DIY Easy Shelf

I have been on the lookout for a skinny shelf for awhile to display my vintage chalk box collection.

The shelf goes behind a door so it needs a really narrow profile.  It will hang below a vintage chalkboard. The chalkboard does have a tiny ledge, but it is only meant for a piece of chalk and the boxes are always tumbling off of it.

So I went to Home Depot and picked up some molding in the length I needed.  They sell it by the foot and there are different depths and profiles available.

I needed 3 foot and it was painted white, but I wanted it black to match my vintage silhouette frames that hang nearby.

Voila!  The whole project ended up setting me back $7.62. I can still fit a couple of more boxes on the shelf as well...more to collect! 

I have also done this same shelf idea elsewhere in my house.  This is leading downstairs to our basement and if you are over 6 foot you need to duck a bit.  The blocks spell out "Watch your head" on the shelf.

 

This is a great easy and cheap shelf idea, and you can have it cut to whatever length you need.  Glad I can cross that project off the list (altho I still need to fill a couple of nail holes and then it is truly finished).

Comments

[April]

Love it! Your ideas are always so cute-and I have been using this one for years!

[Lynn]

Great idea!! I have a full school size chalkboard in my barn that will go in my studio at some point and I love this ledge idea.

[Jill]

Such a great idea! I also love how you spelled "Watch your head" with the blocks-- so cute!!!

[Shara]

Chalk up another great idea for laurie! :~) I have a big old blackboard out in my garage and I really want to hang it up somewhere, but I haven't found the perfect spot yet. My Step Dad rescured it when a local Church "cleaned out" the old Sunday School rooms. It weighs a ton!

[Traci]

SHUT UP!!! That is too cute!! I want the doll house too please!!!

[Kim]

Genius!!!! Adding that to my list.

[Marlene]

You are the gal with creative mojo...LOVE the shelves...thanks laurie for sharing with us blog"ettes"...have a honey of a night ~ sweet dreams! Marlene

[Lynne]

Love it! Perfect solution and so simple. Now, where can I put one?
;)

[Carol @ Old Glory Cottage]

This is a grand idea, Laurie! I'm thinking of trying to make a shelf like the one that holds all of your birdies. All I would need is a long narrow piece of wood, and something on the front to keep things from falling off. I haven't found that "thing" yet, but I'm sure I'll find something one of these days!
Have a great weekend!
Carol

[barbara]

That's perfect, and thanks for the idea! My only concern is that there's not a lot of room for additions to the chalk-box collection. Surely you're not done! (You could always rotate, though.)

[Penny]

What a great idea. You are a very clever girl.

[Ruth]

What a great idea!

I love the doll house too, could you do an entry on that please?