My interpretation of the Martina Bath Wall Storage Shelf. It is constructed from 3/4" pine boards; then heavily distressed. I watered down some dark brown paint for the exposed wood to make it appear that a darker hardwood was used rather than plain pine. Also, instead of the 1/4" ply wood for the back, I used solid pine boards as well to create a flat surface on the back. Plus, it adds stability for hanging.
I used Behr's "Bon Voyage" paint for the outside. The inside of the shelf is mostly white with a splash of "Bon Voyage" to match the outside.
The hardware was bought at Hobby Lobbby.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr's Premium Plus "Bon Voyage"
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
etbuogie
Mon, 01/28/2013 - 13:35
That finish is great...how
That finish is great...how did you do that? My wife loves that look, but I have yet to replicate it as well as you have.
kotzfunkel
Mon, 01/28/2013 - 13:59
Thanks, etbuogie. Sorry for
Thanks, etbuogie. Sorry for not elaborating on the finish in the project discription already.
Well, after building I beat the shelf up (just a little bit) with a steel chain to create some dimples on the larger surfaces. Next, I used an awl to randomly stab holes into the sides (wormholes?). After sanding all surfaces smooth, I painted parts of the shelf white with two coats. You could paint it all white, but you really only need to paint those areas that you want to have exposed later. I mainly concentrated on the edges and two outside sides. Next I painted everything blue with a couple of coats. Then I mixed some very light blue paint with white and a bit of my other main blue paint to paint the inside cubby of the shelf. After everything dried, I took a hammer and beat some cornes up. Then I scraped some "cracks" into the side using my awl. Using sandpaper, I eased some edges, sanded the blue paint down to the white creating a layered look, and made larger notches in some parts. Try to imagine where the wear would be if the shelf was in fact - let's say - 20 years old. Then I watered down some dark brown paint (probably a 1:1 ratio) and painted all the exposed yellow pine areas. This made a huge difference, I think. A couple of coats of Polycrylic wrapped the project up.
It sounds like a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun. Just make sure you don't do one area at a time but rather, focus on the whole piece. Periodically, step back and "squint your eyes" to not lose track of the big picture.
I hope this helps you create this beautiful look for you wife.