With the help of corks, you can create both miniature decor items and real works of art that will become the hallmark of your interior. Here we will give an example of decorating an entire kitchen wall with drink corks. This version of the decoration of the kitchen apron is very original and interesting, and among other things, it can be done completely independently, without the help of workers and complex building materials, and the process itself will not take much time.

Required accessories

wine corks themselves
construction adhesive
stationery knife
tempered glass according to the size of the apron
drill

Process of creation

You will need a lot of plugs. A little over a thousand for a medium-sized apron. To search for traffic jams, you can involve friends and relatives, as well as familiar bartenders.

First you need to clean the apron. We remove all kitchen cabinets, remove sockets and leave the wall completely "naked" and apply markings. Next, you need to cover the wall with a special water-based paint of dark color. Next, we should prepare our corks by cutting them lengthwise in order to stick them on the wall in the future.

We proceed to the most difficult part, namely gluing traffic jams on the wall. It is worth being patient, as this work is painstaking and difficult. During the laying of traffic jams, of course, we bypass sockets and places for lamps and cabinets.

Next, you need to install a protective glass over the corks, which will make the apron more convenient and will protect the corks from dirt and defects. In addition to this design, you can also add various patterns on black surfaces near the apron, such as leaves, barrels, etc. They will give your kitchen or living room atmosphere and charm.

This design is very unusual and original. It will allow you to demonstrate your man-made, originality and design qualities. With this apron, you will definitely be the most interesting host among your relatives and friends who will be visiting you.

I have been eyeing the collection of ideas for cork decor for a long time. Inspired, I decided (says the author) not to exchange for small accessories, but to decorate a kitchen apron with corks. And one of the objects has such an opportunity!
In this master class, I will tell you what came of it.

So, we need the following materials:
- wine corks;
- building glue;
- stationery knife;
- tempered glass, cut to the size of the apron;
- drill, fasteners for glass;
- as well as one man "with hands." :)


How many plugs will be needed? It took us about 1200 pieces to make an apron for the kitchen with a length of 240 cm! The corks collected by us, friends and relatives came in handy ... And still it wasn’t enough! When you see corks in a bag, it seems there are a lot of them, but it turns out that this is a drop in the ocean (in an apron). Had to "rob" a friendly bar! Have you seen such huge glasses in which bartenders put corks? That's from there! :)
The pattern laid out with traffic jams in a checkerboard pattern looks very nice. But the pattern requires corks of the same size. From a large volume, you can pick up the same ones for a small decor niche or rug. In our case, the surface is large, so we place the plugs vertically in lines.
For better grip and to save hard-earned corks, we cut them in half lengthwise.
All tubes are different sizes. So that a white wall does not shine through small cracks from a loose fit, we painted it in a dark color with ordinary water-based paint. If the interior is in light colors, then the wall can not be darkened.
Before gluing the corks, we install the lower kitchen cabinets and mount the countertop on them, so far without a rim. Here is a countertop made of artificial stone. We remove mechanisms and frames from electrical outlets. We remove the upper cabinets, having previously outlined the line of the apron.
Here is such a gloomy picture of poor quality, since all the work took place at night ...


We stock up on patience and proceed to sticking :) Lubricate each half with glue and gently press it against the wall. We do not touch all the pieces that go beyond the marked line, at the end of the work they can be cut.


When gluing corks, we go around the sockets located on the apron, do not glue them!


This is what happened when all the corks are glued and neatly trimmed.


To protect the plugs from water and dirt, it is necessary to close the apron with glass. We ordered glass cut to the size of the apron with holes for mounting. We mount the glass, firmly attaching it with bolts to the wall.


On top of the glass, we return the mechanisms and frames of the electrical outlets to their place.


Glue the side of the tabletop:




Bring back the top cabinets.
All! Beautiful, practical and unusual :) You can invite guests!








Later we painted the wall above the kitchen black, still gray in these photos.
A piece of the wall can be seen here:




According to the same principle, depending on the conceived interior, the surface under glass can be decorated with a variety of materials: leaves, branch cuts, wallpapers, photographs, recipes, everything that fantasy tells!

We continue to deal with

 12:00 June 17, 2016

We continue to figure out how best to decorate the kitchen. Today we will talk about unusual materials for aprons: he talks about six types of non-standard materials for their design. interior designer Evgenia Topilskaya.

kitchen apron - one of the most important elements in the kitchen after the headset. Now there are many options in decorating an apron, and everyone can find something for themselves, but at the same time, even the wrong choice can ruinthe most beautiful kitchen. I would not like to talk about the standard ways to design aprons, there are many articles on this topic. I will mark only the most popular and tell you about the original and unconventional options.

The most common and oldest design technique is ceramic tile . This option is good because the market offers a huge selection of tiles of all imaginable colors, formats and textures, and, importantly, for any wallet. In the care of ceramic tiles is quite simple, but you will have to pay attention to the seams. You can use epoxy grout, it is less porous and more resistant to dirt.

The second way to design an apron - glass . Usually they use matte, plain or decorated with a pattern or ornament. In my opinion, the most interesting options are obtained using transparent glass, behind which, ifyou are a happy owner of a second home with a history,you can leave the old brickwork or worn wall. This technique is suitable for apartments in loft, vintage or Provence styles.

Another original way is not to press the glass against the wall, but to leave a gap between them. This space can be filled with a panel with coffee and canvas, pebbles, real stones, sublimated moss, a three-dimensional panel of dried or artificial flowers ... Yes, anything!

The third version of the design of the apron - natural stone or brick . In the previous method, we covered the brick with glass, but you can leave it as is. True, you will have to varnish it and pay more attention to care so that the masonry looks neat. The same goes for natural stone. If you decide to use porous rocks, then it is better to additionally protect them with varnish. If you are using a polished stone - marble or granite - then this is not required.

There are many options for laying stone. You can put it on an apron in one or several large layers, order a mosaic of several types of stone ... In any case, the apron will look very impressive due to the beauty of the natural material.

A quadruple way to decorate your apron is suitable for creative people: this is a homemade mosaic of fragments of tiles and dishes. The option is budget, and the effect can be stunning! The main thing is to clearly think over the drawing and choose colors. There are no ready-made options here, it will always be exclusive. You can lay out the apron with the whole family, especially like this process children.

The fifth way to unusually design a kitchen wall is an apron made from wine corks and lemonade caps. He suitable for youth or atmospheric kitchens in loft and vintage style. You can easily make such an apron yourself, the main thing is to collect a sufficient amount of material. This does not mean that you urgently need to start absorbing liters of any liquid, you can go to a nearby cafe or restaurant and ask them to save corks and lids that they do not need. Lids can be laid out in a circle or in strict rows - such an apron will never be boring! You can complicate the task and try to collect caps of certain colors to achieve gradient transitions. Wine corks can also be laid out in several directions or assembled into an interesting ornament. Like brickwork, it is better to protect such an apron from dirt and moisture with glass.

Finally, natural wood is gaining more and more popularity in the decoration of aprons. To decorate the wall, old boards, lining and even saw cuts of trunks of different diameters are used. The latter look best, especially after varnishing, when all the annual rings of the tree begin to appear more clearly. Considerable care will be required for such an apron, the varnish coating will have to be updated periodically, but adherents of natural materials will like this solution. But remember: it is better not to use such an apron with a gas stove or protect it with glass, behind which you can illuminate.

Those who are engaged in the repair and renovation of furniture in their apartment have probably already learned that although the kitchen is not the largest room, it is the most expensive for repairs and furniture. Indeed, furniture, countertops, built-in appliances are all very expensive and expensive. In fact, despite the main costs, you should always remember the little things, because without them the main investments may not appear in all their glory, which means that your efforts will not be in vain, but let's say not quite effective ... Let's say an apron over the working surface of the countertop on the kitchen set. You can make it using a plastic panel, tile or something else. Our version will be just about something else, or rather about how to decorate a panel (apron) with wine and cognac corks.

The process of decorating a panel (apron) from wine corks over a work surface in the kitchen

The most expensive "item" of our expenses will be the presence of a large number of corks from wine and cognac. Where to get them is up to you. He can overpower all alcohol with his relatives and friends, which takes a long time and is not safe for your health, or he can simply turn to friends or to a neighboring bar, where corks are often simply thrown away, falling into the trash ...
The number of traffic jams must be really impressive. It is not difficult to calculate that for 1 sq. meters of surface, a significant number of traffic jams will be required. 10000 cm (sq. meter) / 8 cm (cork area) = 1250 corks. Here it is necessary to take a correction factor for seams and gaps, which will somewhat reduce their number, but in any case, there are a lot of traffic jams. So, before you start, be sure to evaluate your capabilities. If you are okay with that, then continue.
For the panel, we also need tempered glass, usually such glass can be ordered from furniture studios that manufacture kitchen sets. For glass, it will be necessary to purchase fasteners, as well as accurately mark the dimensions for sockets and communications. The thing is that tempered glass is made immediately to order. Cutting and drilling then the glass will not work, as it will simply burst.
You will also need tools and materials. Sealant and stationery knife.
Before you start gluing corks on the wall, it must be painted in a dark color. This is necessary so that the seams between the plugs are “not conspicuous”.
It is also necessary to dismantle wall cabinets, built-in sockets, switches. If you have additional sockets planned, then this is the time to provide a place for them.

So, we take our corks and half with a clerical knife, lengthwise into two parts.

As a result, we get two parts, each of which can be attached to the wall. We begin to glue corks to the wall. It is better to glue them in a checkerboard pattern. So the general background picture of corks will be much more attractive than corks glued one opposite the other.

The process of gluing corks is long and painstaking, but the picture that will “loom” is mesmerizing. We glue the top plugs, and then cut them with a straight line.

As a result, after gluing the cork halves, they will have to be protected from dust and similar manifestations of a hostile kitchen environment. As we already mentioned, for this we will install glass. Glass is fastened with anchor bolts to the wall. Next, install sockets, switches, etc.

(glass fasteners are visible at the top left)

(sockets in place)

(General view. It remains to put the equipment in place)

(Final result)

That's basically it. Such decoration of the wall above the working surface of the kitchen set will be unusual, attractive, practical and appropriate.

With the help of wine corks, a sharp penknife and a marker, you can make "branded" stamps. To do this, you must first draw the desired figure and then cut it on the cork. Such prints can be used on postcards, in letters, or simply for playing with children.

Volumetric letters and pictures

Do you want to confess your love in an original way or just surprise your loved ones? Then stock up on wine corks. After all, you can make a beautiful three-dimensional picture from them (for example, in the form of a heart), as well as letters for composing various phrases (for example, I love you). And they, in turn, can be used to decorate the interior and photo shoots. Detailed tutorials on how to make them can be found at the links below.

If the handle of a cabinet or chest of drawers is broken, do not rush to knock on the doorsteps of furniture stores in search of a replacement. You can go the other way and make unusual handles from wine corks. To do this, they need to be sharpened a little, and then attached with screws to the door or drawer. For some, this will become a temporary measure, and for someone - an original detail in the interior.

An old fan grill, a bunch of wine corks, twine... At first glance, this is unnecessary trash, which should be in a landfill. But in capable hands, this garbage turns into a designer chandelier. You need to attach a cartridge to the grill from the fan, and tie plugs to the twine at different levels. Detailed instructions at the link below.

These original frames for pictures and photographs are obtained from wine corks. At the same time, you can safely experiment: glue the corks along, across or in a herringbone pattern, use them as a whole or cut them into pieces. It all depends on the interior where these unusual frames will hang. By the way, you should not limit yourself to photographs and paintings only - corks can border a mirror, a chalkboard, and much more.

cat toy

If you tie a case on a wine cork, you will get an unusual toy for your pet. You can drive it around the apartment, sharpen your claws about it, and gnaw it. In a word, wine corks can save your shoes and furniture, so take yarn, felt and make a toy for your cat as soon as possible.

Wine corks can make elegant holders. There are two options here: you can screw a wire into the cork and insert photos, notes and other little things, or you can glue or tie several corks together and cut a strip for attaching cards. Such holders can serve as seating cards at a wedding or simply stand on your desk.

A warm and romantic atmosphere can be created with wine corks, two glass jars and a scented candle. Place the vessels one inside the other (the first should be 2-3 times smaller in diameter), fill the space between them with stoppers, insert a candle into the smaller vessel. Voila! The original candlestick is ready.

A plank and a few wine corks - this is the "recipe" for a convenient hanger. Anyone who knows how to handle a screwdriver can do it. Such a hanger will perfectly complement the interior of a summer house or a country house.

Looking at this graceful giraffe, which serves as an interior decoration, it seems as if several experienced engineers worked on it. In fact, it is done in an elementary way: the wire frame is pasted over with paper, and then wine corks are “planted” on it. The main thing is not to feel sorry for the glue, so that the design turns out not only beautiful, but also durable.

With the help of wine corks, you can make a convenient and beautiful panel - something like an "interactive whiteboard". You can attach shopping lists, phone numbers, notes for loved ones or photos to it. In this case, it is better to use small needles or pins, and not glue and adhesive tape - then the panel will serve you for many years.

What goes around comes around. But sometimes it is very difficult to remember what and where you have sown. In order not to get confused in the future harvest, use labels from wine corks. To do this, you need to drill a hole in the cork, insert a stick into it and write "Tomatoes", "Parsley", "Peppers", etc. Stick these tags in seedling containers, and you will always know where and what you are growing.

Wreath

These beautiful wreaths can be made using wine corks. The technology is quite simple: we make a frame and glue it with corks. At the same time, the type and “mood” of the wreath will depend on how you arrange them. These wreaths can decorate the house for the New Year and other holidays. You will find one of the master classes on making wreaths from wine corks

Canape skewers

Canape is a great holiday appetizer. Especially when you consider that you can not buy skewers for them, but make them from improvised materials. This will require wine corks (they need to be cut into circles), toothpicks and some kind of decor (ribbons, stickers, beads, etc. will do). Drill holes for toothpicks in the resulting wooden mugs, decorate them, and the original canapé skewers are ready.

By sawing the cork in half and gluing a magnetic strip to it, you will get an original fridge magnet. With it, you can attach photos, notes, shopping lists and other important little things.

To save furniture, we use special coasters for hot pots and plates. Of course, such a thing can be bought, but it is more interesting to make it yourself. Take a few dozen wine corks (the number depends on the diameter of the stand), a glue gun, a knife and a satin ribbon for decoration. Cut the corks in half (if this is not done, the stand will just turn out a little higher), sand the edges and glue the corks together in the form of a circle or octahedron. Run a ribbon along the edge or decorate with other decorative elements. The stand is ready.

bird house

These are such chic “apartments” that can be made for birds using wine corks. First you need to make a frame from thick cardboard, and then glue it with corks. It turns out a real cobbled teremok. This is a great idea for children's creativity, because the child will learn not only to "build", but also to take care of nature.

Earrings, pendants, necklaces, brooches and rings can all be made from ordinary wine corks. You just need to be a little creative and get the right accessories. Corks can be used whole (for example, for pendants), cut into circles or sawn in half (for earrings and necklaces). They can be decorated and decorated with beads. In a word, the flight of fancy is not limited.

Jewelry storage organizer

From wine corks, you can make not only jewelry, but also an organizer for storing them. Any girl knows how difficult it is to place jewelry so that it is not lost, visible and at hand. Dear ladies, take a picture frame of the right size and stick wine corks inside. Make several hooks to make it convenient to hang beads and bracelets. And earrings can be stuck between corks or directly into them (if the wood is soft enough).

There was a pompous blue-red table, but it became a stylish black-brown one. But its main highlight is the countertop. It is made of wine corks: the corks are “planted” on liquid nails and varnished on top. It may not be very practical, but it's definitely impressive. It is unlikely that any of your friends have such an original bar counter.

To keep your keys from getting lost, make a keychain out of wine corks. It's very simple. You need to buy accessories (sold in stores for goods for creativity) and dream up a little. You can leave the cork as it is, or you can decorate it: paint it, write your name or the “purpose” of the key (for example, “office”, “home”, “mailbox”), hang beads, etc. As a result, you will get an exclusive keychain that is unlikely to get lost.

miniature flower pots

If you think a wine cork is too small to grow plants in, you are wrong. From it you can make a very cute flower pot on a magnet. To do this, you need to take a wooden (necessarily not plastic) cork, gouge a small hole inside, fill it with earth and plant small sprouts there. After that, you can stick a magnet to the cork, and there will be a nice little “flower bed” on your refrigerator.

A Christmas tree, toys for it, Santa's reindeer, gift wrapping and much more can be made for the New Year with the help of wine corks. For example, to make the main symbol of the New Year holidays - a Christmas tree - you will need a base in the form of a cone, paper, glue and, of course, corks. Drape the cone with colored paper and stick corks on it - they will play the role of needles. Such a Christmas tree looks very nice, and may well replace a traditional (live or artificial) tree. Who doesn't love sailing boats? As children, we made them from newspapers, but the voyage of the paper ship was, alas, short-lived. Another thing is a vessel made of wine corks. Glue a couple of corks, attach a sail and you can go on a "sea" trip. Such a boat will delight your child and remind you of your own childhood.

Now it is fashionable to decorate houses with various decorative balls. They are made from paper, thread and other materials. Wine corks also work well for this task. To make a decorative ball out of them, you will need: the actual corks (a lot), a foam ball, a glue gun, brown acrylic paint and a brush. We paint the foam base and the “bottoms” of the corks, and then glue the ball over them. Such a decorative ball of wine corks looks great on a bookshelf, as it harmonizes with books. And if you want to hang it somewhere, do not forget to attach a ribbon.

Wine corks are most often made from wood. Therefore, a wine cork is a durable and reliable material from which you can make practical rugs for the bathroom and hallway. To do this, the corks need to be cut lengthwise and stick them on a rubberized base. You can also use the corks as a whole and glue them together vertically (it is better to use a metal frame as a base). The last option is more suitable for the front door.

If you drill a hole in several wine corks and insert ink paste into it, then you will get an unusual pen. So that it does not hang out and does not bend, the corks should be glued together. You will not only save on buying stationery, but also surprise your friends.

Many people remember such an attribute of Soviet life as “pendants” made of postcards and paper clips instead of doors. After the collapse of the USSR, filament curtains seemed to be a thing of the past. But fashion, as you know, develops in a spiral - a new round of popularity of filament curtains is coming. True, now they are more used for zoning rooms. One thing is invariable - you can make such a curtain with your own hands. For example, from wine corks. Looks very creative.

This lampshade, made of wine corks, will bring warmth and comfort to your home, and the light streaming through the cracks will create a special, somewhat mysterious atmosphere. But the main thing is that it will not be difficult to make it. You need to take a regular plastic cover and glue it with wine corks. Do not do it too tightly - the more gaps, the more light.