The shelf above KariAnne's tub immediately caught my eye.
For ages, the empty wall space above our tub was a puzzle; previously, it held a picture of shells.
It felt quite disheartening.
Our goal was always to install a shelf there, starting with a large window that I pictured looking wonderful above it.
I envisioned a shelf that was both attractive and practical; baskets, similar to Karianne's, seemed like a brilliant storage solution for towels and toilet paper.
However, when we measured for a deep shelf, we realized it couldn't be that deep to avoid hitting our heads while entering the tub with a TP basket!
Consequently, we chose a less deep design, more like a small faux mantle.
I used homemade white chalk paint on a 5-inch wide board (spanning the whole wall length), then washed it with grays, blues, and tans to achieve a driftwood appearance, adding a trim piece to the front to create a ledge.
Because our entire house shutters when the front door closes, I needed to ensure nothing would fall off the shelf when someone exited.
Employing a technique from another blog, I secured it using those elegant little corner brackets.
Next, I hung two additional decorative shelves underneath, which I also painted with the driftwood finish.
(Notice the shelf bracket visible on the left; the shelf fits snugly against the wall, so two brackets sufficed, though more might be needed for heavy items.)
Here is the finished result:
I've gathered many ideas for charming shelf accessories, but presently, I'm using items I already owned.
Another task for our bathroom refresh is complete! Hooray!
If you missed them, here are the links to our earlier bathroom renovation posts:
Method for Painting Barker Board
The Chosen New Paint Hue
The Unforeseen Challenges of Renovating
The Updated Vanity
Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe and a Painted Old Window
Guidelines for Securing Heavy Items to a Wall
Linked From: The Creative Collection at Classy Clutter
