Book Shelf to Shoe Shelf!!!!!

Girls love shoes and I have always wanted to make a shoe shelf after coming across one online many many years ago. 

JT and I  checked out garage and moving sales 3 weeks ago. He actually went online during the week to look for areas with the most moving sales and looked for descriptions of items matching what we wanted. We even went to the thrift stores in our area to look for something. 

We ended up getting this brown 5 shelf book case from a moving sale for $30 (WINNING !!!!!). The shelf barely fit in the car, JT had to drive with his face practically on the windshield.

 

Bargain book shelf

We took measurements and decided to add 4 extra shelves to the design to hold more shoes (flats and high-heels). JT suggested we add lights to the display and we planned on getting glass shelves to allow the light flow through better. That plan was nixed due to costs of buying and cutting the glass. Knowing us though, we will probably end up doing something with glass or acrylic someday.

The items used for this project are:

• 5 shelf book case (approx. 3 ft. wide by 6 ft. tall)
• 4 –11 inch by 34.375 inches pieces of wood
• 4 – 1 inch by 34.375 inches pieces of wood trim
• 2 cans – Spray Primer
• 1 quart – Yellow paint and primer
• 2 – Paint rollers
• Patterned gift wrap for back of shelf 
• Tacky spray to apply gift wrap to back
• Paint brush for corners and finishing
• Extra shelf holders               
• Tarp to protect the floors
• Wood glue to attach trim
• 5 LED lights
• Tension rod and 2 window shears

Step 1: Take off the backing 

Back off!!!

Step 2: Attach the trim to the 4 shelves with wood glue and let dry overnight

4 shelves and trim

Trim we got compared to existing trim 

 Step 3: Prime the shelves and shelf. We weren’t going to prime at first and bought the paint and primer already mixed but decided after testing a small area to spray primer on the entire thing.

  

All primed and ready to go

Step 4: Paint all the shelves and book case with yellow paint and allow to dry overnight. We got the paint in semi-gloss because we didn’t want the shelf to be too shiny.

Yellow Paint is on

 Step 5: Apply patterned paper to back of shelf

Supplies for the back

Black & White Pattern

 Step 6: Install LED lights

LED light kit

Lights installed

They work

Step 7: Add back

Back on, Lights on

Step 8: Add shoes

Shoe Shelf :)

 

Wedding bouquet and Shoes

 The shoe shelf can hold another row of shoes but this 1st row is very special to me. It holds my wedding bouquet and wedding plus traditionalengagement shoes. 

Step 9: Add tension rod and window sheers. The sheers will give us the option to cover up the shoes but so far they are just an accessory

Yellow Shoe Shelf

 I am so excited and in love with this, I get to see the shoes I have at once so getting ready is much easier now.

JT did most of the work even though the shoe case is mine. No, he doesn't get to put his own shoes on here!!!  Maybe someday we'll make him a display.

Hello Yellow

Remember I talked about my obsession with spray paint and a new project I am working on in my previous post? Well, I decided to spray paint our bedside lamps yellow. I used the same brand of spray paint + primer and we love how they turned out.

Hers and His lamp (before)

 Of course, I have to have the fancier lamp (on the left)

Lamps spray painted in our "Garage workshop"

I also spray painted the little knobs that go on top of the lamps.

Yellow lamps....hmm something is still missing

I love how the blue frames compliment the yellow lamps

This is one of the easiest DIY projects I have done by myself, everything turned out beautifully as you can see.

White & Blue Frame Makeover

We bought the cutest color pencil print with the saying “Laughter is brightest where the food is best” at a craft show and I immediately knew it would look great in a white frame somewhere in our kitchen. We found a wood frame we both liked and planned to spray paint it white.

We used only 2 items; newspapers/tarp to protect the floor and the spray paint + primer in one. 

plain wood frame

spray paint applied

This is perfect for the kitchen

Since the white frame turned out so well, I decided to spray paint two more frames for our bedside tables. I used blue paint + primer.

"Natural" colored frames

Finished frames - His & Hers

Voila.....just like I imagined

I am so obsessed with spray painting, the bedside lamps may end up being my next victims because of a special project JT and I are working o (coming soon).