I’m a huge fan of shelving units. Whether they are built-in bookshelves or free-standing units, shelves provide vertical interest without adding the visual weight of furniture. If your room is small or has a difficult configuration, finding ways to add vertical elements can be a challenge. Sometimes there isn’t room for a large armoire or chest — or placing such a piece can offset the room’s balance. My master bedroom presented such a challenge. I love my crotch burl mahogany bed, armoire, and dresser, but the three pieces are very substantial and weighty — literally and visually. Due to the configuration of my bedroom, I could not find a way to balance the wall across from the armoire. The doorway to my bath was set in the center of the wall, and putting furniture on either side of the doorway either crowded my bed or blocked the room entrance path. No matter how I arranged the room, the balance was off.

Solution? A tall, open shelving unit that brings vertical presence without adding weight to the room.

Because it would be placed near the entrance to my room, I didn’t want the shelving to be too deep and block the entrance path, but I did want it deep enough to be functional. It also had to fit on a wall between the bathroom doorway and the master bedroom door when pulled open, which was a width too small for many ready-made shelves. I had an idea of the design I wanted when I first saw this display shelf at a boutique in Birmingham. Unfortunately, it was a bit too tall and too wide for my space.

Considering all the dimensional requirements my shelf had to meet, we soon realized we had to DIY it. We came up with the design you see here. After I gave him the dimensions, my husband drew up the plans, purchased the metal rods from a local hardware store, and made the cuts. My sweet nephew welded it for us. We painted the assembled shelf gold and then applied gold leaf – which took longer than you may think. Have you ever gold leafed? It is a slow, messy process, but I must say the results are fabulous!

My shelf after second goldleaf application, prior to final brushing and sealing.

You can see in this photo the tight space available for the shelf. Fortunately it worked beautifully.  We used Martha Stewart goldleaf, adhesive, and sealer on the shelf.

I’m so happy with the way the shelf turned out. It’s filled with travel mementos, favorite pictures of the hubs and myself, and some of my beloved Dana Gibson collection. It’s one of the first things I see when I wake up each morning, and it always makes me smile. I like how it’s sort of my little secret collection that no one knows about but us. The most amazing thing, though, is how the room was changed. Creating balance immediately lent a tranquil feel to the room. In fact, I would say it’s the most peaceful room in my house, and I have been known to slip away and just sit with my iPad and soak it in.