Today I’m going to show you how I did my built in shelves and bench.
So here we are at the pre-shelf stage. You’ll notice that I had already removed the trim that was in my little shelf “nook.”
I initially was just going to do some shelves, but then I decided a bench might be kind of cool, too. And I don’t know about you, but I am constantly seeking out new storage solutions and trying to find the best and most organized ways to store all the things we keep around the house. That’s why I knew I wanted to add storage underneath the bench too. At first I thought a place for baskets would be the best solution but I’ve been getting a little to “baskety” lately with my decor, so I opted for a hinged bench seat — which, as it turns out, I L-O-V-E.
So here we are at the pre-shelf stage. You’ll notice that I had already removed the trim that was in my little shelf “nook.” I then measured my space:
The width of the area was the length I needed to cut the boards I used for the top of the shelves.
The depth of the shelves is entirely up to you. I used a 1×12 board, so my shelves are a foot deep.
Knowing that my shelves will be 12″ deep, I cut a 1×2 board to be 12″, which will be the shelf “brace.”
Above you can see my “braces” that I used for the shelves. The walls are primed at this point….and because I wanted to save some time, I splurged for primed MDF for my braces — just makes life easier. 
You’ll want to make sure each board is level with it’s “partner” as well. I used my the hubby’s trusty air nailer and nailed them to the walls:
You’ll want to make sure each board is level with it’s “partner” as well. I used 
Next it was time to add my shelf tops. I’m going to warn you; our “nook” is not completely square, so the back is slighly narrower than the front of the area, so you will see there are gaps — don’t worry, we’ll get them all filled in.
Can you see those gaps on the sides I was talking about? Annoying — but it’s any easy fix, and I’ll guess that most houses have some area that isn’t completely “square” — so it’s good to know these tricks. I nailed the tops to the braces as well.
Next step is to add my 3″ trim. I chose 3″ trim because I needed to make sure that the trim covered the braces AND the top of the board. So, if my board is 1″ (actually it’s 3/4″) and I used a 2″ brace, I was going to need a 3″ piece of trim or bigger.
I attached the trim with my air nailer as well — can you see the nail holes to prove it? Now it’s time to paint! I taped off my shelf area at the end of my shelves — I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to do a “built in” look, so you decide where you want the white to start and end.
Here’s what the underneath of your shelves should look like:
Alright, now it’s time to fill in those gaps! I used some silicone caulk in bright white that we had around the house. Then I put my dad-taught caulking skills to work. Although my dad’s the pro at this, I think I did a pretty good job. I ran a bead of caulk along the gap and then took a damp paper towel and lightly wiped away the excess. I ran the paper towel across a few times in order to get all the extra caulk out and make sure my seal was smooth. I think it’s better to go over it a few times than to gouge out a bunch of caulk and have to start over. I did this to all my shelves so they look like this:
Much better, right?!? Now that the shelves are done, here’s the low down on that upholstered bench. For my bench I used 1×3″ boards for the “legs”, or supports for the seat. I decided to make my bench 26″ high, so I cut eight 26″ long pieces. And as you can see in the picture below, I placed the boards in an “L” shaped in the corners so that they hold up the seat of the bench. I used the nailer to attach these to the walls and to each other on the front. I also laid a piece of 1×3″ board across the bottom so that I had a place to attach my hinges. (Sorry no pictures of that!!)
I then cut a 1″ thick piece of plywood to fit on the top. You want it to rest on all the posts, so measure carefully. I attached 2″ foam to the top and then I covered it with my fabric. I found my foam and fabric at a fabric overstock outlet — which is totally the way to go if you have one near you.
Then I used just basic hinges and attached the bottom of the board for the seat to the top of the 1×3″ board I laid across the top.
I glued a white-painted piece of plywood behind the two boards on the front to make the “face” of my bench. You can also see above that I cut the original trim and butted it up to the bench I made.
So the tools and materials you will need for this project are as follows:
Air Nailer and 1 1/2″ nails
White Silicone Caulk
Miter Saw
Upholstry Stapler
Tape Measure
1 x 2″ board for shelf braces
1 x 12″ board for shelf tops
1 x 3″ board for “legs” of bench and back hing support
Plywood for bench top and bench face
3″ Decorative Trim
Hinges
Fabric
Foam for bench
Paint and Primer
For a cost breakdown, go here.
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Wonderful project and you did an amazing job! Love how you took this wasted space and changed it to function and beauty in this room!
That looks wonderful. That gave you tons more storage and it looks so much nicer. I love the blue color too. Great job.
Brooke
Looks awesome! We have a space like that in our bathroom. We put the venilated shelving in there for our towels and wash clothes etc. I like the decluttered look on your shelves though!
Like Angie(above) we too have the same type of "wasted space" in our bathroom. However, previous owners(cousins) made it into closet space with two doors that open toward you. HOWEVER, the shelves are SO deep that stuff gets lost in the back.
We're currently remodeling this very room(the master bath) and will soon be blogging about our solution.
Love yours here:)
Sarah
HandbagsnPigtails.blogspot.com
It's perfect!! Great job on the redo!
…visiting from Sassy Sites! I'm a follower!
I am so impressed! You give me courage, Amanda.
xoxoxox
~a
I love how this makeover turned out, but I really wanted to add something, from a strength and durability standpoint for the tutorial. First, those shelves are absolutely fantastic for small design elements, but if you're going to be putting any substantial weight on it (or possibly even stacking your towels, etc. on it), you will probably want a back support, especially if you have a slightly wider space.
Secondly, if you're going to be using that bench for actually sitting on, as opposed to storing things, future builders would want to add some of the same bracing that was used for the shelves all the way around the seat to add support. 1x2s are fantastic, but will not hold that kind of weight for a long time if it's only L-shaped legs holding an adult (or a child standing on it to reach the shelves). Just a few safety features that future builders may want to include, but the finished product is absolutely gorgeous and definitely gave me ideas of how to use the space above my toilet "nook" in my own bathroom. Thanks!
OMG! What a wonderful transformation!!!!
Thanks so much for the feature, Becca!
You're so sweet for showing it to everyone! Hope you have a wonderful day!
I saw this on SugarDoodle on Facebook! Really cute space you've made there. Love it!
that is beautiful!! i LOVE that!