Unique Marimekko Christmas Wall Art Made From A Table Top

I’m so easily distracted my creative mind never seems to switch off. The other week, while making my salvaged wood Christmas tree, an old wooden table hiding at the back of the garden caught my eye. I was compelled to do something with it. I wanted to turn it into some form of Christmas wall art.

So, of course, everything else fell by the wayside that afternoon. I didn’t even stop to cook dinner. We ended up with a takeaway for tea. I was on a roll and had to upcycle that tabletop straight away.

My three main crafting obsessions are denim, maps, and Marimekko. Marimekko won this time!

I already had a stack of gorgeous Marimekko paper napkins in lovely Christmasy reds. The tabletop was a perfect base to decoupage with these napkins.

It showed off all the lovely Marimekko designs. It created a stunning piece of Christmas wall art simultaneously with a modern mid-century feel.

Mid-Century Modern Christmas Wall Art Tutorial

It was fun making this Christmas decoration. I think it looks like a great big Marimekko moon.

It is indeed a striking piece of Christmas wall art. I could even use it as a Christmas noticeboard to pin my Christmas cards on. Or I could add hairpin legs and have my own Marimekko Christmas coffee table.

What I do know is that I love it. And will be hanging it on my wall as a unique piece of Christmas wall art. It looks fabulous in my dining room with my red chalk paint cupboard.

We’re a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you need to make Mid-Century Modern Christmas Art

• A large round piece of wood- I used an old garden tabletop, but you can use any piece of round wood, like the top of a cable spool.

• Orbital Sander – you can sand by hand, of course, but I’m too impatient! (Personally, an orbital sander is one of the best investments I’ve made for my upcycling toolbox.)

• An assortment of paper napkins – I used Marimekko paper napkins in Christmas colours. I used no more than two paper napkins for each design. Some shops on eBay offer a few paper napkins at a time specifically for decoupage rather than a whole packet.

• Mod Podge
• Glue brush
• Clingfilm

How to Make The Christmas wall art

Step 1: First, sand the tabletop with an orbital sander. Once the table has been sanded and wiped down, it is ready to decoupage.

Step 2: Secondly, prepare the napkins for the decoupage. Most paper napkins are three-ply. Separate the ply, as only the top ply is used.

Step 3: Next, cut the napkins into manageable pieces. I cut the napkins into strips the same width as each wood plank for this tabletop. Apply the Mod Podge to the wood and not to the paper napkins. Carefully lay the napkins down onto the wood face up.

Top Tip: to smooth out the napkins, screw up the unused ply of the paper napkin into a ball and cover it with clingfilm. Use this clingfilm ball to smooth out the napkins by pressing down on them with it.

The clingfilm doesn’t stick to the paper napkins, reducing the chances of tearing it.

Step 4: Next, carefully apply a layer of Mod Podge onto the top of the decoupage napkins, providing a protective coating.

Step 5: Using a sanding block, sand off the excess paper from the edges once all the paper napkins have thoroughly dried.

Step 6: Apply a final coat of Mod Podge to the top of the table to act as a protective varnish.

It is easy to hang this piece of upcycled Mid-Century modern-style Christmas wall art. I just rested it on two strong wall hooks.

The Christmas wall art also doubles as a handy card pinboard. Another suggestion is to turn it into a giant upcycled wall clock by adding a battery mechanism and some giant clock hands.

I liked this upcycled tabletop decoration so much that it hangs on my wall all year round. I have also made giant cardboard ornaments with a mid-century modern feel. You’ll find more decoupage projects here.

Do you ever get distracted when crafting and end up making something you had no idea you wanted to make?

As you may have gathered, this is not my only Marimekko upcycle; you may want to check out these too:
Unique Marimekko bench
Red Cupboard upcycle with a hint of Marimekko
DIY Marimekko Shoes
Marimekko wallpapered stairs