Aw yeah, we’re living on the ledge. We’ve been waiting to hang our postcard shelves from our first house’s office for over two years and we finally found the right spot for them. Ba-dow:
We detailed the whole how-we-made-them process here (you should click that just to see how tiny Clara was) so here’s how we adapted them for this space:
- we measured how wide the dresser that would sit under them was (we thought they’d look top-heavy and odd if they were a foot longer, which they were at first)
- we lopped off the extra length on a miter saw, so they were all 2″ narrower than the dresser that sits under them
- we hung the first one (the lowest one) 16″ above the dresser after holding it up in a few different heights and deciding it looked best there (using a level to be sure it wasn’t wonky)
- we used long-ish screws (2.5″ guys) in three places to hold them nice and securely (anchors would be necessary for shelves with heavy items on them, but for small light shelves that hold small items like postcards, screws can easily do the job). Oh but we already had predrilled holes in the shelves so the screws could go right through them and hold them in place. So for more info on that click here for the full postcard-ledge-hanging rundown.
- there were some high-fives along the way
- we taped a yardstick to the wall (we used a level to be sure it was perpendicular to the floor) so we could use that as a guide to hang the left edge of all of them
- we hung each shelf on the wall with 9″ of space between each one (there was more bean-help and a few more high fives).
- we stepped back and enjoyed the view…
Then I broke out two things I’ve been hoarding saving for a nice long time.
Clara loves both of these boxes of flash cards, so I’ve been waiting not-so-patiently to hang the postcard shelves and rename them as… flash card shelves!
It’s a crazy easy way to add inexpensive art/color/interest plus there are even letters and words on them, so it’s a subtle little learning zone for Clara. She already gets a kick out of counting the number of animals on each shelf, finding specific ones that John or I call out, and even learning the first letter in many of their names (she woke up the other day and said “F is for Flamingo!” loud and proud as I lifted her out of her crib).
One more picture. Because I’m a flash card ledge fiend.
What are you guys cutting/leveling/hanging these days? Do you like to hang things from your first house in a different way or put a new twist on old art/shelves/ledges in a new space? Not gonna lie, it’s pretty fun to tweak something you already have for a whole new room and function. And I’m also pretty proud of myself for not droning on and on for once. 493 words in this post. Wooot! $herdog’s keeping it klassy koncise.
Emily says
My friend did a similar thing in her son’s nursery, except she used gutters and has books in them. She is a reading specialist and says the front of books are meant to be seen! So her son has tons of picture books right at his disposal, instead of on a bookshelf.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a sweet idea!
xo,
s
Daphne says
This is a great project! I would love to make these ledges and use them to display vintage paperback covers, which are readily available to me since I work at a giant used bookstore. We recycle a ton of old paperbacks, so I sometimes swipe cool covers. I even made this collage out of them to hang in my home library: http://hitherditherdown.blogspot.com/2012/01/crafty-me-vintage-book-collage.html
YoungHouseLove says
Such a fun idea!
xo,
s
Paige @ Little Nostalgia says
Haha, “ba-dow!” My sister and I say that all the time.
They look great! I’ve actually been waiting for you to put them back up because I loved them so much in your first house.
Misty says
So excited to say I was inspired to take the small wall that is behind our tv and tv stand and added a very beautiful focal aspect! Our room was already painted BM Stonington but we spent last friday evening tapping it out in a herringbone pattern and added BM White Heron chevron stripes! I love it so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo,
s
Katharine says
Yay for Charley Harper!
Deanna says
Its perfect – I love it! Is it wrong that I want to move into her room – so fun and cozy :) Hope you all had a fantastic weekend in ATL!
Natalie says
http://barnesdailycircus.blogspot.com/2012/06/avery-mommy-and-daddy-learn-about.html?m=1
We have those cards and our daughter loves them. We laughed really hard over them a few months ago.
Paige says
LOVE it!
Koliti says
Love how John is showing Clara the tricks of the trade!
(One of these days Clara can do a DIY project & post and you guys can take a day off! Ha!)
I’m curious…why did you opt to shorten the ledges 2″ less than the width of the dresser? (My first thought would be to make them the same width as the dresser.)
YoungHouseLove says
We just wanted them to be a smudge shorter so they felt lighter up top instead of boxy or top heavy :)
xo,
s
Jalene Smith says
The more pics I see of the dresser the more I like it as-is….just in case you wondered :)
Julianne says
Sorry if this is a re-post, iPhone fail.
Basically, I was writing to say my daughter has figured out she can pull out the drawers of her dresser and reach the treasures on the highest shelves. Is Clara a climber? I know kids are all different and Clara seems to be very good at following directions so hopefully not an issue for you guys.
YoungHouseLove says
She doesn’t even climb out of her crib at almost three years old. Haha! Definitely not a climber, but we anchor dressers and bookcases and even leaning mirrors into the wall just in case :)
xo,
s
Elle says
Love this idea. We actually have those same flash cards, love them, and — bonus — they’re not too banged-up to put on display yet. Hmmmmmm….
(I’m sure you and other commenters are on this, but your posts still aren’t showing up in my Google Reader, or they’re showing up but way later than they used to — like end-of-the-day later. Which is a bummer, because your feed has always been one of the first ones I click on in the morning and now there’s nothing to click on. )
YoungHouseLove says
Argh, we thought we solved it this weekend. Still working on it hardcore! Cross your fingers for us guys!
xo,
s
Anne says
I was having this problem too, but I also read this morning that Google Reader has been having issues of its own since Sunday. So, it’s entirely possible that everything on YHL’s end is fine. But, I appreciate that you’re looking into it. Reading YHL is one of my favorite parts of the day! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! We definitely hope to get it worked out ASAP!
xo,
s
Victoria says
This was definitely one of my favorite projects from you guys! (I love postcards!) I love the way you’re using them now! So fun for a little girl! :)
Katie says
Clara looks like a “big girl” in these pics! I have a daughter the same age, and it doesn’t really sink in that she isn’t a baby until I see other kids her age. You’re so lucky Clara still likes her crib…my daughter started climbing out of hers at around 18 months :(
Heather W. says
Postcard shelves look so cute in her room!
I ordered your large orb light this weekend but had a question. Is it a dark orb like your curtain rod or more orange? I have the same curtain rod and it will go over my kitchen table which is open to my family room which has an orb fan in there. Just wanted to make sure it would go. Thanks! Can’t wait to get it and hang it up. Great Price especially with your discount, I got 10% off. Whoo hoo!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s more of a rusty bronze color but it gies with ORB (we have ORb curtains and doorknobs in the dining room and we love how they look together). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah says
Aah, super excited to see these up in your new home! I was thinking only the other day about how much I loved them first time round, and hoped you would re-use them! Looks great, Clara is a lucky little lady to have such a fabulous big girl room, it’s coming together so well you guys.
Katie says
love the shelves, what a great alternative to a gallery wall. Wish we had a playroom, we are out of wall space in the baby’s room! And just purchased the Eric Carle flashcards on amazon! Great find!
Lisa Champlin says
I love this! But the OCD in me would have to cover the screws somehow. Did you guys struggle with the let them show/cover them up at all?
YoungHouseLove says
We can just paint them with white paint to make them blend in if they bother us. So far we just notice what’s on the shelves though :)
xo,
s
ryan says
LOVE that flower bowl on the dresser. Where’s it from?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from Ikea and comes in white and silver. We just sprayed it red.
xo,
s
Bets says
We have taken out the Charley Harper alphabet book often from the library. Someday I gotta get our family one. I love it. Whenever I “read” it, it reminds me of you guys… don’t know why. Maybe the fun colors and “not so cutesy animals” because of Sherry, and the geometric math-iness and crisp clear design for John.
Glad you guys have them.
As it should be. :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
Jen says
Love it! We had the same set of Eric Carle flash cards and I decorated my daughter’s nursery around them, so this brings back happy memories!
E says
These shelves are amazing for Clara’s room! I think they can really grow with her. When she gets older she can maybe put up pictures of friends and family? Taping a yard stick is so smart too!
I checked the previous postcard shelf post and saw your PO Box address. Is PO Box 36665, Richmond, VA 23235 still valid?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, that’s still the one :)
xo,
s
mary @ B&G JOURNALS says
love how this looks in her room, and how easy it is to swap things out occasionally. and look at clara getting her drill on–awesome.
Sarah says
Love these in Clara’s big girl room! It’s a nice amount of whimsy & it looks great over that awesome dresser you found. I love that the shelves can grow with her. I wasn’t sure about the direction you were taking with the room at first, but it’s really starting to come together – as you said, the middle makes no sense!
Dianne says
Perfect! What a great way to display the colorful cards. Love that the content may be changed so easily, too. Favorite part: Bean’s participation!
AE says
Love it!!!!….I am a HUGE Charley Harper fan……those cards are the best for kids and grown ups alike!! :)
Maribel says
Great idea want to do this with some family photos and art on my hallway wall. That’s awesome you did not place the cards in order, my son’s preschool program introduces the alphabet out of order. There’s some reasoning to it. The kids also are learning the sounds of each letter, this is the beginning of learning to read. Check out YouTube for videos ( can’t remember how I searched it).
Barbi says
Not sure if it was mentioned yet, but this post didn’t show up in my Google Reader today. I followed the link from FB. Maybe it’s just me, I was noticing a few other weird things on reader.
YoungHouseLove says
Ugh it has been glitchy for days! We didn’t change anything on our end so it just came out if nowhere and we keep thinking its fixed and then the next post doesn’t show up again. So sorry! We’re still working on it for sure!
xo,
s
[email protected] says
My favorite part? Taping the yardstick to the wall=pure genious. Really.
Sherry in BC says
They look great and so much fun. Clara is really enjoying getting the room ready. Just thought I would recommend a fun book, not sure if it would be confusing for Clara or if she would love it. My grandson really loves it at 6 but my granddaughter at 3 1/2 isn’t quite as in love with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Salad-Picture-Puffins-Mike-Lester/dp/0698119266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360599792&sr=8-1&keywords=a+is+for+salad
The silly humour of the mismatching causes a lot of laughter. Quintin loves to correct me as I read……”A is for salad.” and he will snort and say “No it’s not A is for alligator, Granny.” We are in fits of giggles by the end.
YoungHouseLove says
So cute!
xo,
s
Jen @ Domesticated Nomad says
I love Charlie Harper! We have the same set, but I hot glued them to wall instead. :)
Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says
So cute! I love using odd things for decor.. like repurposed decor. :) And I love that Clara is old enough to get involved now!! I am including my 2 yr old as I can, cause he loves to help his mommy!!
Does she get excited about it now too?
YoungHouseLove says
Totally!
xo,
s
Lynette says
So funny, just yesterday I hung a shelf that has been sitting on my hubby’s dresser for 18 months! It felt so good to finally get it done!
Julie Park says
I love seeing how this room is coming together! I especially love seeing the process that you are going through to take on this special project!!!
I tend to always only want to show the finished project on my blog but this is a great reminder that small steps can make huge impacts and that they are all worth sharing!
P.s. – I loved the The “Unofficial” Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge that you hosted last week and it seemed like there were a TON of great projects. Are you planning on sharing any of your favorites?
YoungHouseLove says
They’re all so awesome right? We always leave the gallery up so people can browse them indefinitely!
xo,
s
Antonella Guidi says
Clara who helps daddy is so cute ^^ I like shelves, are perfect over the dresser. But the dresser, uhm… Is your next project, really? XD Ahah, I’m kidding XD I’like the line of this dresser (oh my god, my english is always worse… but is translator fault too).
Kiss from Italy ^*^
Baci dall’Italia ^*^
Antonella
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes we definitely have plans for the dresser down the line!
xo,
s
Leslie says
I did a mini-pinterest project in the shower. Shower curtain rod, 4 curtain hooks and 2 baskets, to control my clutter :) it works great!!!
Mary | lemongroveblog says
Perfect use of space! I also love ledges with books on them in a little ones room.
Jill says
So cute!! Love the shelves and flash cards! My first thought though when I saw them so nicely placed on the wall… what happens when the fan or AC is on? Will they go flying off??
Jill says
aaaaand I just answered my own question by reading the old post (and admiring the baby bean!) Did you ever have any flying postcard issues?
YoungHouseLove says
Thankfully we didnt! The groove helped them stay in place :)
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
They’re heavy enough and stuck in that groove that they stay put :)
xo,
s
LauraC says
I think they look really good! I put up Martha Stewart’s alphabet cards (they’re vintage looking) in the hallway right outside our kids’ door. I love them, so I’m a big fan of alphabet cards in kids’ rooms! Here’s a sample of them (not mine, but the cards:
http://assets8.designsponge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ABCcards8.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!
xo,
s
Diane @ Vintage Zest says
Omg, this is adorable and I am going to pin (and hopefully recreate) this right away!
Alecia Ferrell says
How cute?! I love it all! Ive got to find those flash cards for my son, he loves Eric Carl’s books so much!
Heidi P. says
Ah! I didn’t know you had plans to rehang the postcard shelves! This makes me so happy! And I love the flashcards – they’re so colorful and modern!
Natasha says
Love love loooove!
Leah says
Love!!!! Question- who is that maroon rooster?!
YoungHouseLove says
He’s an old Dude Get On That Challenge (I sprayed him purple about a year ago).
xo,
s
Angela says
Would you judge me if I said that I wished this was my room? (I’m in the spring of my thirties.) :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha not at all!
xo,
s
Jen in Jersey (soon to be Texas!) says
I went back to read your original post about how you made these ledges – can you tell me if you ever did need to do anything to keep the postcards from shifting? You talked about maybe needing to add something to prevent lightweight items from blowing off….
Great ideas as usual. My 11 year old loves visual clutter (think conspiracy theorist’s bedroom walls complete with string, tape, and massive amounts of paper), so for her a cork board is an absolute necessity. The deeper she can pile things the happier she gets. So this is a little “neat” for her, but perfect for her mama! :D
Jen in Jersey (soon to be Texas!) says
Whoops, just read page two and saw that you answered this already!
YoungHouseLove says
No worries!
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
We never did! The groove seemed to hold them in place!
xo,
s
Hayley says
Clara helping is one of the cutest things I’ve seen today. I used to help my Dad just like that :)
Leah says
This is a great idea! You guys are constantly giving me inspiration!!!
Jackie says
This is perfect! I’ll definitely have to do this for our postcard collection. We have vintage ones from every where we’ve lived together and I think this would be a perfect way to display them!
Tabbitha @ Turnip Tootsie says
Clara you are such a cutie pie and it looks like you are a great helper too! I love how the shelves turned out, with post cards adding fun pops of color. Its simple, yet cozy, my two favorite styles!