Wall Display Inspiration: Wood Crates

As I've been rounding up old wood crates to use in a display I am working on,

a display that I created years ago has been on my mind...

and it's something that can be easily replicated in your store or show booth.

You're not going to believe where this story starts....

 This is a 'before' photo of the wall I decorated.
Actually, this is the second photo, because it started out blood RED.

As soon as I could, I painted the entire barn interior WHITE.

Um, yeah, you read that right.... this was inside a horse barn!
A small 2-stall barn on a farm was remodeled into a seasonal store.

After the cleanup and paint, lights were added
[bought at the ReStore for $3 each!]

and the french doors on the left were installed on the inner wall

so that the huge barn door could still slide open & closed on the outer wall.

 So then I decided to add some interest to that big white wall...

and I 'wallpapered' it with strips of vintage piano player music!

[I had a box of fifty rolls, so there was a LOT to work with.]
After the wall was covered, I added extra pieces that curled up and out, to give it texture.

I even hung some of the strips of paper with the roller dowel still attached,
and some from the rafters up above to make the wall seem even taller.

 Then I took a collection of miscellaneous wood crates and boxes

and screwed them to the wall in a free-form configuration.

I didn't measure - I just started at the bottom with the biggest crates, and worked my way up the wall.

I liked it when it was empty, but the whole point was to create areas for product to be displayed...

... and I crammed a LOT of small items into those boxes!
Furnishings and lamps and other accessories were grouped in front of the wall, 

and the whole room came together in a very organic, country, almost 'Anthropologie' display.

I say 'room' but really, it was still just a barn stall!
[that french door you see was set on the inside of the opening, 
and the dutch barn door opened out]
It was a really enchanting setting, partially due to the unique display sets.

There are so many ways to use this idea in retail settings:

Peggy at Down Home Country Antiques in Orange, California 
created a great wall arrangement of crates for her fall season displays.

Roger's Gardens Nursery in Newport Beach, California 

created an outdoor wall treatment to hold a changing display 
of seasonal garden supplies and plants.

An arrangement of wire locker & freezer baskets would have a more industrial vibe.
If you have a kids' store, hanging brightly-colored plastic milk crates would be perfect!