Picture ledges

Picture ledges are popping up everywhere. They can been seen holding children's books in a bedroom, family photos in a family room or even decorating items in a hallway. I first saw these ledges created by Ana White a few years ago, but was hesitant to tackle the project. Once my sister, Kimi, and her handy husband whipped these up (in a weekend), I gained the confidence to proceed with the project.

I ended up using poplar rather than pine, so it was more costly than the $10 that Ana suggests, but the results were the same. The best part of this project is that it can be customized for any location and home use. I decided to use 4 ft section of the 1 x 4's to fit within the length of the sofa they would be hanging above.

I have to admit that this was my second attempt at this project. I got antsy and didn't think through everything entirely before proceeding, hence the scrap wood sitting in our garage. But I don't want that to deter you from trying these yourself. The steps are super easy to follow and the basic construction can be completed in about an hour. That is the length of an average nap! The painting took longer, but I was still able to complete the project in a weekend. 

Please ignore the pillow pet shoved into the cushions!

I am thrilled with the results! I absolutely love having pictures in my home. I smile every time I walk into the room and see pictures of the ones we love. Prior to this, we had a small scale picture gallery above the couch. I often struggle with having the motivation to update the pictures in a large collage frame. I am hoping that this project will promote an ever-changing wall of the people that are important to me.

Thankfully, I was able to round up all of these frames from around our home. I wasn't sure if I would like the varying color of frames and mats, but I really like the texture. It makes it even more interesting!