scrubbing away mold or mildew if necessary. A new paint job isn't necessary unless you have a vision for what color should be behind the mosaic, but if you want newly colored walls you should look into some priming tricks that will make painting a breeze. After that, you can start sticking the broken pieces up in whatever pattern feels the most aesthetically pleasing. A variety of big shards and smaller pieces to fill in gaps will offer the best effect.

One nice thing about this bold DIY wall mosaic is that the basic materials can come from anywhere. Many universities have eMedia recycling programs that collect excess discs which aren't going to places like thrift stores. You also don't strictly need to stick with CDs; if you or a friend have an old DVD collection to get rid of, those discs will work just as effectively. In fact, while the idea is to use the shimmering rainbow-slick backside of these discs to catch the best light, having the graphic design of various movie or game covers means you can intersperse your mosaic with pieces that are "right-side up" for a bit more visual interest.

That twist works especially well if you DIY this mosaic in your freshly updated, trendy entertainment room. However, while the original Friperie thrift store project covered the entire wall of a large storefront — taking three months to complete — your DIY project could be much smaller so it will fit better into a variety of rooms (while taking up less of your time). For example, maybe you consider creating a CD mosaic peace sign in the middle of your child's bedroom wall, leaving space for it to be surrounded by other shelves and artwork. The glistering effect of the wall-mounted CDs will be just as impressive however it's established.