Wall shelf placement, would this work?
Asked by
Jude (
32198
)
January 14th, 2011
I already have a wall shelf up here. The shelf is 3 feet long. I already drilled into the wall, obviously, and don’t want to take it down (don’t have the proper paint for touch-ups).
I was thinking about adding a second shelf. One that is 2 feet in length. I was thinking about placing it below the 3 ft. shelf. And, at the one of end of the shelf, have a potted plant (small potted plant) with hanging ivy, say, and having the ivy hang down. Beside the potted ivy, I would put two neutral colored vases (different shapes and sizes). Would that work, or look redonkulous?
Any other suggestions? Perhaps, another 3 foot shelf to go under?
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11 Answers
How high is the shelf from the floor?
I like the idea of a second shelf below the first. Don’t line them up in any way. A shorter shelf is better. The idea of putting something living on it is good. It’s a nice contrast to all the inanimate objects around it.
That would work great. Either center it under the other or offset it by 2 to 4 inches if you’re always going to have an ivy or other plant hanging down. I like Jake’s thoughts.
I would not center the shorter shelf under the longer shelf. I would offset them by about 8 to 12 inches. I love the stuff on your top shelf! And I think the plants would look great. I don’t know how much sun that wall gets, but a cactus would look pretty cool too. Or a bonsai tree, if it gets less light.
@Kardamom Just curious why you wouldn’t center it?
@Adirondackwannabe I think too much symmetry looks forced. Plus, since the shorter shelf would be on the bottom, it would make the top shelf look too “heavy.” If the shorter shelf were on top, centering it might look ok. If the shorter bottom shelf is hung askew of the top shelf, it also gives you some nice “negative space” (the wall itself). So if there was a tallish vase or plant on the lower shelf, the negative space behind it (but to the side of the top shelf) would look really nice (kind of like a frame that doesn’t exist).
@Kardamom Ok, I like the way you think. That sounds good. Jude, don’t center it.
I agree with not centering the shelf. And I like the idea of a potted plant that hangs, but I dont know about ivy…I would try to find something a little less popular…something that blooms every once and a while…I like spider plants also…
I agree with the suggestions of asymmetry. For me, I would leave the 3 foot shelf where it is and have the two foot shelf below the longer shelf and extend to the left by about 6 inches or even a foot beyond the left end of the above shelf. That way, if you want a place to put a taller object (e.g., upright growing plant) it will work.
I agree with @Kardamom. The smaller shelf should go above the longer shelf, and stair-stepped. Also, you have some really interesting things on that shelf, but because everying is the same height and lined up, they approach looking stored on the shelf rather than decorating elements. The masks would look better hung on the wall, one over the other. Space out the other items, add one of the vases, perhaps with something simple in it to change up the height. You really don’t have a focal point on the shelf, and you have some cool things.
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