Styrofoam cones in assorted sizes
Paint and/or glitter and glue (optional)
Double-sided tape or hot glue
Decorating styles vary so widely; no one can tell someone else what looks good to him or her. One person might love an elegant look featuring satin bedding, brass home accents, and marble touches. Another person might strive for a country appearance, with gingham curtains and rope baskets. But what kind of room design would you have going on to decorate with ceiling stalactites and floor stalagmites? A man cave? A dark, mysterious bedroom? Love the idea? Let's get started!
You can't really call making stalactites and stalagmites hard to do; they're ordinary Styrofoam cones. Still, they make fantastic cave-type features in a bedroom or other area of your home. Whether you turn them into stalactites, stalagmites, or both, you'll see that the project is very simple to do.
I visited Carlsbad Caverns when I was young and I remember thinking that it was the most spectacular site I had ever seen. There were strategically placed lights so that the stalactites and stalagmites looked all pink, and purple, and blue; it was awesome. You can choose to paint the Styrofoam cones with any color of paint that you want or you can just install white cones. If you paint them, use paint that is suitable for Styrofoam; some paint will melt the cones. If you want a shimmery look to the icicles, apply glue to the cone, and then cover it with glitter. Another choice is to use green cones made for floral projects.
Instead of Styrofoam cone you can also use paper ones. With them, you can choose from many colors, and you can easily twist the cones yourself. Just take a piece of paper, twist it into the cone shape, tape to secure, and trim the top edge.
Scotch tape, double-sided tape, or even hot glue, work to hold the cones to the ceiling. For the floor, you can simply stand the cones, or stick them with tape or glue. The best
arrangement – whether for the ceiling or the floor – is done when you use an assortment of cone sizes. Hang or set some long ones, several short ones, and an overall mixture.
The stalactites and stalagmites look fabulous around an entryway, in a dark corner, or around a floor object. They provide the look of a cave entrance, or a cave room, and are suitable for many different decorating styles.
