DIY Vertical Indoor Faux Green Living Wall with a TV
Week 5 of the One Room Challenge is here and man does time fly when you have a to do list as long as I do! This week I tackled the TV wall. I must admit I surprised myself with this eleventh hour DIY, but I think it was a unique way to add some life to this otherwise drab wall. But first, if you missed week one, week two, week three, or week four, check those out. A lot has happened in here so far and a lot still needs to happen, like a bed, but lets not dwell on the negative. On a positive note, this week’s project was an easy DIY and a great way to add visual interest to this small space around the TV. So let me walk you through the step-by-step guide on how I did this DIY vertical indoor faux green living wall with a TV.
This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure policies for more information.
What is a green living wall?
Indoor plant walls have become popular choices for urban areas as well as commercial spaces like offices, breweries, and restaurants in recent years. This design trend not only brings nature inside but also allows for an indoor garden by utilizing vertical space. You can purchase a living wall kit or vertical plant wall pots online and create your own succulent wall, moss wall, herb garden or indoor vertical wall garden.
Like all plants, a living plant wall needs not only the right plants to prosper, but natural light, soil, and some sort of regular watering or self watering system.
​DIY Vertical Indoor Faux Green Living Wall with a TV
So why did I choose to do my own living wall? To be honest, I really like this growing trend and think it looks really cool while adding a lot of greenery to an otherwise blank space. But we all know that plants are not my specialty. Yes, I have a vegetable garden and it has been somewhat successful, but it also has an irrigation system which is half the battle in my opinion. So I decided to do my version of this trend and go with an artificial living wall. Because we all know I do much better with faux plants.
I actually purchased these faux boxwood panels for a different DIY project I had planned for one of my outdoor spaces but I didn’t get to it this summer. So when I saw them just lying around, I got a good idea!
Before I dive into the how to, let’s take a look at what this looked like a few weeks ago.
As I mentioned in week one, I wanted to spruce up this TV wall and make it look more like a design decision and less like a college dorm and my faux green living wall seemed like an ideal choice.
Faux Green Living Wall Supplies
Faux Boxwood Panels
Sharp Scissors
Tape Measure
Thumb Tacks
Long Level
1x2x8 Wood Slats
Nail Gun
Miter Saw
Sanding Block
Step 1
Measure out the area for your indoor living wall. This will determine how many panels you need. Since I only had so much space around the TV, I decided not to do the whole wall. This is what I was starting with after the new flooring went in and the closet doors got a makeover.
Step 2
Purchase the faux boxwood panels. The panels I used are 20×20 and each one covers just over a square foot and a half.
As I mentioned above, I originally ordered these for a different project outside so these are rated for outdoor use and are supposed to be UV protected. Obviously in this instance it doesn’t really matter, but they can be used outside. If you plan to make vertical walls outside, make sure your panels are UV rated to prevent fading.
Step 3
Mark out the middle of the surface area you plan to cover. I drew a line on the wall with a pencil and my long level.
Then I found the middle of the faux greenery panels and lined it up with my line and the top of the baseboards.
Step 4
Attach the panels to the wall. For this part I used thumb tacks because I already had them and they make very small holes in the wall. While I didn’t actually try my staple gun I did have it out in case the thumb tacks didn’t work.
Each panel has small round holes along the edges so you can connect multiple pieces by overlapping them. I placed most of the thumb tacks through those holes and then fluffed the greenery back up to hide them. Along the side edges I placed the thumb tacks through the small slits.
I used silver thumb tacks because I already had them but white ones would have blended in with the walls a little better or you could try these clear ones. But honestly, you can’t even see them. You can see the detailed behind the scenes in my Instagram stories!
Thumb tacks were a good option here because most nails that have a large head would have made very big holes in the wall. And while I love this look now, if I ever want to change it in the future, I don’t want my walls to look like swiss cheese, haha!
I used two full panels at the bottom below the TV and then I added the panel above the TV. To go around the TV I had to cut a panel in half. You will need sharp scissors to cut these. I made sure to only cut the grid on the back of the panels rather than the faux stems.
I first cut the piece for above the TV because there were no obstacles to work around, just a straight line above the TV mount.
Then I cut out the one for under the TV which required me to make a cut out around the plug. I also saved the excess greenery that fell off when I made my cuts to use as filler in any areas that felt sparse.
In total I used four panels to cover behind the TV.
Step 5
Cut your 1x2s for the slats. I used my miter saw to cut these down to size and cut each end at a 45 degree angle. To make this particular cut the piece of wood needs to be standing on end when you cut.
Note: I chose to use select pine for my 1x2s which is more expensive but they also only require minimal sanding on the edges after cutting. I lightly sanded with a sanding block only at the cut ends.
Step 6
Attach the wood slats to the wall. For this I used my nail gun and 2 inch brad nails. I also only used four nails per slat. to minimize nail holes.
Because the thickness of the base boards is less than the thickness of the 1x2s I think it looks better to cut them at a 45. I also prefer this look at the ceiling as well when not using a trim board.
I lined my first slats up to frame out the live wall.
Then I used a scrap 1×2 on end to space the next slat.
I chose to do three slats on either side of the green wall because of the small section I was working with. But you could definitely add more or less if you like.
Step 7
Sit back and enjoy your hard work and your new faux live wall!
This was an easy way to add some visual interest to this wall and add some greenery. Because I took it all the way to the top of the wall, it also makes the ceilings feel taller in here!
If you struggle with indoor plants or have a limited amount of light in your living space, faux is the way to go! The best part is, no dead leaves or regular maintenance required! So would you try vertical green walls?
Still to come in the next couple weeks for this guest room makeover….
– make a DIY bed frame and headboard
– closet interior makeover
– several small projects like decor and art
This entire room has come so far but I still have a lot of DIY projects to do and only two more weeks to go before the big reveal! I think I might have to postpone a few projects, but stay tuned to see if I can pull a rabbit out of a hat 😉 And don’t forget, I am sharing all the behind the scenes on my Instagram stories.
If you enjoyed this blog post, DIY Vertical Indoor Faux Green Living Wall with a TV, please share it with your friends on Facebook or hover over an image and save to Pinterest! And if you don’t already follow me on social media (Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, or Facebook) I would love for us to be friends!
Love new ideas and projects? Subscribe to receive DIY and design inspiration delivered straight to your inbox! Plus you will receive access to all my free printables! These are only available to my awesome subscribers as my way of thanking you for your continued support!
Don’t forget to stop by the One Room Challenge to check out all the other participants and give them some encouragement. I am sure they are feeling just as stressed as I am right now!
​
This post, DIY Vertical Indoor Faux Green Living Wall with a TV, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.