A Childhood Dream Realized

Something I have always always always wanted was a kitchen window that was spanned by gleaming glass shelves where I could store knick knacks and pretty things. I convinced myself that it'd take out some of the tedious boredom out of doing dinner dishes and that I just might look forward to the task. My mom (or was it my grandma) had this GORGEOUS puzzle that features coloured glass in front of a leaded glass window with an art deco motif. I loved loved loved it as a kid, and admire it each time I visit my sister (she wound up with it, completed it, and framed it). I think that probably largely shaped my overwhelming desire for the glass shelves full of knick knacks glinting in the sun.

One of the many features that attracted me to the house was the deep alcove behind the sink. I thought it would be a perfect place for my glass shelves. So I added it to The List.

My plan was hatched! There's some edge banding above the travertine back splash, and it juts out about an inch beyond the surface of the alcove sides--the perfect place for some panels!

I decided that the easiest thing to do would be to install some wood panels that were pre-drilled with holes for shelf support pegs. I had some extra MDF lying around from a different project, so I used the handy-dandy JIG IT Shelving Jig that John bought around Christmas time. The jig made it super easy to make uniform holes on both sides of each panel. I decided to include a router detail on the leading edge of the panels, so I attached a ogee bit to the trim router. I had a moment of brilliance, and spray painted a coat of primer on the MDF, then I installed the panels.

I just drilled directly into the sides, and countersunk the screws into the board. A little bit of Spackle and sandpaper, and it's hard to tell from a distance that they were ever there.

Next I filled the gap between the tile edge banding and the panels with some paintable caulking. I laid down a strip of painters tape to make it easier to clean up any wayward caulking (previous experience and the general thought that caulk probably doesn't clean up from travertine very easily necessitated this). After it was all dried, I cleaned up the edges with a straight edge, and got to painting.

Again, my previous experience with painting bookcases reminded me of how much of a bitch it is to keep paint out of peg holes. I've tried using QTips to clean the holes out after each coat of paint, and despite by damnedest efforts, the holes still get clogged to the point that it sometimes takes a hammer to get the pegs in the holes. I had an idea (I've probably seen it used some where before and just forgot, because I doubt I'm the first person to have this frigging brilliant idea, but until I know otherwise, I'll say that I'm the originator of the idea and I'LL SUE ANY ONE'S ASS if they don't give me credit for it!).

Drinking STRAWS!! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, a standard drinking straw fits almost perfectly snugly in a peg hole. I just took a handful of drinking straws, cut them down into 2-3" segments, and crammed them into the peg holes. I then went about my way, painting several (SEVERAL) coats of Behr white paint, and didn't worry about clogging holes. When everything was dry, I pulled the straws out of the holes and removed the painters tape. Most of the peg holes had some horizontal stalagmite growths coming out of them, but a wet rag and a soft scotch scour pad, they came off pretty easily. I suppose a straight edge would work well at cleaning up the holes..and probably a carving tool would work, too. I didn't think to get a picture, so you'll have to use your imagination.

Back in September, I bought some tempered glass shelves at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore for super duper cheap, so I was happy to get them installed. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the shelves were about an inch too short and about two inches too narrow to fit in the distance between the panels! ARGH.

But, I had another idea. I took another piece of MDF that was the same width as the panels I had just installed, routered about 1/8" out of the center of the panel so the side profile looked something like this: --_________--. I then cut that panel into 2" strips, and then turned those strips upright and used the table saw to cut a groove down the center of each strip--the groove is about 1" deep. After I got these strips primed and painted, I was set. I used some L-shaped shelf pegs on the panels. After they were installed on both sides, I inserted the strips so the groove I had cut would fit snugly over the shelf pegs. The strips provided the extra length and depth for the tempered glass shelves to sit on, and the routered detail provided a slight lip for the glass to rest between, to make it even more stable. HOORAY! I forgot to take a detailed shot of the supports, so you'll just have to imagine what they look like based on my horrible description.

Here's the finished product. I just put some random stuff up there for now; when I'm able to find more of the knick knacks I have, I'll add them to the collection and actually "stage" the area. You can see the strips I made for the shelves to rest on.

For now, I'm just happy to have my grandma's pretty glass pieces on display!

Click for more pics of the project at different stages. All said and done, I think I spent about $10 on the entire project (including the glass, MDF, paint, pegs and screws--and excluding the wood working equipment :o)