🖼️
The project:
I wanted to upgrade a boring white hallway to something more appealing and also wanted function from this ‘dead space’ as I live in a small 2 bed apartment. I wanted a colourful but calm space and chose sage green and walnut to bring natural elements and earthy colours indoors. I struggled to find narrow shelves that were wide enough to hold standard sized books and in the right colour, so I custom made them from decking planks.
- Materials:
First was cleaning, sanding and taping the walls and corners.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-sugar-soap-wall-cleaning-wipes-25-pack_p1210330
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-cork-sanding-block_p1670153
https://www.bunnings.com.au/paint-partner-24mm-x-50m-blue-14-day-resistance-masking-tape_p1210116
https://www.bunnings.com.au/rocket-bulk-sanding-sheets-12-piece_p0335354
I then painted the walls in Taubmans matte Silver Leaf which my local Bunnings paint specialists lovingly helped me chose! They were very invested in my very first home improvement project.
I gathered all my paint needs from Bunnings:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/prorenovator-270mm-4-piece-walls-and-ceilings-2-rollers-kit_p0605579
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/pro-renovator-25-38-50-brushes-3-pack_p0407443
I chose Merbau decking planks at 140mm wide and requested 5 x cut lengths at 1.1m each.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/140-x-19mm-kwila-pre-oiled-select-grade-smooth-decking-random-lengths_p0200173?store=9531&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21404909745&gbraid=0AAAAADL7rPouwpe2ShVTky45Ql2xQLP4O&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Y7l-rLolQMVjm4PAh3UmiWGEAQYASACEgIQ4fD_BwE
I chose a simple black bracket for mounting the shelving planks:
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/carinya-125-x-100mm-black-heavy-duty-angle-bracket_p0297463
Decor includes a pot and stand from Bunnings and a live Ficus plant:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/200mm-fiddle-leaf-fig-ficus-lyrata_p0127780
- Tools:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-cordless-drill-driver-kit-pxddk-250c_p0299323
https://www.bunnings.com.au/pinnacle-3-5-x-20mm-black-countersunk-timber-screw-30-pack_p2400125
https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftright-600mm-spirit-level_p0396991
https://www.bunnings.com.au/stanley-19mm-s110-stud-finder_p0181901
- Step 1:
Plan, measure and map the space. Decide on the location of shelving and determine the maximum width of the shelves to allow us to continue comfortable movement through the hallway and also allow ease of use of the concealed laundry opposite where the shelves are proposed to be.
- Step 2:
To ensure I selected the perfect colour; I painted a test patch on the wall and checked the colour in different lights. As well as viewed it next to the merbau wood and black fittings and also against the grey tiles (which I don’t plan to replace, yet).
- Step 3:
I prepped the surface by wiping over the walls with sugar soap, then sanding the walls and taping the edges with painters tape.
- Step 4:
Using the paint brush, I cut in the edges and corners. Using the roller, I painted two coats on the walls. I allowed 4 hours between coats.
I peeled off the blue painters tape from the edges and corners approx. 2 hours after the 2nd coat. I touched up any areas on skirting and ceiling with white paint that I had at home (saved from original paint job).
- Step 5:
I mapped the proposed placement for each shelf.
Using the stud finder I located the wall studs for the part of the wall for attaching the brackets to and measured the same distance onto the lengths of wood, approximately 10cm in from each end. I marked out on the wood and screwed the brackets on, ensuring the same distance was achieved on each piece.
I placed the shelf against the wall, used the level to ensure each length was perfectly placed and marked in the holes of the brackets where these were to be attached to the walls.
I then screwed each bracketed shelf to the wall, ensuring equal distance of 300mm between each one.
- Step 6:
Time to decorate and make use of the shelves. I played around a little trying to get the right aesthetic between plants, books, picture frames, etc.
- Step 7:
I purchased a 3.6m long jute hallway runner and had a licensed electrician replace the light fitting for a touch of elegance.
