This very simple DIY project has transformed our living room in the best way possible. Inspired by a post from Chris Loves Julia, we set out to make our very own art ledge and fill it with beautiful frames and art/photos. I love this look because it makes actual art feel less stuffy and more attainable. 🤗
I bet I’ll rearrange the frames a dozen more times, but that’s the fun of this project! I can change it up whenever I want without drilling into the wall or spending a bunch of money.
The Art
Hilariously, we were being so budget-conscious that I made some of the art on the ledge and ripped out prints from an art book I snagged at an estate sale for $2. If you want to go the DIY route for some of your art, I recommend buying nice acrylic paints and thick, high-quality art paper.
If you need a little push on modern and simple(ish) art ideas, I made this Pinterest board to inspire us all. I should note that I do not in any capacity think I’m an artist and I love the idea of investing in actual art! I’ll likely swap out some of the pieces for prints from Juniper Print Shop at some point.
I will say that finding frames that looked expensive was important to me. A large frame with a mat can make DIY art look so much more wonderful! The mat is key for me. I shopped my home for frames, first, then picked up frames at Walmart, Target, and Michael’s (wait for a 50% off sale). We had the wedding picture framed and shipped to us from Shutterfly. We’re pretty happy with it!
Enough about the art, here’s how to DIY your own art ledge with instructions from my roomie/husband, Ryan!
How to Make Your Own Art Ledge
Supplies:
- 1×1 Pine Board*
- 1×4 Pine Board*
- 1×6 Pine Board*
- General Purpose 2-Inch Screws
- General Purpose ¾-Inch Screws
- Power Drill with Bits and Drivers
- 2 to 4 Clamps (depending on length; we used 4)
- Sander and 120-Grit Sand Paper
- 4-Inch Screws (if screwing into studs) or Molly Bolts (for drywall)
- Pre-Stain
- Wood Stain
- Clear Matte Sealant
- 2+ Paint Brushes
- Rags and Paper Towels
*Buy the flattest, straightest boards you can find and look for boards that look as identical as possible in terms of color. We also recommend buying them all in the same length to avoid having to make cuts yourself. Ours is 9 feet in length, so we had to cut off 1 foot on each of our 10-foot boards.
1. If your boards are already the correct length, sand every side of each board. Wipe off with a damp cloth.
2. Using the 6-inch board as your base, use clamps to hold the 4-inch board and 6-inch board together. See picture below on placements.
3. Pre-drill one hole every 18 inches. Then, use 2-inch wood screws to assemble boards.
4. Use clamps to hold the 1-inch board and 6-inch board together.
5. Pre-drill one hole every 18 inches. Use ¾-inch wood screws to assemble boards.
6. Sand the sides to make sure the three boards are flush with each other.
7. Coat the entire shelf in a layer of pre-stain wood conditioner. Leave this on for 10-15 minutes, then wipe down the structure with paper towels to collect any conditioner that didn’t soak in.
8. Throw on some plastic gloves and paint on your stain. We used a special walnut stain and wiped it off with a rag immediately after applying to keep it light in tone.
9. Once dry, apply at least one layer of clear, matte polyurethane. I applied two coats for our final shelf that you see in the pictures. As far as I can tell, that’s plenty. Wait two hours between applications and don’t take inside until fully dry.
10. Mount the boards to a wall using 4-inch screws into the studs or molly bolts. We recommend using a stud finder and level.
The Truth About This Art Ledge of Ours
What should have been a super easy DIY project got way more complicated when I stained it, then applied three coats of sealant, and brought it inside to declare it bright orange. Oh, my. My sweet Ryan sanded down the entire thing (this was a bear of a job) to reveal the raw wood and let me try again. Yikes.
Our art ledge is very imperfect. There are wavy lines across sections of the wood from Ryan’s efforts to remove all that sealant and stain with the sander. Because I did such a great job the first time, there are still spots that have a teensy bit of the orangey stain remaining.
I learned a lot doing this project with the roomie. I learned that I can’t have a meltdown and be so hard on myself over something like an orange DIY art ledge, I was reminded that my Ryan will always give me so much grace while we learn how to DIY together, and I learned to trust my gut when it comes to stain color. It should feel right!
B E F O R E 
A F T E R
We goof up our projects to help you not do the same with your own! Truthfully, we love this art ledge and it is such a great addition to a room we spend so much time in. We highly recommend you make one yourself! If you do, reach out to us and let us know how it went. 💕