I’ve tried my hand at decoupaging galvanized metal, wood, and plastic but until now I’ve never tried Mod Podge on glass. Today, I’ll show you how easy it is to take cheap spice jars and make them look like vintage apothecary jars.

Last month, I ventured up to Asheville, North Carolina in search of antique stores in the area. Thank you to those on Facebook and Twitter that clued me in to The Antique Tobacco Barn.

The moment I walked in the door, I’m pretty sure I heard angels singing. ***Cue the choir***

I had one hour to power shop my way through 70,000 square feet of antique-lovers paradise to find accessories for our guest bathroom. Give a girl with shopping ADD an hour in a massive antique store and you come out of there with nothing…nada…not a single thing to accessorize the bathroom.

Since I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to make something of my own.

I love anything to do with vintage advertising so I did a Google image search for “printable vintage pharmacy labels” and found these cute and colorful vintage apothecary labels made by Cathe of Just Something I Made. There are 14 different style of labels to choose from.

I had a sheet of the labels printed out at Kinko’s on matte photo paper for $0.75. Since it’s printed with laser ink, you won’t have to worry about the ink bleeding when using Mod Podge. The colors were a little off, but I think that had to do with their printers and not the labels.

I found the spice jars, 4 for $6.00, at Wal-Mart.

How to make decoupaged vintage apothecary jars:

Start by washing the jars and wiping them down with a little alcohol.

Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the back of the label. The tweezers help to keep the Mod Podge off your hands and on the label.

Lay the label on the jar and smooth out the wrinkles with the back of a spoon.

Then, put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the front of the label.

Any excess can be cleaned up with a damp Q-Tip. Once the glue dries, you can scrape off the excess with your fingernail.

As much as I try not to say easy peasy, this project does get filed into the easy peasy category.

And since it costs less than a few dollars per jar, it also gets filed into the pretty-darn-cheap category.

So, I hope this project inspires you to make some easy-peasy-and-pretty-darn-cheap apothecary jars yourself. Please let me know if you do!

Got Mod Podge? Here are some more projects.

I’m linking this project up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

Home Stories A to Z

Savvy Southern Style

Tidy Mom

Blissfully Ever After

Tater Tots & Jello

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post DIY Decoupaged Vintage Apothecary Jars appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

What does it mean to be in the Bloglight?

Once a week, the Hometalk spokesperson, Miriam, picks a blogger from the Hometalk community to be featured and I’m feeling pretty honored that this week she chose me!

If you enjoy home decorating, home improvement, and gardening as much as I do, then you’ll love Hometalk. It’s an online community of bloggers and non-bloggers alike that share ideas and submit questions about everything related to home.

If you’re new here, welcome! If you’re a regular, then today’s the day you’ll learn a little about my blogging journey so far.

How did you first get into blogging?

If you would have told me a year and a half ago that I would have my own blog, I would have asked if you were joking. The thought crossed my mind several times over the past 5 years but I didn’t know where to start or how to find the time.

I’m a respiratory therapist by trade, which I love, but I also have a very right-brained/creative side that my full-time job doesn’t let me use very often. The best way I’ve found to express my creativity has been through DIY projects and decorating. I also enjoy helping and teaching people.

I knew that starting a blog would be the perfect way to share my passion for DIY and hopefully help others who are looking for inspiration or have questions about home improvement. I’m not an expert, but I consider myself a “research girl”.  If I don’t know an answer, I’ll Google it for you in a heartbeat.

Six months before I started Simplicity in the South, I began researching how to start a blog, taking notes about what I loved most about the blogs I followed and made a Pinterest board on blogging tips and time management. I’m still working on the time management.

One day (8-12-12 to be exact), I told myself, heck, I’ll take my chances, give blogging an honest try and it has been a bumpy but rewarding journey so far.

How did you decide on the name of your blog?

Deciding on a name began as a process of elimination. All the names I had originally picked out were taken. But after settling with Simplicity in the South, it hit me a couple days later that it actually had a more personal connection than I realized.

I’ve lived in several states and have always come back to my roots in South Carolina. The “simplicity” part reminded me of a book I’ve kept on my coffee table that gives tips on how to simplify your life and home called The Simplicity Reader by Elaine St. James. The main focus of my blog is finding ways to take your existing home and making it work for you and your family so you will learn to love where you live. That, in itself, simplifies life. But it also applies to how I view life in general…keep. it. simple.

Is blogging something you do on the side, or is it a full-time job for you?

I wish it was my full-time job! It’s definitely my side gig, but my full-time job and family have to take priority. I usually post once a week unless I have something to share that doesn’t require doing a tutorial, photo taking, and editing. If you don’t hear from me once in a while, it’s probably because I’m knee-deep in a DIY project, like the board and batten hallway project I just finished up this March.

What was the first project you ever posted?

My first post was How to Make a Faux Easy Mercury Glass Pendant Light. Even though I knew no one other than my mother would see my post, I think I felt heart palpations when I hit “publish”. I still have no idea why I was so nervous.

How has keeping a blog changed you?

I’ve never been more motivated to get stuff done than now. I feel a greater sense of accountability to finish a project instead of letting it linger on for months at a time. Having a blog also helps me think outside of the box. Before, I could just take a project idea from Pinterest or Hometalk and copy it exactly. Now, when I find inspiration I have to put my own spin on it like when I made my Christmas tree ornament wreath.

What is your most popular project on Hometalk to-date?

Despite having blurry pictures, poor lighting and photo editing that made the room look worse, I’m surprised by how well my laundry room reveal continues to do on Hometalk. It’s had over 32,000 pageviews and 6,000 shares! I published that post three weeks into blogging and Hometalk really helped kick off my first couple of months.

I recently went back and took new photos because one of the photos will be published in the Storage Solutions magazine this year!!! Crazy…I know.

What advice could you give to other bloggers that you wish you had known before you started blogging?

No doubt, I wish I’d known how time consuming it is. Sometimes I wish I could just upload some pictures and say, “Tah-Dah! Just shoot me an email if you’ve got a question!”  There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes.

If it weren’t for God, my husband and coffee, I would have thrown in the towel the first six months.

It’s also been very rewarding. The connections you make with your readers are absolutely the best part. Opening an sweet email or reading a kind comment is like opening a Christmas present.

I feel blessed with all the friendships and support I’ve had from the blogging community along the way. I actually get to meet some of my fellow bloggers this August at the Haven Conference. So exciting! I imagine there will be quite a few hugs and squeals. If you see a girl with a perma-smile on her face, that’ll be me.

My best advice for anyone who’s thinking about starting a blog is to read blogger stories from those who’ve been doing it awhile, such as Beckie’s from Infarrantly Creative, Donna’s from Funky Junk Interiors, and Roeshel’s from DIY Showoff. These ladies are so inspiring, not only with the awesome projects they come up with, but also with how far they’ve come since they started blogging.

Thanks, Miriam, for asking me to share my blogging experience with my readers and fellow Hometalkers!

You can find me on Hometalk here.

And to read the only other time I’ve really done a post just about my personal life, click here.

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post Aw, Shucks. I’m in the Bloglight Today! appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

What do you think of when you visualize your dream kitchen?

I dream of a kitchen with vintage-classic details that withstand the test of time and trends.

A kitchen remodel can be the most expensive home improvement project you can make, but it can also provide the best return on investment when you go to sell your home.

Our budget only allows us to get it right once every ten years. So, when time and money allows us to remodel, I want to find ways to make it timeless and durable enough to hold up to the rigors of cooking for four hungry boys.

Here are some ways you can add timeless, vintage-classic appeal to a kitchen and still stay on budget.

Please visit the original source to pin any of the pictures below. 

Source

1. Choose a classic white subway tile and a grey grout.

As much as I love the idea of using a marble subway tile, using a white subway tile instead can save you at least $7.00 a square foot. When you have a lot of square footage to cover as in this counter to ceiling backsplash, the savings can really add up. White grout can become dingy over time, so choosing a grey grout is a wise and beautiful choice.

Source

2. Paint can be your kitchen’s best friend.

Instead of replacing her cabinetry, Melissa from The Inspired Room painted her cabinets a two-toned effect and dramatically changed the feel of her remodeled kitchen. I have gone back to this kitchen time and time again for inspiration. Nothing gives a room more bang for the buck than a gallon of paint.

Source

3. Consider cheaper alternatives when choosing countertop materials.

There is a good reason so many commercial kitchens choose stainless steel countertops. They can withstand heavy use and can be custom made for a fraction of the cost of natural stone. Combining the beauty and durability of stainless steel with the vintage charm of a farmhouse sink keeps the kitchen from feeling too cold and industrial. Check out how Linn and her husband from The Home Project installed their stainless steel countertops for about $20/ square foot.

Source

4. Pick one splurge item that your kitchen (and you) can’t live without.

It’s easy to rationalize going over budget by telling yourself , “If I’m going do choice A, then I might well go with choice B”.

When planning your dream kitchen on a reality budget, remember…

The one thing that our new-to-us kitchen must have is quartz countertops that resemble the look of marble like the ones that Greg and Ashley from 7th House on the Left chose for their beautiful and stylish kitchen. I’m willing to let go of the non-essential bells and whistles just so I can walk in my kitchen every morning and see my sparkling white countertops.

Source

5. Add personality to ordinary lighting.

I adore how Mary from At Home on the Bay took a schoolhouse light from a local home improvement store and turned it into a knock-off Barn Light Electric pendant for a fraction of the cost. You could easily make three lights for the price of one to go over a kitchen island.

Source

6. Add a bit of bead board.

Nothing says classic-cottage style like bead board. Incorporate into your kitchen as a backsplash, in the back of open cabinets or even above the cabinets if you have soffits.

Source

7. Forget the trends and stick with stainless steel appliances.

To create a beautiful, functional kitchen, begin by choosing beautiful appliances that complement one another. Electrolux offers matching suites of refrigerators, induction cooktops and dishwashers that are sleek, stylish, and designed to help you achieve professional results.

Source

8. Add some architectural interest.

Something as simple as adding vintage corbels to a kitchen island adds a hint of nostalgia to this kitchen from The Lettered Cottage. Architectural salvage stores, Habitat for Humanity and Ebay are good places to start if you’re searching for that perfect salvaged find for your own kitchen.

Do you love looking at beautiful kitchens as much as I do? Then I’d love for you follow my Dream Kitchens board on Pinterest.

So what is the one thing that your dream kitchen couldn’t live without?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

I’m linking this up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

Tidy Mom

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post 8 Ideas for Creating a Timeless Dream Kitchen on a Budget appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

Have you ever had a question about home repair or been stuck with a decorating dilemma? Are you clueless when it comes to gardening like me? Have you ever wanted to share pictures of your projects even if you don’t have a blog?

A year ago, I was introduced to Hometalk through a blog post and it’s been such an awesome place to gather inspiration from other bloggers and non-bloggers alike. If you see a project that you love, just save it to your clipboard.

It’s also the place to go when you just want to ask a home repair question like, “So what’s the best way to remove the stuffed animal that’s clogging up my toilet?”

Yes, it could and it has happened.

As much as I detest doing the laundry, I fall head over heels for a lovely laundry room especially when it has some great organization ideas to boot.

Just for you, I’ve rounded up 20 of my favorite laundry rooms from Hometalk that might just make laundry day feel less like a chore.

Just click on the picture below and prepare yourself to be inspired by some organized and lovely laundry rooms. 

While you’re there, you can check out the new photos I added of my laundry room. Just look for this picture or click on this link to see all the details.

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post 20 Inspiring Laundry Rooms appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

With summer right around the corner, I’m enjoying the cooler temperatures as long as I can. Spring has always been my favorite season. If it weren’t for the pollen, it would be near perfect.

I love hearing the background noise of the tree frogs and bull frogs singing their little song at night. It’s my reminder that spring has arrived.

They seem to be drawn to our rock water feature that my husband made last year.

A few of his landscaping jobs are in the mountains of North Carolina. After driving past a mulch yard that had about a half-dozen boulders with holes drilled in the center, he decided to bring one home…for me.

This water feature was part of my Mother’s Day present last year.

He’s a keeper.

I was so surprised that my sweet husband wasn’t actually tuning me out when I showed him all the pictures of bubbling rock water features on Pinterest. 

I didn’t get to watch him make it but if you have any questions, I’ll ask him and answer them in the comments section.

Update: The “how to” is now in the comments section.

I do know that there is a pump that sits in the pond that circulates the water. With our warmer temperatures in South Carolina, it ran all winter without any problems.

You can also see in the background the Japanese Maple that I mentioned in our master bedroom reveal. This is our view from our window.

I’m not the only one who’s enjoying it. It’s become our German Shepard’s little watering hole.

Meet Josie. She’s the only other girl of the household so she deserves her own little spot to cool off.

Before the creeping phlox’s blossoms died off, I grabbed a picture of the ones we have in the front yard. They’re my absolute favorite ground cover. I just wish the flowers would stay around a little longer.

We planted this Japanese Maple when Mason, our seven-year-old, was born. Brad has rescued about a hundred Japanese Maples that grow wild in the mountains of North Carolina. Maybe one day he’ll start a tree farm. Right now, we give them away as house-warming gifts.

So, that’s a mini-tour of our yard while everything is still green.  I plan on making shutters for the house before it gets too warm. Oh no, did I just put that in writing? The boys have one more month of school left, so I need to hustle!

What is your favorite season of the year?

I’m sharing this with some of my favorite blogs such as:

Southern Savvy Style

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post A Bubbling Rock Water Feature and a Mini Yard Tour appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

This past week, my husband tilled and planted our garden. It’s gotten plenty of water over the past few days with all the rain we’ve had!

If this year’s garden is anything close to how plentiful last year’s garden was, we’ll have enough to feed an army…or at least our small brigade.

Going through my box of family recipes, I found my grandmother’s recipe for Italian Summer Salad. This will be perfect for when the peppers are harvested.

My grandmother found this recipe about 20 years ago in our local newspaper and it was originally named Robert Wagner’s Marinated Veggies.

With it’s blend of fresh and marinated vegetables with oregano, basil and mozzarella cheese, Italian Summer Salad seems more fitting.

Linking up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

Artsy Chicks Rule

Crafty Scrappy Happy

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post Italian Summer Salad appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

My project this week is getting our hall bathroom back in order. I’ve been painting, redecorating, and my least favorite part, cleaning. If I can find a way to make cleaning easier, I will use it to its full extent.

There’s a trick I learned from my grandfather when he would clean his tools and I’ve been using this same trick for cleaning the rust off our chrome light fixtures and shower rods. I’ll also tell you what he used to keep the rust from coming back.

Two simple things: Barkeeper’s Friend to remove the rust and Minwax Finishing Wax Paste to protect the metal after you clean it.

(By the way, this is not a sponsored post. This is just my way of passing on something useful.)

All you need to do is make a thick paste with Barkeeper’s Friend and water. Clean as much of the rust off that you can with the paste and a soft rag.

If there’s some rust left over that just won’t budge, then use a green scour-pad. Just don’t scrub too hard or you’ll scratch the surface. Sometimes, such as with the light fixture, I’ll use a soft-bristled toothbrush.

After that, clean the rest of the Barkeeper’s Friend off with a dry rag.

Then you can wipe on a thin coat of the Minwax Paste with a dry paper towel. Let it dry for about five minutes, then buff off the wax with another clean paper towel.

These same two products also work on the faucets and shower head to clean off the soap scum and repel water.

With just a little bit of elbow grease, you now have a bathroom that sparkles again! And because the metal is protected with the wax, you don’t have to clean it as often.

So, in my case, that leaves me more time for more relaxing things…such as painting and redecorating.

Are there any cleaning tricks/tips that your parents or grandparents taught you that you still use today?

Linking up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

Home Stories A to Z

Tidy Mom

Classy Clutter

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post Secrets for Cleaning the Rust Off Bathroom Fixtures & Keeping Them Looking New appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

The phrase, “it’s all in the details”, comes to mind when I think of what sets a basic-builder’s home apart from homes built back in the early to mid 1900′s.

Details are like jewelry for a home.

Over the past five years, I’ve been slowly getting rid of anything that screams 1980′s and adding little touches to give our home vintage-classic charm.

Click here to see the rest of the board and batten hallway

I’ve been wanting to change out our hallway vent cover, but didn’t want to spend $500.00 for a custom cover like ones I’ve seen on the internet. With a few tools and some supplies from the local home improvement store, you can make a decorative air vent cover for about $40.00.

To see where I was inspired for this project, head on over to my original hallway design board by clicking this link.

The supplies:

1. 4″ wide boards. I used the same primed finger joint boards that I used for our gallery shelves.

2. Wood glue

3. Decorative metal radiator screen found at Lowes. Here’s the item number to help you find what you need. There were three different types of screens, but I the quatrefoil pattern was my favorite.

4. A Kreg Jig and a face clamp. I bought mine through Amazon.com. The kit comes with an instructional DVD to help you get started. It also includes a screw starter kit.

5. Staple gun

6. Power Drill

7. Miter Saw

If you’re unfamiliar with the Kreg Jig, here’s the link to a video from the super cute and talented, Ana White. If you put “Kreg Jig” in the search box on her website, you’ll come up with all sorts of projects that you can make with it.

The How-To:

Since our heating and cooling system has the filter built-in to the air handler, the frame I made only needed to encase the opening and hold the metal screen. I’ll show you in just a second how to make it hold a filter.

To make it easy to remove the frame, I countersunk the screw holes where it’s secured it to the studs and covered the holes with wooden buttons (also called screw hole plugs). If you need a frame that opens, you will need to secure it to the studs with hinges. Your best bet would be a piano hinge at the top of the frame so it lifts from the bottom.

This was my first time using the Kreg Jig. I accidentally put my first set of holes too close to the inside corners. So, just over-look those. You’ll want to keep your holes closer to the center.

After you cut the boards to length, make pocket holes with the Kreg Jig. Secure the corners using wood glue and the screws that come with the kit. The face clamp is essential to keeping your corners squared and level when joining your boards.

Cut the metal screen the size of the opening plus two inches. I used my kitchen shears to cut the metal. The raw edges are sharp, so cover them with duct tape. Secure the screen with staples.

I had a reader email me and ask me how I could make the frame hold a filter, so after searching the home improvement store for something that works, this is what I came up with.

The filter holders are made from 1″ corner brackets spaced about 6″ apart and attached to a 3/4″ square dowel rod.

The square dowels are nailed down to the top and bottom of the frame so the filter can be slipped inside.

Thanks for all the sweet comments on the hallway! You guys keep me motivated to move on to the next project…plus the fact that my house looks like a construction zone. I’ve been working on the boy’s bathroom this week and can’t wait to show you how it’s all coming together! I’m also fitting in a few projects for our covered porch since it’s been so pretty outside.

If you want to check out all the projects that have gone into our hallway, just click on these links:

Hallway Design Board

Board & Batten Hallway Reveal

Gallery Shelves Tutorial

Monogrammed & Decoupaged Art That Hides the Doorbell

I’m linking this up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

The DIY Showoff
Uncommon Designs
By Stephanie Lynn
Savvy Southern Style
A Stroll Thru Life
Liz Marie Blog
A Blossoming Life

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post How to Make a Decorative Air Return Vent Cover appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

I’ll be back later this week to show you how I made the HVAC air return cover from the hallway reveal.  First, I’d like to share with you another project I did for our hallway last month.

One of my favorite tricks when decorating our small home is using things that have two purposes.  Usually before I buy something for our home is has to pass the “is it beautiful AND functional?” test.  If the answer is yes, then I will consider buying it. But only if it passes the 2nd test, “can I buy it cheaper than I can make it?”

Take for instance, the monogrammed art that I have hanging in our hallway.  It just happens to disguise our 30+ year old doorbell.

Maybe your door bell isn’t as ugly as ours. I don’t recall meeting a beautiful doorbell, but I’m sure there’s one out there…somewhere.

When I  redecorated our hallway last month,  I was on the look-out for artwork to fill the empty space along one wall but also wanted to find a way to conceal the doorbell that was sticking out like a sore thumb.

Making my own piece of personalized art with some scrap wood seemed like the perfect solution. I love typography, decoupaging, and simple woodworking projects. This monogrammed and decoupaged art combines all three.

There are two main parts to making your monogrammed artwork;  first, building the frame and then decoupaging the frame with fabric.

These are the supplies you will need for building the frame:

1. Tempered Hardboard or Lauan Plywood cut down to 22″ x 16.5″

2. I used 1/2″ strips of MDF left over from our hallway board and batten project. The measurements are shown in the picture below. If you use 1 x 3″ boards instead, your lengths will be different due to the thickness of the wood. Home improvement stores will usually do three cuts of wood for free and then charge a small amount for anything over that.

3. Wood glue and wood filler

4. Hammer, 5/8″ brad nails, 1″ brad nails, and a nail punch

5. Primer is optional. If you are using a lighter colored fabric, I recommend priming the frame so the wood does not show through.

Directions:

Put a thin strip of wood glue along the top edge of the strips of wood.

Lay the tempered hardboard on top and nail it down with 5/8″ brad nails. Nail the corners with 1″ brad nails. Countersink the nails and fill the holes with wood filler. After the wood filler is dry, give the frame a light sanding. Prime the frame if you are using a light-colored fabric.

To decoupage the fabric to the frame, you will need:

1. Fabric that is cut large enough to wrap around the sides of the frame plus 2 inches on all sides. I found my fabric at Hobby Lobby. You will need to iron out any wrinkles.

2. Mod Podge

3. Staple gun

Put a coat of Mod Podge on the front of the frame and smooth the fabric down.

Flip the frame over and coat the top edge and sides of the frame. Smooth the fabric down, making sure it is taut. Then, staple along the inside edge.

For the corners, add some Mod Podge before you fold and staple your corners like you’re wrapping a gift.

Finish it off by coating the fabric with a thin layer of Mod Podge.

After the frame dries overnight, you can hang the letter with a couple of screws. The letter that I purchased from Hobby Lobby has keyhole hangers on the back. They only letter “O” in stock was gold, so I brushed on a mix of brown and black craft paint and then sanded it down to let a little of the gold peek through.

Not only do I now have a piece of personalized artwork to fill that empty space, but I can also sit it on top of the doorbell to hide it.

You may also want to check out the ones I made to go over our boys’  beds from their room reveal.

I’m linking this up to some of my favorite blogs such as:

Tidy Mom

Tater Tots and Jello

Savvy Southern Style

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post Double-Duty DIY: Hide the Doorbell with Monogrammed Art appeared first on Simplicity in the South.

Displaying family photos brings such warmth and personality to a home. I love the idea of having a gallery wall, but I also like to change and rearrange things quite often. Just ask my husband.

Gallery shelves let you change out photographs or artwork without having all those nail holes in the wall. They are perfect for filling a large blank space, such as over a couch. Theses ledges would also look gorgeous in a dining room or kitchen displaying a row of plates.

Today, I’ll show you how to build gallery wall shelves like the ones we have in our hallway. If you’re just starting out with doing carpentry projects, this is perfect because you only have to make straight cuts. If you don’t have a miter saw, you can buy a miter box, such as this one:

Miter box from Amazon.com

A nail gun is not an absolute necessity for doing this project, but it’ll make all of your future DIY projects a whole-heck-of-a-lot easier. Trust me! It’s one of those things that you never realize what you’ve been missing till you buy it. After reading countless reviews, I ended up going with the Hitachi NT50AE2.

Here’s a sketch of how the shelves were put together. The top and bottom shelves were made identically.

The Materials You’ll Need:

(I found everything I needed at Lowe’s Home Improvement.)

1. 4″ wide 1/2″ thick MDF strips. I used 1/2″ MDF since I already had it left over from the board and batten hallway project. Since our shelves span between the door jambs in our hallway, I didn’t want the bottom board to jut out beyond the depth of the jambs. You can use 1 x 4″ boards instead if the depth is not an issue.

2. 1 x 4″ primed finger joint pine board for the ledges that the pictures sit on. I think it is well worth paying extra for something that is already sanded and primed because all the boring prep work is already done for you.

3. 1 1/8″ lattice strips for the front of the ledge.

4. Crown moulding that runs under the top ledge. The moulding that I used is called Coronado crown and the bar code number is #7-16781-01290-2. This also pre-primed and comes in 8′ lengths for $15.00. I fell in love with this crown moulding years ago and was so happy that I found a way to use it in our home.

Total cost of building materials: $56.00 for (2) seven-foot long shelves

Tools: level, stud finder, nail gun, and miter saw. If you’re not using a nail gun, you will need to countersink the nails with a nail punch.

Other: Heavy duty construction adhesive, wood filler, sandpaper and caulk.

The How-To:

Once you have the bottom board nailed into the studs, attach the crown moulding with construction adhesive and nails. Next, run a thin bead of construction adhesive along the top of the crown moulding.

Nail in the top ledge into the bottom board.

After that, nail the lattice strip to the front of the ledge.

After that, all that’s left is filling the nail holes, sanding, caulking and paint.

It took one can of spray primer and white spray paint to change all of the picture frames from black to white.

I love that our new gallery shelves are not only functional, but they also give our hallway architectural interest with the crown moulding.

Click here to see more details about the board and batten hallway reveal

If you’re looking for a little gallery wall inspiration, you can follow my Photography and Gallery Walls board on Pinterest.

Make sure you check out all the projects that have gone into our hallway. Just click on these links:

Hallway Design Board

Board & Batten Hallway Reveal

Monogrammed & Decoupaged Art That Hides the Doorbell

How to Make a Decorative Vent Cover

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Linking up to some of my favorite blogs such as:
Home Stories A to Z
Tater Tots & Jello
Uncommon Designs
Under the Table and Dreaming
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Cedar Hill Ranch
The DIY Showoff
Thrifty Decor Chick
Southern Savvy Style

**Disclosure-this post contains Amazon affiliate links.**

Never miss a new post! Just enter your email address in the box below.

Or pick your favorite way to follow!

Pinterest, Facebook, RSS, Bloglovin', Google +, Instagram

The post DIY Gallery Wall Shelves That Even a Beginner Carpenter Could Make appeared first on Simplicity in the South.