Gilmore Girls: A Year of Seasonal Decor

​text by Steph     ​Sign up to get Mother Daughter Projects updates in your email!

I've been a Gilmore girls fan since season one. When I heard that it was coming back I was so excited! My first thought, I have to watch each episode again in preparation for the new show. My second thought, we have to make a DIY project in honor of Gilmore girls! 

With the new show being called "Gilmore girls: A Year in the Life," we knew our DIY had to incorporate the seasons in some way. Who doesn't want a little Gilmore girls all year round?! So grab some coffee and a mallomar and enjoy "Gilmore girls: A Seasonal DIY Tablescape."

First we are going to make a simple rustic box using basic household tools. 

Materials: 

• 8' 1x4 strip wood (Home Depot- $1.85) or pallet wood
• Miter box or miter saw (Amazon)
• 4 inside corner braces (Everbilt- Home Depot)
• 4 corner braces (Everbilt- Home Depot)
• Screws (Everbilt #4x3/8" or #6x1/2" Home Depot)
• Chalk paint (FolkArt Amazon)
• Amy Howard's Better with Age (Amazon)
• Quick drying glue (DAP Rapid Fuse Amazon)
• Clamps/ Drill

How-to Steps

Cut (3) 24" pieces and (2) 5" pieces from the wood using a miter box or miter saw.

Sand all sides of the wood. Manually sand or use an orbital sander.

Next distress the wood. You can use a mixture of steel wool in vinegar or the product we are using by Amy Howard, Better with Age. Apply product.

Once dry, mix a small amount of chalk paint with water and paint the wood.

Once dry, paint the back side.

Sand to distress to your liking.

Place corner braces and hold while screwing into place. Repeat with other side.

Apply quick drying glue to both sides then clamp in place.

Screw the bottom corner braces in place.

Glue and re-clamp the side pieces and attach the corner braces.

Add corner braces to the top four corners. Use an extra brace as a guide for placement. Once dry, remove clamps.

That's it, the box is finished and ready to be styled!

​Gilmore girls' winter references:

• Snow (S1, E8) - Lorelai has a special connection to snow. Lots of good things have happened in her life when it snows. 
• Snow woman (S2, E10) - The girls make a unique snowman in a town competition. 
• Yarn and knitting needles (S7, E9) - Stars Hollow Knitathon to save the Old Muddy River Bridge. "Knit, People, Knit!"
• Deer (S1, E4) - Rory got hit by a deer while driving Lorelai’s jeep.
• Running themes: Luke’s coffee and books

​Gilmore girls' spring references:

• 1,000 Yellow Daisies (S2, E1) - Max proposes to Lorelai with these.
• Hay Bales (S7, E18) - Taylor makes a hay bale maze for the spring festival. 
• Basket and thermos (S2, E13) - Bid-on-a-Basket Stars Hollow annual picnic basket auction
• Running themes: Coffee cup, red vines candy, books

​Gilmore girls' summer references:

• Maps, columns & cobble stone road (S4, E1) - The girls backpack through Europe for the summer.
• Coffee and cheese (S5, E2) - Rory accidentally ordered coffee with a side of cheese at Caffe Della Penna in Italy.  
• Fake Jam (S4, E1) - The girls make Luke a fake jar of jam “Fruits de la terre” because they forgot to get him something on their trip to Europe.
• Yale composition book (S4, E1) - Rory starts college.
• Running themes: Coffee, dog (Paul Anka), books

Gilmore girls' fall references:

• Hay bale (S1, E7) - Fall festival
• Headless chocolate turkey (S3, E9) - The girls visit the Kims for Thanksgiving and Lorelai accidentally gives her half eaten chocolate turkey to Mrs. Kim.
• Harvard Squirrel (S2, E4) - Lorelei took a picture of a Harvard squirrel on their road trip and shares it with her mom in a slideshow presentation.
• Gnomes (S2, E5) - The girls neighbor Babatte lost her gnome Pierpont. We later find out Jess stole him.
• Running themes: Coffee cup, burgers, dog (Paul Anka), books

You could also make the box with pallet wood following the same instructions from above!

Decorate your table for each season. See how many Gilmore girls references can you display in your tablescape! Now we're ready for Gilmore girls: A year in the Life. Copper boom!

If you make this project please share the picture with us on social media using the hashtag #gilmoregirlsdiy. If you have other ideas or have your own Gilmore girls ideas, share those too! 

Please note: We are not sponsored by any of the companies/products that we used. These products were picked and bought by us.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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