Oops...I Made a Built in Picture Frame Ledge

by Deb Foglia

4 Materials

Oops? yes oops! This project was not meant to end like this...but I am so happy it did. We went through so many hiccups including an enormous hole in our wall. I am happy I could come up with a Plan B and Plan C that took this project from oh-no to a stunning statement and functional piece.

oops i made a built in picture frame ledge, diy, home decor, wall decor

This project was meant to be a built in picture frame ledge, but really built into the wall. After trying to open up our wall here, we ran into pipes and wires and beams that were not going to let the original idea work. Days of contemplating and a huge hole staring at us...lead to Plan B! Creating a "built in" look on the outside of the wall and over the now hole in the wall.

The project only involved some molding and wainscot panel board with a little help from some liquid nails, nails, screws, caulk, and paint. I wanted to have different "shelves" that separated each photo and also to create a ledge for shallow accessories.

We screwed the paneling onto the wall first and then built the frame separately. We used exterior molding since it was cheaper, but I highly recommend just spending a little more on the interior wood since this was vinyl and flimsy. It took us more effort to keep the piece straight and the money we saved was not worth the frustration.

After nails and screwing frame over the paneling I caulked the gaps and painted over the entire piece with two coats of white paint to blend together. I chose a matte finish, but high gloss could be pretty too.

The best part, I can add to this seasonally and add more shallow accessories, signs, arrows, etc to the piece. I thought about hanging a banner or flag for 4th of July and maybe some fresh garland for Christmas. You'll have to stop by and see each new season how I keep up and decorate this now focal point piece. I definitely feel it adds character to the wall which was what I was going for in my original plan to add built ins inside the wall. Did I mention that the wall was completely bare before? I love having it filled up and finished!