For a while now, I’ve been shopping for a minimal raw wood floating shelf, but to no success. Knowing that adding shelving to your walls will enhance your space, I always make it an effort to do so. I have always loved floating wood shelves in particular. So, I decided to take it into my own hands and design one that was not only pretty and the exact aesthetic I was going for, but inexpensive and easy to make.

This post is meant to provide the exact measurements and supplies that you will need. I also filmed a video of me making this exact shelf from start to finish so that you can easily visualize each step and refer back to it if you decide to make one for yourself.

All supplies besides the drill set (which was purchased at Ikea) where purchased at Home Depot, so this is an easy one-stop project. It is a very affordable project as well at under $15 for all supplies, and you could easily make multiple shelves for under $10 with leftover supplies.

Watch the video below for a quick tutorial on how to make this floating shelf!

SUPPLIES

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• 1 - 0.75” depth x 5.5” width x 24” length piece of maple wood board

• 60 sandpaper for wood (comes in pack of 5 sheets)

• 2 - #10x3” phillips wood screws (comes in pack of 2)

• 2 - EZ Ancor drywall anchor that hangs up to 75lbs (comes in pack of 4)

• #12-24 Everbilt machine screw nuts (comes in pack of 10)

• 3/4” diameter x 48” length wooden dowel (cut down to 2 - 7” pieces.

• Drill bit and phillips screwdriver

INSTRUCTIONS

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STEP 1

Cut dowels

Home Depot has a saw station that you can use to cut down your wooden dowels. Cut 2 - 7” pieces. With remaining wood, you could easily make 4 more pieces depending on if you are making multiple shelves. Of course, you’d need to adjust your amount of supplies if that is the case.

STEP 2

Sand dowels

Sand down the ends of the wooden dowels until smooth.

STEP 3

Drill dowels

Drill one side of each dowel 2” deep and at a circumference that allows for the head of the phillips screw to be completely inserted. I drilled my holes to a width of 1.25 cm since my screws had a lip that wide.

STEP 4

measure your wall

Measure the width of the wall you are planning to hang your shelf on. Since the piece of wood is 24” in length, you will need to leave an equal amount of space at each end in order to center it on the wall. This amount will depend on your individual space. Once you’ve identified how much space you need for each side, measure 3.25” from each edge of the piece of wood. This is where your wooden dowels will be placed and where you will place your holes in your wall. Use a leveler to make sure that everything is even before drilling your holes. I just downloaded a leveler in the app store and used my phone to do this.

STEP 5

Install drywall anchors and screws

With your drill bit, drill your holes into the wall and then screw the drywall anchors in place with a phillips screwdriver. Take your phillips screws and run a screw nut through each before you install them. Screw in until secured and tight (about 1”). Leave a 2” allowance to insert the wooden dowels into.

STEP 6

Insert wooden dowels and hang

Insert the wooden dowels into the screw and nut until secure. Hang shelf and then style with finishing touches. Make sure to keep shelf flush to wall so that all the weight is held up against the screws.

Wasn’t that an easy project! If you try this project, make sure to tag me @hellolovelyliving on Instagram so I can see!

I also have another hanging wood shelf project you may be interested in too. You can see that here!

What home decor projects have you been wanting to do lately?

One of my most popular posts on Instagram was a photo of my desk situation, so I thought it would be fun to dedicate an entire post to my little creative area. Keyword: Little. I claimed a cute, albeit small spot in my living room, which has been the perfect location for getting those creative juices flowing. I mean, all I need is a desk, really - and an area for my plants. All worked out well except for one thing. My walls needed some love. Major big deal.

I'll be sharing my updated space + a huge giveaway at the end, so read on for more!

Okay, so the walls directly above my desk were bare. Zero inspiration to be found on these beige walls. I know, sad story, right! That had to change, so when Minted got in touch with me again, I was like, "Yes. Yes. And Yes!". Okay, maybe not that many yeses, but in my mind there were. I needed some pretty prints on my walls, and they are my go-to when it comes to exactly that, so it was perfect!

If you're not familiar with Minted, it's an online marketplace for independent artists from all over the world. There you can find art, stationary, decor, gifts, + more for all of those special moments and events in your life. If you truly want unique art products that you can't find anywhere else and love to support independent artists, Minted is the place to shop (speaking from experience)!

So, if you follow me on Instagram, you might know that I made a trip to Maryland in November and visited the Rawlings Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Baltimore. Let's just say that I took a million and one photos there. Obviously. This is me we're talking about here. Haha. This was the perfect opportunity to print some of them. 

Seen above are a few of the many photos that I fell in love with from my shoot. Aren't they just gorgeous! Surprisingly, I was able to quickly decide on two photos that I wanted to make into custom prints. I also decided on my heart + hustle digital print, which is available for instant download in my shop.

Here it is - my minimal office space with my Minted custom art prints on display! Do you like it?? The Ruffled Feather print on the left is a Minted print that I already had, followed by my new custom photo print in the middle, and my heart + hustle digital print on the right. The awesome thing about Minted is that you get to choose what type of frames you want, and they have so many pretty options. 

No to mention, you can also choose from different sizes, so you really can get creative with how you want your prints to look. I chose to go with a white frame for my photo print and a speciality brass finish for my heart + hustle print. I love the look of things not looking too matchy-matchy because it adds a lot more interest.

I decided to add my other new custom photo print to my existing gallery wall in my living room to freshen it up. I chose to go with a wood frame, and I'm so obsessed over it. I also removed some older prints and instead added some small playful details that I am absolutely loving. The Joy is Sexy print is also another one of my digital prints that is available in my shop, and the brass frame is from Target. The Let's Get Lost print is from Minted as well, and the mirror is from Ikea, which I just spray painted a brass color.

If you're interested in creating custom photo art prints on Minted's website, here's exactly what to do: Search "custom prints" in the search bar, which brings you to the exact page that displays all of the available design options. Under the filter options, go to "Type", and make sure to check the "Custom Photo" box. There you will see all of the available options for custom photos. I went with a blank template where I could print my own design/photo.

Once shipped, everything is professionally packed and secured so that your prints are safe and free from the possibility of getting damaged. I am always so excited to open my prints because they always turn out so beautiful!

I'm so in love with my custom prints, and to share the love, I wanted to partner with Minted for a Valentine's Day Giveaway for all of you to have a chance to win something amazing! One winner will receive $250 in Minted credit! To enter, simply click the button below and enter your information.

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minted x hello lovely living

Giveaway

 Open to US residents. Giveaway runs from 2/1/17 - 2/8/17 11:59 pm PT.

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Here are a few last minute Minted Valentine's Day gift ideas that I think you will love!

Minimalist Quote Keepsake

Pair a favorite quote + photo for a more meaningful touch.

Petite Pairs

Pick a pair of limited-edition art prints to fit his/her personality.

From Tues 1/31 - 11:59 pm PT on Wed 2/1: receive Free standard (ground) shipping on art & gifts orders $75+ with promo code: VDAYSHIP

Order art gifts by Wednesday, 2/1 for 2/13 delivery

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I hope you enjoyed this post and that it got you inspired to add some love to your walls this year! It's actually really simple to do, and if you need any help with your next project, give me a shout! I'd love to help.

How do you make your office space an inspiring place? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

Disclosure: Some affiliate links were used in this post. I partnered with Minted on this post and received complimentary products. All thoughts and opinions are genuinely mine.

Please tell me why I would decide to make a table instead of going the simple route and just buy one like normal people do. I'm adding that question to the list of others that seem to escape me because this is one of those projects where I had to stop (on several occasions) to scratch my head and ask myself, what have I gotten myself into!? At the end of the day, it was totally worth it, but let's be honest, getting there was far from a walk in the park.

I now probably have a degree in painting from all of the articles that I devoured and the troubleshooting I went through to complete this project. Little did I know that painting a table is not as basic as it sounds. All I know is that I'm happy to share everything I learned and then some so that this project will be a breeze for you. In other words, I'm happy to have been your guinea pig! That's what DIYs are for, right.

In the mayhem that was this project, I decided that by taking photos, I would probably sabotage myself even more, so I opted not to do so. I do, however have the process down in my memory, so hopefully you don't mind that I don't have any photos of the process to share. 

For starters, it is very very very - and I mean VERY - important to sand down the wood before you proceed with anything. Call me dumb, but I decided that I could just skip that process. Soooo ... long story short, let's just say that I was kicking myself in the butt for it. Another important step is to use primer, then sand, then primer, then sand, and repeat that process until you have a smooth base for your paint. For me, it took several times to achieve a flat surface because I did run into problems with my wood having cracks in it, which I was supposed to fill in with wood putty, but thought I could skip that step as well. 

Since we're on the topic of wood having cracks in it, I also learned (after the fact) that all wood isn't created equal and that certain wood is better for painting and attaining a smooth finish. I did not know this, so I had to deal with the pine that I had already purchased. I don't have anything against pine, but if I had known that there were better options, I probably would have went with those instead so that I didn't have to deal with so many knots and cracks in my wood. Since pine wood has so many knots, you will have to use a primer that will be able to hide them and keep them from peeking through in the future. You may also have to apply wood putty to fill in holes or uneven spots. It was an easy option considering it was pre-cut, but if you want to explore other options, I encourage you to do so.

For the most crucial step - the paint - this is where things got really complicated at first. I decided to use an oil-based paint instead of a water-based paint, in other words, latex paint. An article I read suggested that it was the best choice for tables that receive a lot of use because it stands up to wear very well. What I did not know at the time was that oil-based paint takes longer to dry, can not be washed off of brushes (unless you use turpentine), smells really really bad, can be harmful, and is not eco-friendly! *yikes* So, I learned after the fact that maybe I should've just went with a latex paint, and my life would've probably been way easier and less stressful. 

Seeing that I was able to complete this project (finally) after several weeks due in major part to roadblocks and troubleshooting, I am still so pleased with the outcome, and I'm so proud of it. It was so worth every headache because I learned so much from this project. It's actually a really easy project once you know what you're doing. #notetoself

I just wanted to be completely transparent and honest with you guys beforehand about my experience. If you decide to do this project, here's the step by step of what you need to do to achieve the exact same thing. It'll be way easier for you now that I have all of the techniques figured out and outlined. I do recommend you decide on what type of paint will work best for you, though. If you decide to use latex paint, please do some research first as to how to use it since that's not the paint that I will be using for this project. You'll be surprised as to what a difference a little technique or Google search will do for you and the outcome of your project. 

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supplies

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• 1 in. x 2 ft. x 2 ft. Pine Edge Glued Panel Round Board

• 3 - 22 in. Hardwood Round Taper Legs

• 3 - Angled Top Plates with screws

• Rust-oleum 1 qt. Gloss White Protective Enamel Paint

• 2" Polyester Bristle Paintbrush or foam brushes - I do not recommend the ones that are pictured, which are woven and knit rollers. They had a lot of fiber fall-out and created bubbles. I ended up using the ones listed here and got better results.

• Turpentine - To clean your bristle brush in between coats, or you can just use foam brushes and discard after each use making cleanup easier.

• Sanding Sponge Kit Assorted Grit - 80 / 120 / 220

• Minwax Polycrylic Gloss Base 8 fl oz Polyurethane

• Kilz Primer, Sealer, and Stain-Blocker Spray

• Tac Cloth

• Power Drill

• Wood putty or filler (optional)

• Sanding Respirator

• Paint Can Opener

• Something to stir paint with

• String (to measure with)

• Measuring tape

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Instructions

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I recommend you do this project in an area without a lot of wind, but with good ventilation like a garage. 

Sand

The first thing you'll need to do is to sand the pine wood round to get a smooth base. I would recommend using the 120 grit for rougher areas (the edges of the table), then go over it with the 220 grit paper. For the top of the table, I used the 220 as it is a lot smoother. Remove excess dust with a tac cloth.

Prime & FILL

Spray a thin layer of primer in long strokes with the grain of the wood. Let dry for an hour, then sand with 220 or 120 grit sand paper. Remove excess dust with tac cloth, then repeat steps until you feel like you have a smooth finish. I primed and sanded my table 3 times, but it just depends on your individual results. After the first coat of primer, you will notice that the imperfections will start to show, like scratches, dings, and cracks. If they are not that bad, the primer will fill them in, but if they are deep, you will need to fill them in with wood putty or filler. If you do use wood putty or filler, all you would do is apply it according to the package directions, let it dry, sand smooth, wipe with tac cloth, then add another layer of primer and continue with the process that I've mentioned beforehand.

Paint

The key to getting a smooth finish is to have a smooth base to work with, so I can't stress enough about the importance of sanding as well as removing all dust particles and impurities before you paint. Once you have that covered, you are ready to roll - literally! Working with oil-based paint is a little tricky, but the key to applying it is to not apply it too thick because it will take longer to dry and it will run - oh it will RUN - and you don't want to be like me, stuck sanding it all down again. I learned the hard way.

To apply, use long strokes along the grain of the wood and try not to go over the same spot you painted too many times or it will drag. Since oil-based paint takes longer to dry, it will smooth out, so don't worry too much about getting it completely perfect. I recommend applying paint to the top of the table first, then to the sides of the table (remember, thin coats). Allow your paint to dry completely; dry time will vary by climate. This can take anywhere from 24-72 hrs to weeks, so patience is a virtue here. 

Before you apply your second coat, look for any areas where dust or particles may have entered and sand those areas down with 220 grit sand paper. Completely wipe your table down with a tac cloth to make sure you have a clean surface. To apply the second coat, apply as you did the first. Two coats should be all that you need, but it really depends on your preference. I had to do 3 coats, but that's because I messed up and had to sand down the drips from the second coat I did.

Allow your table to dry for several weeks because the fumes will be strong for a while. Oil-based paint also takes a while to cure, but you can still use it. In the meantime, just be careful not to bang it or it will dent. Once it is fully dry, the finish will cure and harden. 

Legs

For the legs, I do recommend installing them to your table before you apply the polycrylic gloss. To do this, you will need to first measure your table's circumference with string, which will roughly be 75", then cut the string into thirds (25" each). Using the string that you just cut, lay it out along the circumference of the table. At each end, this is where you will mark your spots for where your legs will be installed. Mark your spots at a 4" depth from the edge of the table. Now you can place your top plates on and get to drilling. Make sure that your top plates are angled outward first. It's a simple step that can be overlooked. Mark all four holes on each top plate as a guide, then drill in place. Once that's all done, you can now screw on your legs. 

Now it's time to paint your legs with the polycrylic gloss. I didn't sand mine, but I do recommend you do so to get a smoother finish before you paint. Mine turned out just fine, so it's up to you. Since the polycrylic base is water-based, the wood grain will raise a bit, which you'll either want to sand smooth or you can leave be (which I did). I just used one coat to maintain that natural finish. Let the legs dry for an hour and they're good to go!

That's a wrap for this project! The play kitchen from Ikea was a nice surprise that I ran into while on my trip to the Dallas location, so I had to snatch it up. I think it looks amazing alongside the table! I am going for a Scandinavian look for his play area and for our home, so it's coming together very nicely. I did have a moment where I was considering going for a Scandinavian whitewashed finish, which also would've been pretty. I was able to find the plastic Eames chairs at Hobby Lobby - and they were on SALE! Big win for me. My small succulent arrangement is perfect for this small-sized table, and Uriah doesn't even mess with it. Don't be scared to use white. These are all materials that are easy to clean up and maintain. Uriah has already drawn on the chairs, and it was a cinch to remove.

This project was so worth it. I mean, look at this space! I'm in LOVE. Uriah has been enjoying his little setup, and he can finally have his own kitchen to play in. He's all about being in the kitchen with me, so I just had to do this for him.

Do let me know if you try this project out and if you have any questions, I'd love to help. It will be 100% worth every ounce of love and sweat you put into it! 

Did you enjoy this DIY? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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