You really can't.
After building the 'closet office' with generous shelving we continued to have this bookshelf-this terribly cheap bookshelf, that was overflowing with even more books that I just knew I had to do something with.
We had a nice open area above our couch that I'd done a piece of art for, but something was still missing-it wasn't cozy enough for me. So, a trip to Lowes later, I sat on top of a drop cloth (that took up my entire tiny little living room) staining 15 feet of shelving and trim!
This is what I ended up with~
When putting up shelves like this allow a bracket every two to three feet depending on the weight your planning on placing on it, and always, always, always use heavy duty anchors and drill straight into studs whenever possible.
after placing the main shelf wood I used a piece of 2 inch trim (2x1x?) to create a 'lip' on the top part of the shelf. In other words the visible shelf was flush with the trim but if you were to try and pull a book straight out you'd be stopped by 1'' of border on the top.
The reason I did this was to run a rope light ($10.00) across the lip so it would be hidden (unless of course your stick your face up there like I did to get this picture) This was definitely the wow factor-it gave my shelf a very professional look and of course created an amazing ambiance in the room when the lights where dimmed!
Lastly, I added two sets of these Amazing string lights.
As I sat on my couch the weekend before this project talking with Justin about where we could put another set of shelves, I got the picture in my head of some fun lanterns hanging down from the shelf over the couch and I was in love...now to find those lanterns I saw in my head...oof. Not an easy task.
Why I didn't go straight to World Market, I don't know, but I wasn't the least bit shocked when I saw that they were the ones who had exactly what I wanted! These lights are amazing and the pictures speak for themselves. They're casual and whimsical enough to invite people to feel relaxed in your space, but intricate and unique enough that they give off a sense of class and sophistication...they're exactly what I was looking for and they completed the project so beautifully!
What do you guys think?!
Here's the link to the wooden string lights for anyone who's interested!
Happy Crafting, fellow Crafters!