apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

grouping of paper lanterns hung from fishing wire?

paper murals

Instead of a wall hanging, I was thinking of something like a sculptural form made of paper or felt, or possibly foam, or if they're small, several grouped together. I was envisioning something like masks molded out of paper, but obviously can come in a lot of forms. Just one idea.

Simply don't hang anything over the bed - but hang pictures, etc. on either side above the nightstands instead.

(But if an earthquake of sufficient force happens here that pictures are falling off the walls, you're probably going to have pieces of the ceiling raining down on you too - I wouldn't let it concern me.)

Great post. You don't need to be in an earthquake zone to want overthebed-safe hangables!

How about hanging curtains? Didn't we see a cool picture of that idea earlier in the week? I loved the look. Or how about a mural on the wall?

why not create your own wall decal with some fabric & liquid starch?

I have a big print I want to hang over my bed but don't want to frame because I'm also in earthquake country. Anyone have suggestions better than thumbtacking it to the wall?

Huh. I'm a native Californian and it has never occurred to me to worry about framed photos or prints falling off the wall onto my head during an earthquake. Instead, like all good Californians, I fear putting my bed near windows, having a bookcase or shelves over my bed, or hanging stuff from the ceiling over my bed. In fact, when I first read this post I thought "over the bed" meant "from the ceiling".

The moral of this story is that I agree bepsf.

decals, hangng capiz shells or similar that you often find on strings. Or hang a light mobile out of the ceiling above the bed.

There's all kinds of lightweight artwork out there... as long as its not framed with glass and anchored well into the wall, you should be just fine. I keep a rotation of paintings on high-profile canvas over the bed... no frames required and the pieces are super lightweight.

Pillows!

I have the same fear even if I do not live in an earthquake zone per-se, so there's nothing on top of my head (But the ceiling and six other floors)

tell me more about making my own wall decals out of fabric and liquid starch

Blu-Tack or something similar (I use the 3M version) works wonders at hanging lightweight things without thumbtacks or tape.

Funny, I've lived in earthquake country my whole life and I never think about it. Maybe subconsciously I prepare?

I haven't done it myself but I am guessing that if yo cut out shapes you like from fabric then super-starch it, you will be able to hang them on the wall.

I quilt some (simple quilts only) and you can make applique quilts by cutting out shapes then sew them down around the edges. no need to hem. I am guessing that you can do something similar with starch and fabric glue and such. Use inexpensive cotton prints and experiment. The starch will stop the fabric from unraveling.

I don't live in earthquake country, but I refuse to put shelves over my bed. It was done to me as a child and they fell unexpectedly one night and showered me with books and such.

I visited my parents and the shelf there fell that night onto my feet.

I had some more ideas, like woven things made out of grasses, or things on paper spray-mounted to foam core board.

i read in rentaldecorating.com that you can make really inexpensive temporary wallpaper by dipping fabric into liquid starch and applying it to the wall....
i think someone did the same thing on HGTV.
I feel too lazy to do a whole wall though. Just enough to make a faux headboard design would make me happy. I'm using flattened out paperbags for my design template.....and then tracing it out onto a light cotton fabric....and applying that on the wall behind my bed. if i don't like it, i can just peel it off. no big deal. I'll show before and after pix soon as i get a chance.

I'm playing around with hanging prints matting only. I figure if that falls, it won't hurt, and I have both already. Might also try the canvas and decal suggestions, or even venture into hanging some type of mobile art from the ceiling. Thanks for all the feedback!

Feather Fantasies. I have a piece made by this artist in my office, and it is stunning.

If you are really paranoid, hang an unframed painting on stretched canvas over the bed. It is possible to have a framed painting or photo professionally secured to the wall via heavy duty cleat. A good framing store should probably be able to recommend someone who could do the mounting. If the pictures still fell down in an earthquake, that would probably mean that the wall came down as well.

More important than picture safety, you should make sure that bookshelves and large furniture won't fall on you, or fall in front of a door, blocking your exit.

Jeri, thanks for the link!

Richard, that's good advice re: the bookshelves. I actually have a bookshelf that would most likely fall and block the exit. I'll have to look into the canvas idea some more...

We have a beautiful leaf design mobile that is both beautiful and soothing to watch. go to:

http://lookingupceilingart.com/

...and if it happens to fall no one will get hurt. (our's has come down a ton of times, on account of our little 4 & 5 yr monkeys jumping on our bed... but no one's ever gotten a "bump" because of it).

Good luck.
-A