Introduction: Hobbit Door Cable Cover
Recently the cable cover for our wall in our home broke. The cable covers come in white, and you’re meant to paint them with the colour of your wall paint. However, we don’t have our wall paint anymore, nor do we remember the exact shade we used, so however we tried to match it the colour would still not fully match. Since the new cover was bound to stand out, I thought that it might as well stand out on purpose. This is how the hobbit door idea was born.
Supplies
· Blank cable cover
· Acrylic modelling paste
· Palette knife
· Sanding paper
· Acrylic paint
· Gilding paint
· Toothpick
· Paint brushes and scissors
Step 1: Preparing the Cover
Using a palette knife spread the acrylic modelling paste over the divot in the middle. Allow to dry and repeat until it is no longer indented. Spread some of the paste across the whole top surface, so that the paints stick better. Sand the top until generally smooth (it doesn't need to be perfect at this stage)
Step 2: Texturing
Draw out your door. Start with a circle close to the perimeter of the cover. Draw a slightly smaller one inside. Then add a few equally spaced horizontal lines in the bottom. Connect the first and second with diagonal lines as shown - these are the stairs. Now in the inner circle draw equally spaced vertical lines to represent boards. Draw in some hinges and a door handle.
Step 3: Drawing Out the Design
Add a layer of modelling paste to the inner circle and using the palette knife score the lines for the boards. Then quickly while the paste hasn't dried, lightly make vertical wavy and squiggly lines inside the board rectangles to imitate a wood texture. Add some paste to the outer ring and the step. When it dries add another layer to the front of the step
Step 4: Painting the Door
Mix multiple shades of moss green. Use the darkest shade to paint in the lines that separate the boards. Paint in the boards with a slightly lighter but still dark green. With a dry brush lightly on some light green on the most extruding parts of the texture. Use the lightest shades to put a highlight in the middle of every board and blend it out.
Step 5: Painting the Rest
Using shades of brownish grey paint in some stones and bricks as shown. Make sure the top of the step is lighter than the front. Using a dry brush and a small amount of dark grey paint, lightly dab on the rocks to add texture. With a dry brush but more paint this time bad with dark green paint and then light on top to create moss.
Step 6: Adding Details
Using diluted dark brown paint add the hinges and door handle. Add some decorative squiggles. Measure the length of the handle puller and cut out a matching length from a toothpick. Paint it the same brown. Paint on the gilding paint on all the brown details except the puller. Glue on the peace of toothpick and after the glue dries paint it gold as well.
Step 7: Done!
Put the cover over the cable hole and you have a cute little hobbit door in your home 🌿🚪😁