old school.

Published on by Quandie

I just realized that I’m not sure were I purchased this little wall shelf!

shelf before

Most likely a garage sale because this is the sort of thing that is kind of putzy to makeover, so I must have gotten a really great deal on it.  And then it sat in the ‘to-do’ pile for a long time because I didn’t want to deal with it.

But I had some leftover paint from the tropical kitchen island last weekend, so I decided to slap it on this.

And voila!

shelf 2

It got really nicely chippy.

shelf close up

One of the tiny knobs was missing.  I tried multiple different replacement knobs, most of which were too big for the scale of this piece.  But I pulled these two out of my stash and thought they worked quite nicely.

shelf knob

I lined the drawers with some pretty scrapbook paper.

shelf drawer lining

And then I filled it up with some of my favorite ironstone.

shelf 1

I’m hanging this on the wall, but you could also set this on a dresser or some other surface because it has a flat bottom suitable for that.  These shelves are perfect for displaying a collection, but I wonder if people find them to be too ‘old school’.

What do you think?  Lame old fashioned, or yummy vintage?  What would you display?

32 thoughts on “old school.”

  3. Beach decor (shells, starfish, driftwood), toys ( vintage cars & trucks) … ironstone! It’s unique, and I think it awesome 🙂

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  4. I think it’s perfect just as you have it. I call it practical display. Displaying something that’s useful and pretty too. This would be great for any kind of dishes in a dining room, coffee mugs or canisters in the kitchen, etc. I like it. Love the knobs you chose too.

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    1. I like the idea of ‘practical display’. Your coffee mug suggestion makes me think it would make a great ‘coffee station’. Mugs, maybe a pretty glass canister with sugar, a ball jar with pretty silver spoons. I think a bunch of k-cups would fit in the drawers.

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  5. Perfectly fabulous! Love it in the Tropical Island color. I like the monochrome display with it, would also be lovely with mason jars and flowers, some books, or a little bird’s nest. Definitely NOT lame old fashioned!

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  6. Yummy vintage detail and like Michelle, above, I would probably hang it in the bathroom. I love wall hung cabinets and shelves over the toilet instead of art.
    This piece is really wonderful Linda. Of course by now you know that it fits my style to a “T”. Love the color, the chippiness and the way you have styled it cause I am also a huge fan of ironstone.

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    1. My bathroom is so tiny that I avoid anything that will project out from the wall and into the visual space, so it never even occurred to me that this would work in a bathroom. But you guys are right, it would be great for that. Thanks Victoria!

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  7. I vote Yummy! I love the chippiness of this piece. I can see it hanging above a dresser painted in the same color, but perhaps not large enough to have a presence of its own in a room, creating the appearance of a hutch – lovely display space for any collection. Also, in regard to yesterday’s post, I appreciate reading about your thinking process when choosing chalk vs milk paint and your reviews of new products you try. Thanks for sharing your skill and unerring good taste!

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    1. I like the hutch idea. I had the same thought, that it would be nice placed on a dresser … especially a tall more narrow one (something just a bit wider than the shelf itself). Thanks for your comment Kim, and your kind compliment!

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    1. LOL … I suspect you will be the only one who suggests Disney memorabilia for it! I love the craft room idea though. It would be fab for that as well.

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  10. This turned out really cute. I think it’s perfect for grouping a collection. I have some small to medium missals and statues that I display along with some old rosaries. They would fit the scale of this piece nicely.

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    1. I had to look up ‘missals’ to see what they were 😉 Ahhh, sort of like a little prayer book? OK, yes, I can totally see that on this shelf. I’m getting a ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ vibe, right?

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  13. What a good idea for the coffee station and a jar for spoons. I have my mothers’s souvenir tea spoons but I’m not the kind of gal to display them. But they would look cute (edited ) on a shelf like that. What a great way to use up your paint and the shelf looks great.

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    1. It would be fun to put all of your mom’s spoons in a mason jar or an ironstone pitcher for display. I agree, I probably wouldn’t want an old fashioned spoon rack type display, but it would be nice to have them out somehow.

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  14. I think it’s adorable! In fact, I really need it for my bathroom. Can you click your heels and send it down here to me?

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  15. So many great ideas for this little bit of goodness! I too think it’s splendid. My vision is for a kitchen wall with old cookbooks…..the take-out menus could hide in the drawers!! This is a piece I might have overlooked when looking for treasures but now I might give something like it a whirl. Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. Great idea Teri! Vintage cookbooks would be fab. This could even sit on top of a kitchen counter (if there aren’t any overhead cupboards) filled with cookbooks. I like it!

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