Turn Vintage Doilies Into Beautiful Bespoke Wall Decor With A Simple DIY

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The delicate lace patterns of vintage doilies possess a unique charm that is rarely found in modern textiles. Not only are the patterns on these doilies beautiful, but many of them were handmade, which adds to their charm. While these beautiful old pieces are special, they are surprisingly easy to find. They are often readily available at thrift shops, antique stores, yard sales, and online resale marketplaces. 

Since we've replaced doilies with other surface-protecting items in recent decades, it's not difficult to find them for low prices. While this may seem a shame to those who feel nostalgic about the past, it's a major victory for people who enjoy a good upcycling project. After all, there are so many creative ways you can repurpose old doilies. One super unique vintage doily project is creating a custom-made, farmhouse-inspired wall decor piece. This DIY vintage doily project incorporates elements of a farmhouse style, featuring chicken wire and distressed paint. The end result is a framed doily that will bring a touch of old-school charm to your home.

This project starts with a frame that has chicken wire inside the opening. The supplies you need will depend on whether or not you purchase a frame with the wire already attached. To complete this project on a budget, you'll need a dollar store picture frame, a piece of chicken wire, superglue, some chalk paint, sandpaper, tiny clothespins, and a doily. If you aren't budget-conscious and want to purchase the chicken wire frame already made, there are numerous premade options available, like this Creative Hobbies unfinished wood chicken wire frame.

Unless you start with a premade chicken wire frame, you need to find a frame you like and discard the glass and mat board. Use a frame you already have, or look for a suitable option at the thrift store. The frame you choose needs to be large enough to fit your doily on its surface when laid flat, leaving room for some exposed chicken wire. The amount of wire you leave exposed is up to you. For a doily to be the focal point of the decor piece, an inch or two of exposed wire around the circumference of the doily is good. You should also choose wire with a mesh gauge that suits your aesthetic. 

To begin the craft, paint the picture frame in your preferred color, taking care to paint any parts that will be visible when it's displayed. Chalk paint works well with the farmhouse decor aesthetic. After the paint is dry, rub sandpaper along the edges if you want to create the distressed look.

When you've achieved your desired look, you can assemble the decor piece. Measure and cut the wire so that it fits the frame against the rear side of the front edge. To attach the chicken wire to the frame, use a small staple gun, hot glue, or superglue. Then, lay the frame flat and center your doily on it. Use the tiny clothespins to clip the doily onto the wire in a few places, focusing on the top of the doily, since it will be hanging when you place the frame upright. When you are finished, hang your decor piece.

There are many ways to customize this project to fit your decor. As mentioned, the gauge of chicken wire can make a difference in how your finished project looks. Another modification for your chicken wire backing is to spray paint it using a paint suitable for metal. This would look nice with doilies that have colorful flowers embroidered on them. To add even more color to this project, consider purchasing colorful clothespins or painting them yourself. If you aren't using a doily with sentimental value, you may even consider coloring it a pale shade using fabric dye. How much color you add to the project depends on the finished product you want.

There is also no set size that this decor piece needs to be. Using a large frame gives you the opportunity to attach things to the chicken wire along with your doily. For example, you could clip a doily in the center of a large frame and add old photographs all around it. You could even use an oversized picture frame with multiple photo slots and either put doilies in each section or alternate between doilies and photos. This would be a great way to display doilies that are family heirlooms. Since the doilies are clipped to the chicken wire instead of being glued onto something, they won't be damaged. If you don't want the clips to show, you could stitch the doily onto the chicken wire, using thread that matches the lacy fabric.