Driftwood ~ SL Decor Part 1

 Smith Lake decor straight from the water....

I've chastised my husband for years and possibly even called him a hoarder for collecting driftwood around the lake. Much to my dismay he displays his large pieces in an urn that belonged to my late Grandmother by the door as you enter our home.  Last summer I had to eat the words written above when I suddenly became attached to an extra-large piece that looked like an alligator.  I obsessed and became determined to make it a centerpiece and bring it back to life. It was quite possibly the nastiest piece of wood I could've ever selected to start a project with.  It was covered in mud and muck to the point I showered it in the outdoor shower multiple (7) times after cleaning it in the lake of course.  Next I cleaned it with an old tooth brush and lets just say I've still got some work to do (I promise to share a photo after I've used the techniques below). 

Smith Laker, Alexandra DuPont, took my new appreciation of driftwood to the next level when she shared a photo of a project she completed in her home on the popular Facebook group Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama. After chatting with her over her process, I foresee a similar wall in my future and now have a new process to try in my efforts to bleach the piece I referenced above.  She was kind enough to share some of her tips below.  

Alexandra says, "it takes a while to collect the right pieces" and she even has a storage collection for pieces for future projects. She has made a few for clients and friends and says her first step is to always  determine whether  the finished piece is natural color or a bleached look. Alexandra prefers natural, but many clients have selected the bleached look. After cleaning the piece, she bleaches using a 14:1 ratio for the soaking solution. Finally, she lets the sun do its thing for a couple of days!

At the start of the design process, Alexandra highly suggest you play around with the pieces on the floor. She shared the tips below to achieve a similar style for your wall.  

Alexandra's Driftwood Art Tips

• Design your pattern on the floor. 
• Be sure you have a center support in the back to physically attached to the wall. 
• The center support  is key as it will touch your wall at two strategic points and definitely makes its easier when hanging the finished product. 
• Use a nail gun and finishing nail pieces together in a crisscross or z pattern. 
• Use glue to to add other pieces to the top to achieve a finished look.

If you aren't a DYI-er ~ reach out to Alexandra to create one for your space! Alexandra is yet another example of Smith Lake People ~ thank you for sharing! I am in awe of her finished art, plus I love the idea of a summer long project to find the pieces. Knowing it is one of kind only adds to the appeal!