Built in shelves (summer 2009)

Built-in shelves that fill a void in the family room

We moved into our house during the summer of 2009, right after our son was born. Throughout labor I had distracted myself by remembering what the rooms looked like and scheming about home improvements... this project was on the top of my list. The basement was the only real family room - and it was pretty depressing. There was a strange pressed wood platform along one wall, covering who knows what - I assumed wires or some duct work or something I would not want to expose. But it was warped and would not hold an off-the-shelf piece of furniture - a shelving unit would tip over, a sofa would not fit. Something had to be done or I was certain we would avoid this room altogether.

Ugly, warped particle board platform seemed to be a permanent fixture

A substantial portion of this fairly small space was hogged by this platform

My parents came to visit shortly after our move-in date. They are very handy and have carpentry experience from years in their own old home, so I asked if I could recruit them. We sketched out a few ideas then headed to the Home Depot. (Luckily my parents are as impatient as I am!)

We assumed we would  buy plywood and get it cut, but then we found planks of nicer wood that were about the right depth and would just about fit the length of the room, two across. We had a few of these boards cut into supports, picked up dowels and wood glue, and headed back home.

The shelves start to come together, as the three of us figure out how to work together

This was a real learning process for me - I had always wanted to build something but didn't know where to start. I was never sure how to actually fasten wood together securely - I could not believe that dowels and wood glue could be strong enough. (I was thinking bolts and screws, because metal seemed stronger...). I also hadn't realized how easy Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. can make this sort of project; what a relief that I did not need major power tools to cut the lumber.

First level of the shelves come together

My mother insisted that we have a toe kick, despite my instinct to try to make this flush. I hadn't realized the benefit of this slight overhang - it obscures the ugly platform underneath so it's almost unnoticeable.

The second level goes on, and trim is added along the edge of the wall. 

The wall was not completely flush with the shelves so we added strips of trim. I'm not sure the leaf pattern would have been everyone's choice but I had eyed it in the past and was glad for a chance to use it. The edges of the shelves probably could have used a full length of wood, but we were cutting corners (and avoiding another trip to the store, which eats so much time). Anyway, we figured that we could paint back there and that the shelves would be full more often than not.

Another angle of the finished product 

We left an opening for the cable and electric cords that stuck out of the wall, and cut a small notch out of the back corner of the shelf top so they could be threaded through to the TV eventually. This shelf was tall enough that my kids couldn't reach the TV - perfect. My mother insisted on another finishing touch, and again I should not have been dubious: the rounded trim along the edge of each shelf is attractive and makes the whole piece feel more friendly (my kids and I have certainly bumped into it and I appreciate the round rather than sharp edges).

We sanded the wood, then brushed on clear spar urethane. I had assumed this whole unit would be painted white, but my parents are morally opposed to painting wood and I had to trust them -- they had brought me this far. Anyway, in the back of my mind I assumed I'd be painting over the knotty pine paneling so two clashing woods would not abut (this never happened, as it turns out). As the urethane soaked into the wood, I was surprised how many little pointy fibers poked up. We sanded and applied another coat at least once more.

Finished product with toys and other odds and ends stowed away

My parents returned home now that the hard part was complete. Now for the last challenge: to find some way to keep the space looking organized. Each shelf was a large void that could have easily filled with the willy-nilly clutter that I was constantly battling. And I suspected that toys would be underfoot for quite a few years. I looked online for baskets with the dimensions I desired and suffered from sticker shock. Only now did it dawn on me that perhaps I could have planned better -- designing shelf openings that had standard-sized dimensions. 

I took a trip to the Container Store and again got discouraged. Finally I drove to IKEA and was ecstatic to find these collapsible fabric bins with lids. They were far less expensive than a woven basket, more attractive than a plastic bin, and just sturdy enough to hold cords, books, toys, etc. I also picked up two low, open baskets there that had the right dimensions -- good thing, as I've found I can toss toys into them from across the room.

Almost 2 years later and the chaos remains reasonably contained

This was truly the beginning of my obsession with home improvements. Never before had I had the guts to tackle a project of this size -- and I was so happy with the impact that was made with relatively little expense and time. Sure, we could have taken more time, measured more carefully, done a dozen things differently -- but we got results, the room is now so cozy, and I'm so proud of this. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Time to complete: 1 week

Estimated cost: $300