There’s something about a set of narrow wall shelves (or ledges) spanning a wall with photo frames or trinkets adorning them
Of course Pottery Barn would have such a cool decor item…but would you really want to pay their price for it?
Thankfully you don’t need to thanks to this easy-as-pie idea from a creative DIY designer/blogger named Annisa. Read on to see how she does it!
Display Ledge Project Background
Wood stain, scrap wood from the garage, and a handy husband were all the ingredients Annisa from A Pretty Happy Home needed to make an even better shelf than Pottery Barn’s Holman Ledge.
Annisa used her 5-ft long shelves for a special purpose – to display clothing sketches her mom made when she went to fashion design school in 1970.
I love the sentimentality behind this wall décor!
What’s also to love is the simplicity to carry out this project: Just measure, cut, sand, stain and hang!
Project Tips
There really isn’t a whole lot with this one as you could probably guess (sometimes simple just works out!)
Annisa’s was what we could call a “rough” approach to a DIY wood shelf as she just used scrap wood and didn’t worry too much about perfect edges. And that’s fine because it creates that sweet, almost ‘hand-made’ type feel.
If you want, you can upgrade your wood from ply-wood and go with a solid hardwood. Use a sharp saw and perfect measurements, and you’ll naturally get a cleaner look.
To emulate Pottery Barn’s version more closely, as a second step, you could sand down all the edges and create a slightly rounded effect.
Hey, that might even be safer depending on how low or how near your ledge corners hang by high traffic areas in your house. No one wants to accidentally bump their head on a sharp shelf corner that YOU made.
That said, I think these look great above and behind couches, console tables, or even as extensions above fireplace mantels.
Pottery Barn shows theirs above a wine bar, and of course it looks amazing!
Annisa was inspired by the Holman Ledge from Pottery Barn.
Where to See It
Check it all out at A Pretty Happy Home. Annisa even shares a sentimental story that goes beyond the actual shelf/ledge inspiration.
Maybe you too can find an inspiring reason to build this type of ledge and then display something meaningful and personal to you!