Friday, April 26, 2013

DIY Picture Ledge...on the cheap


Tis the end of April, and you know what that means?  FRANTIC SEARCHING FOR A NEW APARTMENT.  My current lease is up at the end of May, and even though I love my current place, it’s time for a change.  So that being said, I should probably post some of the things I have done around the place to make it look snazzy. 



I live in a loft, which means a whole lotta ceiling space (and echo potential, so don't make any noises you don't intend for anyone else to hear...including bodily functions...dad...).  What to do with all that excess wall?  Build a picture ledge of course.  I can’t take credit for this project, as I basically copied it from Ana White’s tutorial found here.   Basically, the shelf is made out of 8 foot long 1x2’s and 1x4’s. I bought the pre-primed boards, which cost an extra $5 but saved me in paint for a grand total of $18.  Cheap and easy just the way I like it (Sure beats Pottery Barn’s picture ledge, which looks the same and costs $110).


After assembling and mantling the picture ledge, fill it with artwork and other treasures.  I purchased all of my frames at IKEA or second hand.  Frugal Tip: Take the maps provided for free from the CTA and frame them.  I also purchased fun wrapping paper squares from Dick Blick and framed those too!  The paper only costs $3-5 and fits perfectly in a $5 IKEA frame.

Now you have no excuse for your bare ugly walls, so get to it.

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