When we first moved into our townhouse, we decided to put a little movie-watching relaxation station in the upstairs of the house. There was this perfect inset that fit a loveseat opposite a nice wall which we could mount the TV on. We’re not big TV people and wanted to keep the downstairs family room more of a gathering place rather than have it overrun with a TV. So putting everything upstairs worked great! However, the downstairs family room area had a cove cut into the wall specifically for a TV. It took me quite a while to figure out what to do with this space, but I eventually decided to put together some super simple shelving. Here’s a quick project if you want to add a little spice…or space…to a room!
Step 1.
Measure the dimensions of your opening. If building a free-standing shelf, simply decide what dimensions you want.
Step 2.
Get some crates. You can usually find them at any local hardware/lumber store or craft store. I used a combination of three large crates and two small crates. Totally up to you 🙂
Step 3.
Crates are usually rough wood, so I spent quite a bit of time sanding. It’s all personal preference depending on what look you’re going for. They look very rustic if you leave them rough, which is neat also!
After sanding, stain the crates. I used Miniwax dark walnut to match the coffee table I had just finished.
Step 4.
Since the crate shelving is above our fireplace and set back into the wall, I decided it wasn’t necessary to screw the crates together. They’re simply stacked on top of one another.
However, if your shelf will be more exposed or is free-standing, I would attach the crates with some 1” screws. Pre-drill the holes before inserting the screws to prevent splitting the wood. Attach the crates in the back so the screws aren’t visible once the shelf is done.
And that’s that! Simple shelving for anywhere in the house 🙂
