Monday, April 29, 2013

New Hallway Shelf

I did this project in a funk.

It started out well. I had decided during the Simplify 101 workshop Organizing Fundamentals that I needed to have my hallway cabinet back. But I didn't want to move in the old cabinet.

Picture from the Spring Cure, 2011
 
 
Moving it out gained a lot of space in my hallway, but I also lost a place
 
  • to decorate for the season
  • to put library books we've finished and dvds to return
  • for market bags
  • to store our recharging station
  
The market bags could be stored in the closet (as they are not all that attractive, even in a basket) and the recharging station has been relocated to a shelf in the living room.
 
I figured a shelf with a basket underneath for the library books would work.
 
I couldn't find a basket that had the right dimensions--but I did find a tub at Micheal's. I loved how the silver would coordinate with the mirror.

I put it in the hallway to get people used to the idea. (It is currently holding needlepoint pictures to go to my Mom.)
 
 

I went rooting around in my husband's newly organized workshop and found an 8" shelf and brackets that would do.
I was feeling pretty good about it. I started painting them yellow --the old cabinet had been yellow--and I want to include yellow in every room in my house. But, I feared they would look just too "country." So, I started perusing my pinterest boards.
 
I love entry way tables and vignettes. I really do. When done well, they seem like the perfect marriage of function and style. I have an entire pinterest board devoted to them.
 
Somehow, this picture became my inspiration:

 
 
I loved the blue and green! I thought the table top was navy. I realise now it is most likely black. But no matter. I had navy spray paint on hand. I sprayed the shelf and the brackets last week. I thought I would duplicate the edging --only in silver-- on the edges of my brackets.
 
My husband and I installed the shelf this weekend. (I started it and ran into trouble--he fixed it for me!)

Please excuse that hole in the wall. It used to be an outlet for a central vacuum that was removed before my husband bought the house. We haven't found a cover that will fit for it yet. Yes, I know I've been here 16 years. These things take time, apparently.
 
 
I toured the web this weekend and I realised that the "in" thing is navy and brass. (see inspiration pic, above, too.)


This, from Jenny at LGN, makes me wonder if I should have kept the boards I painted in their original orangy pine, but spray painted the mirror brass instead. Of course, I'd have to paint the hall this darker edgy grey, but I have been dying to paint that hallway a different colour for months, now.
 
Navy and silver is old, fusty, out of date. And it got me down.
 
I know that it shouldn't have. I know that comparing myself to others just leads to discontent and depression. I also saw a fabulous house tour this weekend. The house is tasteful, up to date (without being up to the minute) and there is a cohesive colour scheme and feel to all of the spaces throughout.
It was gorgeous, beautifully articulated vision of what "home" meant to this person.
 
And I sighed and wished I had the same.
 
So, I put up a shelf in my hallway.

 
I do like it, though.

5 comments :

Rita said...

Well, I like the silver and navy. And I know that other person's home is cohesive and up-to-date (and reflects a lot of thought and hard work), but there's something about your hallway I like more.

It's clean. It's simple. It's made with things you own. I know there isn't much there, but even so it's got a kind of character that I never see in all those pretty, shiny, white-everywhere homes all over Pinterest.

Just my 2 cents...:-)

Alana in Canada said...

Thank you. Your comments fell like a nice hug.

Lisa @ Lisa Moves said...

I love the shelf! My first thought on seeing the shelf under the mirror was "oh! What an elegant solution!" It gives you the resting place you need while not taking up visual or physical space in a hallway. I am currently obsessed with navy, so I give the shelf a thumbs up. Lastly, my master bedroom is painted navy and I am putting up a silver mirror (eventually...I need to find places for all the clothes on the floor before I get to stuff like hanging mirrors, but it is in my plans), so....its not out of style if you like it :-)

Alana in Canada said...

That's my new mantra, Lisa. "It's not out of style if you like it." Right on.

onshore said...

I like it a lot. It's small enough not to block the area and as a plus side it wont gather too much useless stuff on it because it's so small.
The inspiration pictures you linked to had too much going on I think.

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