Playroom Makeover: Shelf Reveal

The $12 custom shelf is on the wall and all decked out with summer blues and whites!  I love how this simple shelf has become a focal point for the room, almost as if I have a second mantle in my house. I can barely recognize the playroom now.

Getting this guy on the wall was a bit harder than I had originally thought it would be. What I thought was a cement wall behind the drywall was actually a mix of empty space, studs, and cement, it was not so easy to find a place for the nails to grip into. I made many more nail holes than originally. But isn't that how it always is with these things? Thankfully, I eventually figured it out. And then once things seemed really study, I added some extra 3" screws for additional support. I don't want this shelf to come crashing down on little heads!

Lucky for me, as one of my readers commented on the $12 shelf post, "wood filler is the white out of wood projects". Easy peasy. After some sanding and white paint, these oopses are no biggy.

 

Are you wondering about the "skirt" on the shelf? Can you guess why it's there? Could it be hiding something? Something unsightly?

Peekaboo!

Yes, the air conditioner is hiding underneath the curtain!

Remember that weird wall-mount AC unit?

I made a trip to Joann's on Saturday and came home with two yards of burlap (as well as a few other goodies which I'll reveal at the end of the post). Using my sewing machine on a zigzag stitch, I made this simple rod pocket curtain with a fun texture in about five minutes. It's held in place with a tension rod. My hope is that the tension rod will be sturdy, but give way before the shelf if any little hands pull on the curtain. The curtain is sure to be a fun feature for the children who will play in here.

Yes, the cord bothers me too, and I will find a way to hide it better. I think I will just find a way to hang it up, since the curtain will be removed when the AC is in use.

I shopped the house to turn this shelf into a decorative mantle. In keeping with the "slightly nautical" theme of the room, I thought the ship in the bottle belonged here. It was handmade by my husband's grandfather. He was Norwegian and this is a Norwegian ship. A fun little piece of history. The elephant was a gift to us from a friend who recently visited India. I think he's quite happy here.

Remember this flower from my spring wreath? They came in a pack of three and I just knew the third one would have a home someday. The branches in the background have been sitting in my craft room for ages. I've never known what to do with them, until now.

Here's a shot of the shelf with fewer tchotchkes on it. Does it look cleaner? Or emptier?

 ~OR~

 

Which look do you prefer? Clean, or a little fuller? It's always my tendency to keep piling things on surfaces, but I'm trying to cut back. I don't want to go so minimalist, either, that there's nothing there. I think an oval mirror, mounted horizontally, could be a nice touch for behind and tie everything together. I'm on the lookout for one!

The whole arrangement will likely change again and again before the room is "done." And, I'm sure this will be one of those decorative spots that will evolve with the seasons.

If you're keeping score, here's what I've spent on this room so far:
Paint: $70
Shelf: $12
Burlap curtain: $8

Total spent so far: $90
Budget (yard sale proceeds): $161

And finally, here's a bonus preview, of the rest of stuff I picked up at Joann's. I can hardly wait to start working with this stuff! Stay tuned to see what it becomes!

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