Shelves in arched alcove? How to?

15 years ago

We are in the process of building a house. We are taking on some of the end projects to help save some money. (We have a cost-plus contract with our builder and he is fine with us doing some of the work. We installed the light fixtures and the outlets, for example.)

We have two arched alcoves at one end of our greatroom and we want to install shelves in them to display collections. They are not deep enough for books. I have a similar situation in my current home and we used tracks and brackets, which is a very inelegant way of doing it because the tracks show.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to install the shelves? I was thinking of using wood strips as cleats that the MDF shelves would then sit on. I could paint the support strips the same color as the drywall inside the arch. This means that there is no flexibility regarding shelf placement, but that would be okay.

I cannot figure out how to embed a photo in my post. My apologies.

Thanks in advance.

Featured Answer

Sujafr

15 years ago

I second rachelen's suggestion...although you could use MDF if you're going with white trim in the room. Here's a photo that shows molding added to the sections between the arches to create the illusion of columns. It's a way to top off the insertion of a piece of wood or MDF along the sides of each alcove---into which you'd drill the holes at appropriate intervals and have adjustable shelves just like your kitchen cabinets. Sorry the photo isn't better quality, it's one I saved for a molding idea. BTW, beautiful room!
{{!gwi}}

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Comments (18)

chickadeead
Original Author
15 years ago
[IMG]http://i35.tinypic.com/98bk77.jpg[/IMG]

Hopefully this photo shows up.
chickadeead
Original Author
15 years ago
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It really is such an awkward space! Dimensions are 54" w x 72" deep. I appreciate all the responses and suggestions. After playing around a bit with some cut and paste from of my inspiration photos, I've got this image that kind of gives the idea I was hoping might work, but it's a little rough. The back wall could be built out with shelving, maybe 15" deep. Then add a deep sitting area with storage underneath. Probably put in a recessed lighting can with direction toward the shelves, and then either a small ceiling fixture for reading light or a wall mounted fixture on the left. I was hoping to make it a more cozy and less creepy reading nook. I have considered other uses you have mentioned: desk, storage, shelves. Maybe it would be cool to make shelving toward the front of the space that would be on a door, kind of like a secret passage to storage space behind. Keep those ideas coming!
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Pleasant room. Less is certainly better for the top shelves -- one tall item for the left and right look good; however, with the rectangle wall hung piece in the center, you might consider a single (approximately equal width) shallow piece such as an interesting well made basket https://www.pinterest.com/pin/43487952624695278/ a wood box https://www.rubylane.com/item/559187-RL001449/Small-Cedar-Chest-Box78-for-Trinkets or wood nutcracker bowl (with art hung above that) https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-vintage-wooden-bowl-with-built-in-brass-nutcracker-31595689.html For the lower shelves -- they don't need to match but do seek some degree of symmetry. With brass on one side, consider a different brass piece of similar size on the other. With a wood item on one side, consider a wood item on the other. You could keep the wood and brass thermometer and barometer on the one shelf and add a small wood item to the shelf with the duck ... symmetry without being too "matchy/matchy". With books on one side -- even on only half of the shelf and something else beside them -- consider a mirror image of that general configuration. Would not scrunch a living plant on a lower shelf. or put one where it cannot get natural light. If you have any place in the room that gets sunlight, consider adding a plant stand for the living plants. https://www.lampsplus.com/sfp/33R43/?cm_mmc=GOO-SH--NA--NA-_-33R43&sourceid=DFGPD33R43&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI89KrjJGM6QIVMfC1Ch3YMw7_EAQYAiABEgKc-_D_BwE
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Thanks for the extra photos, So some new thoughts that do not include a barn door so that you can budget for some real storage and possibly a new sofa with much smaller proportions. It's geat that you want a room that is child friendly,but it needs to be family friendly as well with an attractive, organized space the parents can enjoy --Relocate the TV to the far wall across from the big window and watch the TV from there. --Below the TV and across the wall below the window, add open shelving like this with baskets for most of the toys. It doesn't need to be all cubbies. Some straight open shelves such as you see in a preschool would provide playing space for your child. --Use the niche for bookshelves with the lowest one for basket storage. Decluttering and fixing layout are the first order of business. The problem in your room is not that the TV doesn't fit in the niche. It's that the toy situation is out of control. You need to take all the toys out of the room, install your storage bookcases and baskets, then only bring in age appropriate that you child(ren) enjoy enough to play with daily and put away every day. Good luck!
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raehelen
15 years ago
Not sure what you can do, if you want to leave them drywalled. I'm guessing they are drywalled... We are doing something similar though on a smaller scale in our kitchen. DH will line the alcove with maple and then drill holes into the wood to use brass supports for glass shelves. Just like in your adjustable kitchen cupboards. No tracks, just holes...
chickadeead
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you both for your very good suggestions. I love the idea of using holes with supports (pegs) inserted. Since the walls are already drywalled and painted (I think I missed an opportunity for planning this in the earlier stages of construction), maybe I could use a wall anchor in which to insert the supports.
nhb22
15 years ago
Ours are trimmed boards, mounted on hidden brackets. Holes were driven into the sides for shelf adjusting.
{{!gwi}}

These are stationary shelves, mounted on routed wood strips.
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
Before you commit to any shelf material (and MDF would be at the bottom of my list) you can see how the material will sag in relation to the load and the span. The link below takes you to a most useful program designed to help you select the proper material for your shelving project.
Casey

Here is a link that might be useful: Shelf Sag Calculator
chickadeead
Original Author
15 years ago
newhomebuilder, everytime I see photos of your beautiful home, I wish I could hire you to work on my home! You did an incredible job on it.

Thank you for the calculator link, sombreuil. I will check that out. May I ask why MDF is not a good choice for a shelf? We aren't committed to it yet. I've never used it before, so I'm really looking for information.
nhb22
15 years ago
Thank you! :)

MDF in short spans should be OK, however it does tend to sag in long spans. If you use it, make sure the thickness is 5/8" or more and not 1/2".
crescent50
15 years ago
newhomebuilder- your home is beautiful- I have been trying to find other pictures of it to get ideas for our new construction. I love the arched shelves and am wondering about the paint colors on the walls. Please share and if you can direct me to any other pictures, I'd appreciate it.

Sorry to the OP for hijacking the thread. Your great room looks amazing (love the floors)- good luck with all the finishing details and share pictures when you can:)
cliff_and_joann
15 years ago
The sheetrock on the end walls are attached to either 2 x 4's or perhaps metal studs...the sheetrock is just not sitting there by itself.
Here is an easy way do it : Mount a strip of wood on both sides-- almost the width of the shelf. I say almost, because I would mount the strips about 1/2 " in from the edge, so that I could mount a piece of plain molding on the front of the shelf to cover the strips. That's one way to do, you'd be assured to hit wood that way -- to hold the weight of the shelf. You can also run a strip along the back of the alcove for extra strength.

If you want another idea, this is a little more work: You mount the strips as stated above, then route out the bottom of the shelf starting one 1/2 inch back from the front and the shelf would fit over the wood strips and they wouldn't be seen.
Joann
cliff_and_joann
15 years ago
Here is an example of how we mounted the shelves in our curios. We cut a piece of wood for the entire back, routed out a groove so that the glass sat in the grove and the glass was level with the wood. We also cut three groves in all the wood strips, so that I could prop up my dishes. If you look in the middle you'll see the dish groove. This would be a good idea for you as well, since you stated that the alcove was not deep, as dish stands take up a lot of room... I also have a shot showing the under neath view of the strip.
You could adopt this method for a wood shelf as well. It will give your shelf more stability and look good as well. Joann

I came up with the wood strip along the back cause I didn't trust the safety of my stuff with just 4 push pin holders, even thought I knew they would be adequate.
User
15 years ago
Thinking in another direction - I would use a pair of consoles or chests that aren't deep for each alcove and then use 3 or 4 decorative shelf brackets above each for dsiplay arranged in a pyramid(3) or a diamond pattern(4).
Lamps on each could also be used.

I would keep everything very symetrical.

Jim
nhb22
15 years ago
crescent50 - The paint is BM Decatur Buff. My photos are tucked in in all sorts of threads. You could you try a search using my name.
chickadeead
Original Author
15 years ago
These are all great ideas! Everyone has given me many choices to consider. I knew I could count on the GW.
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
What's wrong with MDF as shelving? Plug it into the calculator program and see. It sags three times as much as pine for a typical 3 foot shelf span.
Casey
nhb22
15 years ago
"Thinking in another direction - I would use a pair of consoles or chests that aren't deep "

This is a photo from one of my favorite Open Houses tour

{{!gwi}}
susieq07
15 years ago
Glass shelves would be lovely with lights installed, amazing!

Shelves in arched alcove? How to?

Sujafr

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