DIY: Building a decorative shelf || Secretly hiding the TV cords

I had a need to cover up some TV/video game wires, and couldn't find a premade solution.  Here's a peek into the process of building my own shelf, with open insides to hide all those ugly cords!

Back in November, the hubs and I took advantage of some Black Friday sales, and decided to replace our living room TV.  We nick-named it "Bertha," which should give you an idea of why it had to go.  We ended up getting a pretty handsome little Samsung Smart TV from Best Buy, and mounted it above the fireplace on a swivel mount and a sound bar.

We couldn't quite get it centered above the fireplace because of the placement of the studs, but I had a crafty solution up my sleeves.  I got some of those boxy shelves from Target, and filled in the blank space beside the TV.  

One major problem still remained.  I can't stand cords.  I've always been the kind of person to hide them as much as possible, and this was not an easy challenge.  I did some internet research, and found some people who had drilled a hole in the wall and fished the wires behind.  I decided not to take this route for 2 reasons: the TV is mounted on an external wall, and I didn't want to mess up any of the insulation, and running power behind the wall without going into proper electrical wiring could be a major fire hazard.  I wasn't really looking to tear out the drywall and run proper wiring and an electrical outlet.  As a side thought, we also decided that if we want to sell our house anytime in the near future, a prospective buyer may not want an electrical outlet above the fireplace.  

We scoured the local stores for some cord hiding solutions, and nothing really seemed to make them invisible.  We looked at all kinds of options that Lowes and Best Buy suggested, but I wasn't really pleased with any of them.  All I wanted was something to hide the cords, but look like it belonged!  Here's the post that ultimately inspired my design.  This guy did run the cords behind the wall beside the fireplace, but his idea about hiding the cords above the fireplace is exactly what I needed.  

I couldn't find a shelf in the right dimensions, so I got the idea of using crown molding.  I got one decorative piece for the front, and one plain piece (intended for chair rail I think).  I measured the distance I needed to cover, and started cutting!

Here's the cutting device I used.  It's handy when you don't have a wood shop.  The most important part was to be sure that the molding was at the right angle, so the cuts would be right.  

The angles fit just right!

I used the smallest nails I could find, and was very careful to tap the pieces together.  A little wood glue also helped keep the pieces where they belong.

The hardest part of the whole project is waiting for the glue (and later the paint) to dry.

I found these little brackets in the hardware section.  They were the perfect size for what I needed, and would help me make my masterpiece easily detachable from the wall.  I also used a dremel tool to carve out a little crescent on each end of the shelf.  I made them subtle, but still large enough to allow for cords to come out from either side.  

Now for paint!

I used the same color paint that was used on the trim in our house.  This particular hue is called Statuesque and is by Valspar.  It's a really sharp white, and contrasts nicely with the bold colors we used in the floor and walls. 

Voila!  The shelf is very subtle, and looks like it was an original part of the fireplace.  It's large enough to put small knickknacks or candles on, but small enough to be visually pleasing.  

Fin!

Winter Wonderland || Planning for Spring

In eastern Virginia, we don't really get much snow.  When we do get it, schools close, businesses shut down,and everyone makes their crazy journey home through the treacherous blizzard like conditions that we know as 1-3 inches of snow...  

If the hubby were in town, he would be shaking his head in disappointment   I can hear it in my head now,  "You call this snow?"  

Even though its a little dusting, seeing our house covered in white made me realize that we have a lot to do before  I'm satisfied with our space.  The white siding is kinda drab, and I'm ready for some color.  With spring coming, the biggie is our back yard.

These days, I wish I had more paid attention when Dad was planning out our yard (but don't tell him that).  When we bought our house, we struggled with the idea of what to do with the back yard.  I don't think the previous owners did anything to the ground, and now it's just a massive area of flat dirt.

For now, I brainstorm and plan for what I can do in the spring.  I'm thinking areas of mulch, areas of grass, and of course the fire pit.  Maybe a hammock too?

One thing I would like to do is make a rain barrel.  This could be really great for irrigating the yard and especially the garden beds.  You can connect a series of soaker hoses to the rain barrel and help distribute the water that you've collected!

Better Homes and Gardens has a fantastic step-by-step article on rain barrels here.