Building open shelving...

When we originally designed our kitchen we thought that the open shelves would have corbels.  Until we started pricing them.  Honestly, we knew how expensive they were because when we were renovating the kitchen in one of our other homes we opted to build them ourselves because of the price.

Since we couldn't find ones we liked, and time was an issue- we opted to do freestanding shelves without the support of corbels.  Now I've shared many times how when Travis designs and builds something it is usually to the standard of being able to withstand a hurricane- or a typhoon.  These are  no different.

He began by purchasing long metal plates and lag bolts and attaching them to the walls in the center of what would eventually be the shelf.  Levels are important here!

He then attached them to the wall using the lag bolts.

Then he attached L brackets to the ends of the metal plates...

Using panels of wood he made what I kept calling a "shelf sammich"...

Holes were drilled to attach the wood shelves to the metal...

Then the bottom half of the sammich was put up and bolted onto the metal pieces...

The two pieces were then trimmed out using 1x3's in pine, pookied, and sanded...

A few coats of oil based paint ensures that they will hold up to dishes being placed and removed from the shelves without harm.  This construction ensured that they wouldn't bow and would hold up to the weight of heavy glassware.

And quite possibly a hurricane...

Styling shelves...

First of all I really want to thank you for your lovely words on my last post.  That was a difficult one for me to put out there, but writing has always been cathartic for me.  Your responses were so encouraging, and I am hopeful that things will improve in time.

So on to some shelves!

I love to style shelves and always have, but I know it is not something that comes easily to everyone.  I thought I would do a post about how I style shelves and my "formula"... ha!  I don't have a formula, but that sounds so technical doesn't it?

Okay, so first off.  I find a shelf.  Clear everything off.  Then I stare at it.  Eventually after the staring which leads me into thinking about what to fix for dinner, or asking myself if I actually gave the dogs their heart-worm pills on the first of the month... I start moving things around.  I like to think that this is my cardio for the day.  All of that back and forth, put up and pull down has to count for something in the exercise department.  Right??

I do try to follow the "rule" of odd numbers.  3's & 5's being my favourite for shelves and table tops...

I always break up shelves with books.  I know that sounds like a "duh, of course you put books on the shelves"  but I've seen shelves full of knick knacks and it just looks busy and unfocused.  The books help to ground it.

On this particular shelf I broke my rule of odd numbers.  The three books have bindings (sort of) but the fourth book is bare.  I just liked how it balanced out and picked up the neutral tones of the crown.

These shelves show how I like to look at all the shelves as a group, rather than just one shelf alone.  I like that on some I put the books to the left, and something to compliment it on the right.  Then the next shelf has books on the right and something to compliment it on the left.  Some shelves are just all books, while a few are all knick knacks.  As I work I stand back and look at the overall "weight" of the shelves.  Do they look balanced?  Could I take away/add something to the arrangement?  How are the colours grouped or complimenting/competing with each other?  I just play with it until it feels "right" to me.

Our library gave us oodles of shelves, many of which sit empty and I am okay with that.  I think the best way to decorate is over time and it is the only way to truly get a collected look.  My empty shelves are just possibilities of books yet to be read.

So there you have it, my shelf styling strategies.   The rule for shelves is that there is no rule for shelves.  Do what you love, display things that tell your story, and have fun with it.

Living with open shelving...

I adore open shelving.  I've had it in my past two houses and never tired of it, but the reality of living with open shelving may not make it the best option for everyone.

Clutter.  Yeah, you really can't have it and expect open shelving to look nice.  I have to go through and edit my shelves now and then, because I tend to want to display it all and just add one more little thing... and before you know it I have Open Shelving:  The Hoarders Edition.

Also, dusting.  Yes, there is dust- it's open shelving, but honestly, I've seen the insides of cabinets that hold quite a bit of dust and dirt too, so I am not off put by the dust.  I simply clean more often ;)

The secrets to maintaining an organized neat look?   Corralling.  This is Texas, and if there is one thing I took away from many years of rodeo going, it was the importance of keeping things corralled.  My frequently used items reside in a vintage tray that I keep by the stove.  That little rooster dish?  Sea salt. Handy, and right by the stove where I need it.  The wine corks?  I don't necessarily need them, but they found their way into the corral.  Yee-haw for wine ;)

Open shelving can be a little much for the eye, so I like to keep similar colours on my shelves.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Pretty much everything I own (even the stuff tucked out of sight!) is in the black & cream colour family.  It makes it so easy for me to swap items out, and also to add items in!  Hoarder alert...

So there you have it, my little take on living with open shelving.

Turning a closet into open shelving...

Our home has two bathrooms.  The kids/guest bath is tiny- but the builder thought that even though it was tiny they would put two swinging doors in it- the one to the bathroom and one on a closet in the bathroom.  I really think the design process on track homes involves a game board and a spinner.

Step one- remove the door

This picture gives you an idea of how the two doors slammed into each other.  Every. Day.

Travis removed all of the door trim.

We found some mold.  Great.  Houston + Humidity= Mold & Clorox.  

Then it was time to add the new trim.

And chunk out the existing shelves by adding some wood pieces to them.

The last step was to paint it all using a high gloss oil based white paint.

Then the part where I decide to do a bit more to the bathroom....

Such a simple improvement to this tiny bathroom!  We are starting our library build next week.  So excited to share my inspiration pictures and our plans :)

What home improvement projects are you working on?  I'd love to stop by your blog and read about it!

Linking up here

Kitchen demo update....

So today was spent taking out the upper cabinets (Why?  Why are there stripped out screws in a brand new home install?)  Travis had to use the "master key" to cut those things out!

I sat and poured through pictures of open shelving on the internet.  Corbels?  No corbels?  We had them in the last kitchen, but Travis ended up building them because we couldn't find anything that was
a. chunky enough
b. less than our mortgage (seriously, those little suckers are expensive!) and
c. we liked.

So here is how we are looking at the end of day one:

The super pantry (cape!) at the far right will stay.  The surround will be built to house the fridge (new appliances arrive on the 16th- includes a counter-depth fridge)   and the microwave will go back up over the stove with 22 in cabinets on either side.  The L shape from the right side stove cabinet to the surround on the fridge will be connected by three open shelves.
The cabinets on either side of the fridge will go almost to the ceiling with an open shelf at the top of each one.  Over the microwave will be a shorter cabinet to hide the stove vent and the microwave plug.
I was debating repainting the cabinets....I am still loving the ASCP in Country Grey, but the Old White on the uppers was not my fav.  This time I am going to go with ASCP in Pure White and I have ordered new Martha Stewart drawer pulls in silver.  I think it will give it a cleaner, crisper look : o )

I will be updating daily- I would love any comments/suggestions/ideas if you have them!