Now, you may recall that Hubby was building me a piece of furniture that we painted purplish/taupeish/grayish. This piece of furniture was to solve a terrible problem of un-utilized (is that a word?) space in our kitchen. The problem began when we moved in, and no place for a microwave. I refused to put it on what little counter space I actually had. Those counters are for cooking. Cooking is my peaceful place. No place for radioactive appliances. So it ended up in the living room.
Seriously, we kept the microwave in the living room. It was all very kitschy and newlywedish. But it got old. So Hubby built a shelf in this odd space in the kitchen for the microwave. It became and odd extra shelf, and a temporary solution to our problem. Two years later, we decided the problem needed a more permanent solution. This is what this space looked like. I can barely look at it, it now makes me cringe.
The chair and phone are there because the phone jack is conveniently in this awkward corner. What was the intention with the jack in this odd place? I do not know. So we were left with phone on antique chair. Here is what the space looks like when we cleared out everything:
Odd space. I know. So we collectively came up with a solution. We talked, searched internet pictures, perused stores, and drew pictures of our ideas. And then Hubby went to work.
This is an in-process picture. In the back is Mantown, where Hubby does all his woodworking, craftsmanship, and manly-ness. He is my right-hand man for all of my painting. It's a beautiful crafty partnership.
These are the pieces of wood that he cut at perfect angles for the wine rack. He tried to describe his idea for the wine rack, and I couldn't fully picture it. You'll understand better when you see the final picture. It's a genius plan he came up with.
This is how hubby adhered the shelves to the side of the shelving unit. The way that he screwed them in has a special name. He told me the name. I forgot it. But I am no less impressed! Great shelf-screwing-in technique, Honey!
This is how the wine rack was put together. One piece went in at a time. Can you picture it?
Okay, get ready. The final picture is coming. The "after shot". The love of my life. Here we go.
How GORGEOUS is it!! Let's take a look shelf by shelf. Wait a second. I just have to stare at it some more. Okay, let's move on.
I woke up in the morning to all of the wine glasses already hung. Hubby did it while I was sleeping. Sorry, you can't have him. He's mine.He also came up with the little triangle glass hanging idea all by himself!
Look at the gorgeousness that is the wine rack. I think it resembles a barn door. Or a farm fence. Doesn't it?
Microwave shelf! The original problem solved!
Phone shelf. With my grandma's vase filled with wooden spoons. And a mail sorter on the right. I love a good hiding place for mail.
I put giant glass bowls on the bottom for now. And a basket that will house napkins. These are temporary for the time being. You may think that this will be a problem in the future with a little one toddling at this level, but you forget, my girl is perfect and will not disturb anything that is not supposed to be touched. Silly readers! You'll get it soon. Reilly = perfection. Amen.Let's go ahead and do a before and after right next to each other. Because I think those are fun.
Before:
After:
You may notice that the original shelf Hubby built pales in comparison to the new furniture that he built. That's because 2 years ago when we got married, Hubby never built anything. That right. He made this amazingness without any training, and only 2 years of self-taught woodworking. Another amazing thing - I never painted when we first got married. I love art my whole life, but I never explored painting as my life's passion until we got married. I think that's so amazing when I think about it. It goes to show how we have encouraged one another in marriage, and grown together in our individual hobby's. I love how those parts of marriage can sneak by you, until you look back and reflect on how you have grown and changed for the better.We could have just bought a piece of furniture. That would certainly have been easier. But now, when I walk into my kitchen, I not only see a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, but I see love. The love and smelly smelly sweat that went into building it. Hubby thought of what we needed, what I wanted, and how to make it beautiful. We painted it together one night while baby slept with the monitor next to us. He put all the wine glasses and bottles in it so when I woke up in the morning, it would look beautiful.
It's a work of art, and a work of love, right there in my kitchen.
Love & Craftiness,
DR Mama
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