Elegant Pantry Shelf

2 Materials
$500
6 Hours
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The time had finally come.....after years of dreaming about it we are in a home that had the perfect spot for my open pantry shelf project. YIPPEE! I have been collecting vintage mason jars for several years now for my daughters' weddings, and for my one day (swoon) open pantry shelves. Well ladies & gentlemen, my "one day" has arrived! It was my 26th wedding anniversary gift from my husband, one of my favorite gifts ever)! We needed it to have specific dimensions (8 inches deep 7 ft high and 6 feet wide) because it is in a walk through to the family room (man cave) off of the kitchen, so we hired a finish carpenter friend to do the build & install. See more on my blog http://brocanteelegance.blogspot.com/2015/09/pantry-shelf.html

He she is, in her unpainted glory.

Dentil style crown molding...I now have a whole new appreciation for painters who paint that style molding!

I used Benjamin Moore Regal Eggshell Classic Black. It has primer built in, thank heavens!

I did two solid coats and it was dry in a day.

Craig looking for studs, they mounted the shelf to the wall, removing part of the base molding so it was flush to the wall. They had to relocate the thermostat to the side of the shelf, my husband was his helper ;)

And here it is....swoon! It actually fit ALL of my glass jars, WOW!

He built it with solid wood and a divide down the middle to support all the weight of the glass jars. He drilled holes all the way up all of the insides, so the shelves would be adjustable, per my request.

Ordered some labels and had myself a fun DIY label making day!

It houses all of my flours, sugars, grains & baking supplies!

Houses ALL of my spices (in alphabetical order, of course) in my vintage mason jar collection! An organizers DREAM :)

All of my oils, syrups & liquids...by category then alphabetized. Feel the love (or OCD, lol).

The hard to find vintage 1/2 gallon sized jars are my favs.

Even had room for my extracts, food coloring and odds & ends.

More odds & ends.

He built the crown to come out 4" so I could use it to house my cookbooks & other storage needs.

Suggested materials:
  • Wood   (Home Depot)
  • Paint   (Jerrys)
Frequently asked questions
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3 of 4 questions
  • AnnaMarie Carroll AnnaMarie Carroll on Jan 04, 2016
    Where did you find a bookcase/shely with such a short depth?
  • Chelise Bray Chelise Bray on Mar 11, 2016
    I love this! Could you tell me the dimensions? Specifically the depth. Thanks
  • Catsrule Catsrule on Jun 25, 2017

    I am in the process of doing something similar, but bottom half cabinets and top half shelves. This has given me something to think about It is nicer than I imagined it to be. It is nice to see a finished project. Is there a reason why the middle shelves on the left leave more headroom than the other jars have? Would it be practical to decrease the headroom and add a small shelf. Just thinking, for when I make mine.

Comments
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2 of 521 comments
  • Ma114020524 Ma114020524 on Oct 23, 2023

    Nice job looks great

  • Pamela Cohen Pamela Cohen on Jan 13, 2024

    Beautifully done! An organizer’s dream.

    Black fits in easily, in that spot.

    I have a short wall going into my kitchen, through a doorway, and I’ve wanted a recessed spice shelf built into that wall, for lack of cabinet space, and to easily see what I have when cooking, so here is my nudge.


    The one item I’d add is a 1 x 1/2” or 1x2” wooden or metal bar in front of each shelf, just an inch or two off the shelf in case of the earthquake or?, so all your hard work and food supply doesn’t come crashing down. Even a movable bracket for a gold Cafe’ Rod. Attaching the pantry shelf to the wall securely is something you probably already did.


    You thought ahead on the adjustable shelf design…

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