Before & After- A New Shelf

 

I bought this little shelf a few years back at a friend's garage sale. I'm not quite sure how much I paid for it, but I don't think it was much. I saw great potential for it to be hung next to my front door and function as a key holder, storage bin, and picture frame shelf.....and that's exactly what it is.

 

BEFORE:

 

 

AFTER:

 I sanded it, spray painted it Ivory, and painted the baskets with brown craft paint. I first tried staining the baskets, but that was a complete failure. Note to self: straw baskets don't stain. If they do, please share how. Instead, I mixed brown craft paint with water and just used a paint brush. I didn't want a solid brown look. I wanted more of a stained look and it ended up working just fine.

I was pleased with how it turned out. I know the shelf blends in with the wall now, but when you're renting a house and you have white walls, you don't have much of a choice. I didn't want to paint the shelf a color now and have to change it in the future. I really just wanted it white....and there you have it!

 

Have I told you how good it feels to finally re-do all my stuff that has been sitting in my parent's garage for years? I've had these ideas in my head since the moment I bought them and it was killing me to just sit there and watch my junk pile up because I had no where to put it. It makes me so happy to finally use it!