A few months ago, I decided to tackle an awkward, unused alcove in my sitting room by installing some custom floating shelves. The flat I rent had this rather odd recess next to the chimney breast, and it was essentially dead space. I really needed somewhere to store my books and display a few house plants, so I thought I’d have a go at building the shelves myself rather than buying flat-pack furniture that wouldn't fit properly.
To get started, I measured the space precisely and popped down to a local timber merchant to buy some reclaimed oak planks. I also had to pick up some heavy-duty brackets, rawlplugs, wood stain, and sandpaper, as well as borrowing a cordless drill and a spirit level from a neighbour. I hadn't done much woodwork since secondary school, so I watched a few tutorials on a video-sharing website to make sure I got the drilling technique right.
The actual work took me a full weekend. Sanding down the timber and applying two coats of varnish took longer than expected because of the drying time. Fixing the brackets into the masonry wall was a bit fiddly, and I was terrified the shelves would end up crooked, but taking my time with the spirit level paid off.
In the end, I was thrilled with how it turned out. It completely transformed that corner of the room, making it look cosy and far more organised. More than anything, it gave me a massive sense of satisfaction knowing that I'd built something sturdy and practical with my own hands.