Create a Fabric Shelf to Fill Wall Space

For a quick redesign of a corner or space on a wall, why not spice up a simple shelf?

I have some extra shelves lying around the house, so I decided to put one by my pantry area. I needed a little space to keep vitamins, pads and other small items. Since the wall was bare, I figured a shelf would do the trick.

You can do this project with any kind of shelf, but raw wood will work best, and use any fabric you want to cover it. Do you have pillowcases or sheets you don't use anymore? Recycle them for this project. Even old shirts or pants would be cool to use. It takes about 10 minutes or less and you only need a few items to get the job done. Let's get to work!

Materials: fabric, scissors, stapler, ruler, pencil

Lay the fabric down on a flat surface with the good side down. Lay your shelf on top and cut around the shape leaving at least an inch or so. Use a ruler and a pencil to mark a straight line. If you are hanging the shelf high you might want to cover as much of the wood as possible, so leave a good amount of fabric to work with.

You can purchase a ruler and pencils at CVS on West Park Avenue and Rite Aid at Long Beach Plaza.

Next, just take the fabric and pull it tightly over the edges of the shelf. You don't want it to look loose. Staple the fabric onto the shelf as you pull it over. 

If you don't have fabric to use, try Pier 1 Imports on East Park Avenue and visit True Value on Long Beach Boulevard to pick up a stapler.

Next, fold in the corners so they lay flat — well, as flat as you can get them. Staple each fold so it is secure. Once you have done each corner, turn the shelf over and make sure the fabric is tight in all areas. You can also remove a staple to fix it.

Finally, hand up the shelf and use it proudly. I told you it was easy!