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DIY Retro ‘On Air’ Box!

February 21, 2012 By Heidi 2 Comments

I may get paid for ads or purchases made through links in this post.

DIY Retro 'On Air' Box

Following is a guest post by frugal friend Carly ~ enjoy!

DIY Retro ‘On Air’ Box

Related:

  • Easy Designer Home Decor Tips and Tricks
  • Fun Crafts To Do that Anyone Can Enjoy! {huge list}

Picture this DIY Retro ‘On Air’ Box:

Old school. Retro. A recording studio or a radio station. In the lounge, a few people sit in chairs, watching the unlit “On Air” box, waiting for it to come to life; waiting to catch a glimpse of the music being made inside. A man in a suit lights a cigarette and waits patiently to hear the velvety voice of the woman on the other side of the wall.

The box flickers on. Bright red letters spell out “ON AIR.” The man in a suit sits back in his chair and the music starts to play…

Since Justin has a recording studio in his apartment, we were inspired to appeal to the moods and atmospheres of the old school recording days. Thus began a long project to create our very own vintage-looking “On Air” Box. It’s meant to go with vintage chic apartment pieces, like… DIY leather coasters, DIY Rustic Hardware Coat Hangers, and Ampersand Wall Art.

The main elements of the light box, as we first conceived it, were a wooden box with some type of semi-transparent front that allows the light to shine through and make red letters visible. We decided to cut the wood for the box and glue it together, then mount the light inside, and attach the “On Air” panel to the front.

After mulling over materials on the Home Depot website, we decided it was just time to “hit the ground running” and start making the magic happen. Here’s our Home Depot “Grocery List.”

  • 8 foot piece of treated pine (For the sides of the box)
  • 2’x2’ piece of ¼” plywood (For the back of the box)
  • 11”x14” sheet of ¼” thick acrylic ( for the “On Air” part)
  • 9” Fluorescent light (fixture and bulb)
  • Vinyl Boat Letters
  • Gorilla Glue for Wood
  • Loctite Super Glue
  • Corner Clamps
  • Red Acrylic Paint
  • Black Acrylic Spray Paint
  • Tudor Satin Wood Stain
  • ½” long screws

Step One: Cutting

The good ole folks at Home Depot cut our boards of wood with love. We used a piece of plywood for the back and boards of treated pine for the sides.

Step Two: Staining

That treated pine I just mentioned? Yeah, it was kind of obnoxious to stain.

Step Three: Painting

We painted the back of an acrylic sheet red, in order to make the colors shine through with a reddish light.  We then added vinyl letters to the unpainted side and added eight layers of black matte spray paint.

Step Four: Assembling The Box

Using corner clamps and wood glue, we assembled the four sides of the box. Once it dried, we cut a hole in the back of the box for the cord to go through.

We screwed the back piece of plywood onto one side of the box, then glued a fluorescent light onto that piece, so that it would sit nicely inside the box. Then, we glued on the front.

Step Five:

The big reveal! The box had teeth comb brackets on the back, so simple screws did the job of holding the box onto the wall.

We added a homemade chalkboard underneath… which you’ll get more info about later this week. I promise. Hey, at least you know it looks great 🙂

Here’s the box, all lit up…

And a few side shots (the equivalent of telling a high school girl to “do a spin” as she tries on Prom Dresses, right?!).

One from the left (above) and one from the right (below). Tell us. Does she have a good side or is she just all around beautiful?! 🙂

And a shot with a bit of context. I think she goes quite nicely that high up, with the black and white photography (courtesy of Justin’s mom, Bev) next to it.

We’re thinking we might add more of her black and white photography on each side of that door.

Carly is a young blogger living in Chicago who loves mason jars, healthy cupcakes, oxymorons, and workout music! Check her out on Facebook and Pinterest!

You can never have enough creative ideas.  Find even more Craft Ideas, Home Decor Ideas, and Organizing Ideas below…

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Fun Crafts To Do that Anyone Can Enjoy! {huge list}

Feeling crafty??  It’s time to get your Craft on and get inspired to do some fun crafts!

How to Organize Every Room of Your Home

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Ways To Save More Money Around The House

It’s true… you can LOVE your house and save BIG all at the same time!  Are you ready to start saving?  Check out these affordable ideas and frugal hacks for your home.

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Frugal Girls LOVE great deals!  Before you shop, check out these Insider Tips + Shopping Hacks that will save you so much money at your favorite stores!!

Store Deals + Shopping Hacks That Will Save You So Much Money

Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Guest Posts

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    February 15, 2018 at 6:31 pm

    I made this as a gift for my boyfriend for his music room! Great tutorial and a creative idea!

    Reply
  2. Daniela says

    September 17, 2014 at 1:03 am

    What glue did you use to attach the acrylic to the wood box?

    Reply

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Hey there... it's so nice to meet you! I'm Heidi: a Frugal Girl living in sunny Arizona! I love sharing Easy Recipes, DIY Decor, Style & Beauty Hacks, Gardening Tips, Travel Hacks, and Creative Ways to Live the Sweet Life on a Budget. I'm so glad you're here!
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