When you have a bunch of quirky, colorful items that have something in common, it’s pretty much a given that they need to be on display. Reddit user Alien–Wolf decided this was just the ticket for their wife’s extensive earring collection, which includes everything from rubber duckies to spools of yarn.
The hacker wanted to give their wife a way to see all of her earrings at once, in one place. Plus, the display keeps the earrings in good shape and makes it easy to pick out a pair for the day.
As someone who also has their jewelry on display, I love this idea. So many earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings are like small works of art, so why shouldn’t you hang them on the wall?
Makes perfect sense! Here’s what you need to do if you want to turn your earring storage into an artistic display.
What You’ll Need
- SANNAHED Frame (9 ¾” x 9 ¾”)
- Four 6mm wooden dowels or longer ones you can cut to size
- Wood glue
- Paint to match your wall color
- Basics — Pencil, tape measure, drill
Creating a Simple Earring Display in Minutes!
1. Prep the Frame and Dowels
Remove the back and the inner part of the SANNAHED frame. Set the mat aside for another project; you don’t need it for this one.
Measure and cut four dowels to size to fit inside the inner frame. Make sure to cut them based on the outside edge to the outside edge of the inner frame, since you’ll need to thread them through the holes.
2. Install the Dowels
Mark the position for your dowels using a pencil. Stagger the dowels front to back so earrings have room to dangle. Once you have the marks where you want them, drill 6mm holes, then thread the dowels through. Adding a little wood glue to each hole and to each dowel tip adds extra stability.
3. Paint the Back Panel
To give the display that special custom look, paint the back panel the same color as your wall. Once you clip it back into place and hang the frame, it will visually disappear.
4. Put Everything Back Together
Replace the inner frame into the outer one (perfect for hiding holes and extra pencil marks). Then, once it’s dry, put the back panel back into place, and hang your display.
What About Studs?
A few commenters were curious about how to include stud-style earrings on this display. The hacker’s wife doesn’t have that many studs, so they weren’t too focused on creating a separate storage type. However, they mentioned putting together some 3D-printed hangers that could clip onto the dowels.
Personally, on my earring display, I have a few pieces of hanging grosgrain ribbon that are perfect for securing all kinds of earrings. So, perhaps you could wrap a few pieces around the bottom dowel to hold your studs.
Any Problems With This Hack? (Not Really!)
A few folks wondered whether the earrings might slide along the rails, but the hacker said they fit tightly on the 6mm rods. Therefore, unless you get skinnier dowels, you should be good to go.
Overall, Alien–Wolf said this hack was relatively simple! The only problem? Their wife is already running out of room, so it looks like another trip to IKEA is in the cards! (But, I mean, is that really a problem?)
If you also have a bunch of earrings, you could make more than one, or you could opt for a larger one using the same design. IKEA offers a SANNAHED measuring 19 ¾” x 19 ¾”, and you can also get the frame in several colors.
Have a unique DIY project you’ve conjured up to conquer your jewelry collection? Share it with us so we can spread your idea to others and keep the creativity pumping.
