Wine crate shelf, complete.

Remember a couple days ago when I mentioned wanting to make a wine crate shelf for my bathroom (full post here)? Well, it's finished! And it's cute! And I can't wait to figure out what's actually going to go in it!

Can you tell how excited I am about it by my excessive use of exclamation marks?!?!


To recap for everyone, my rental has a very ugly bathroom with a very ugly vanity. It's large. It's boring. It's absolutely fugly.

First things first, I needed to balance out that bulk. And what better way to balance bulk than by enclosed shelving? Enter the $5 wine crate from The Wine Merchant.

NOTE: Excuse the crappy side angle photo - I remembered to photograph the progress only after I started to stain. D'oh!

I stained the crate with some $2 Ace-brand wood stain in Early American. It was my first time using the stain and I have to say I was rather pleased with it. The color went on really smoothly and the smell wasn't too too bad. I finished it off with some high-gloss polyurethane I had left over from another project and the up on the wall it went.

Here it is styled a bit from random chotchkies I had lying around my house. I'm not completely sold on the accessories but am definitely digging the all-white mix of modern and vintage pieces to really make a statement. Emily Henderson made a comment on her blog the other day about choosing to go eclectic by color or by style so as not to overdo it. I am definitely taking the direction to heart and plan to attempt eclectic by style in this here display.

TIP: Drill holes in the wine crate before attempting to mount it to the wall. I did this and completed the very technical exercise of balancing a level on top of the wine crate, pencilling in the holes to the wall and then looking through the little hole to match everything up. Soooo helpful.

Knowing me, I may add just a splash of color (something bright) based on what I find at the thrift stores but I want to keep it simple enough so it doesn't look like just a bunch of crap shoved up above the john. Right now I'm on the hunt for more white washcloths, a textured, ornate candy dish to use as a pot and a larger fern to go inside. I might add a metal basket to hang right underneath the shelf to hold some reading material for.. you know... when you need reading material.

As far as the rest of the bathroom? I have some ideas but none that seem to be tying everything together just yet. I'm thinking I need to keep down the textured-yet-simplistic look to balance out the green and pink tile.


UPDATED WITH ACCESSORIES:

Word from the wise is to improvise.

After searching through my apartment for a piece of furniture to convert into a TV stand, I began to think about what other pieces of furniture can be easily substituted by something else.

One easy substitution is the bedside table. By changing up a bedside table with something a little more unexpected, you create visual interest and, in some cases, works of art. Here are some ideas for this easy yet attention-grabbing piece of furniture:

1. Paint a planter or tall barrel and put a piece of glass or serving tray on top. The color will draw attention to the bed while adding texture and definition to the space.

2. Stack books to create a table. If you're a collector, grab some of the larger books you've already read and start stacking. If the table begins to get a little wobbly, grab some hot glue and connect the books together. If you need a larger table top, try the serving tray on top idea for this as well.

3. Move your square ottoman into the bedroom. A square ottoman can add another level of comfort and softness to a room, giving it a more relaxed and less structured feel. Add a punch of color by making a slipcover in a bright pattern or solid fabric.

4. Cinder blocks. For a lower sitting bed set, try contrasting a soft, over stuffed bedding set with a couple of concrete blocks as tables. This juxtaposition will add visual interest and a modern twist to the space. Use a hanging or floor lamp to amplify space.

5. Use a chair, stool or wooden crate. Like the ottoman, this substitution can add a more relaxed feel to the bedroom by making the space less structured and lower the feeling of "completion". It gives off that anything goes impression and can be a perfect substitution for beds positioned in a corner (allowing for only one side table).

6. Hang a suitcase. I've seen this done for shelving units but think the older suitcase could look really sharp as a side table. Place pieces collected while traveling throughout the space to give the room a sense of adventure.

top to bottom: wine photos france, trumpetvine, galessa's plastics, joelplutchak, rune t, magpie's fancy

All photos courtesy of flickr.

Blog Spotlight: object bis

I have been working on a solution for the mess-I-call-my-craft-area for quite some time now. Please note, Exhibit A:

On top of the mess shown above, I have collected a giant basket of fabric swatches, a plastic 3-drawer bin of more craft stuff, a new printer, a chair I found while dumpster diving and a ton of shoe boxes from old shoes I've donated. I want to organize by type of craft and material.  So... I have been trying to find an old dresser to convert into an organizer but am having absolutely no luck with it.

While looking for other options (since clearly I need a Plan B), I came across this amazing blog, object bis, that offers fantastic ways to reuse old furniture and home accessories along with other information pertaining to sustainability. Please note, Exhibits B-E:

Thank you Google Translate and thank you object bis!

reusing freight pallets (may 2010)

using branches (october 2009)

reusing wine boxes (august 2009)

using old drawers (june 2008)