A Quick and Easy Bathroom Shelf

So it’s obvious by our new summer pillows that we made a recent trip to Ikea.  And though we still haven’t finally bought ourselves a new purdy Hemnes tv stand, we did also pick up a new shelf for our bathroom.

Specifically, we picked up the Grundtal glass shelf for the job.  I’ll pause while the boys snicker.

At just about $15 and with some slightly heftier brackets, we felt it was both an affordable and secure option.  Plus the brackets could be used anywhere along the shelf which means that we could easily work with the awkward and uneven stud spacing in the apartment.

Here’s a little ‘before’ action for you.  We have a teeny tiny vanity with very little surface space.  A shelf would give us some extra surface space for placing things while, for instance, I’m trying in vain to do my hair and piling hairspray and various other products into the sink is just not working for me.

And though you can’t really tell from this photo, the toilet is not centered between the wall and the vanity.  Nothing in this apartment is centered.

So we had a discussion on placement of the shelf – a few inches above the bottom of the medecine cabinet, and centered between the wall and the cabinet – NOT over the toilet because, well, we couldn’t.  Then Bill marked out where the studs were so we were sure to have the brackets in a secure spot.

The bracket installation was easy enough that Bill was able to use brute force instead of a drill to screw them into the wall.  We started with the first bracket and just the top screw…

 

Then slipped the second bracket onto the glass and checked to be sure the shelf was level.  Go go gadget ihandy level!

Once we were sure it was level, Bill secured the remaining screws and we were left with this guy:

If you note the placement of the shelf within the wall and the medicine cabinet, and then see how the top of that vase/candle is NOT centered under it?  That vase is centered on the toilet tank…. so that’s how far off they are.  UGH.  But let’s see what we can do about dressing things up now.

I scored a pair of these at target on clearance a few months ago, waiting for this project.  We’re regular cotton swab users and the current home for them is just inside the linen closet.  Though this placement works for now, when I move to Pittsburgh full-time, the linen closet is getting a total overhaul and we’ll need to move a lot of things.  So I figured since we already use them on a regular basis, it makes sense to have them out.  And have them out in a pretty box!

So now all I had to do was get them up there on the shelf!

Joining the decorative box is this framed printable art I talked about yesterday.  A fun pop of color and lettering help to add a bit of fun to the room.

The frame rests on the shelf and nicely conceals the brackets a bit which helps to hide the un-centered nature of everything.

The print has such a cheery pop of color to it!  And I love how it reflects off the top of the container too.

To balance things and add some more function, I pulled a few pieces from my milk glass collection including this little bowl for tossing forgotten jewelry before I hop in the shower.

Here’s a nice wide shot to show you how it all works together.  (and that’s one of our YHL book projects on the floor…)

And in the interest of maintaining some transparency here, we’ll share the inside wall of the bathroom too.

 Yes, that’s an old street sign.  Yes, it’s a dumping fine warning, next to the toilet.  Some of you are cringing, while some of you are laughing.  I’m pretty much 50/50 on it myself.  Bill ‘acquired it’ some time ago and it was hanging in his bachelor apartment…. our compromise was that it would be hung on that wall, visible once inside the bathroom but not in an obvious location.  Someday when we have a house of our own it will be in the bathroom off a playroom or something.  But for now it adds more ‘color’ to the bathroom. 😉

So there you have it.  A quick shelf that literally took only 5 minutes to hang, but adds a TON of impact on storage and decor possibilities.

~ Beth