How to Turn a Cornice Into a Decorative Shelf

Do you have a cornice sitting around that you are not using? Don't toss it out. Do you wish you had a shelf to hold spices or jars? It is very easy to turn that cornice into the perfect shelf. You can use this shelf in your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere you are wishing you had a shelf!

Begin with the cornice, perhaps this is one you had, or maybe you found it at a yard sale and just knew you could find something useful to do with it. Your local lumberyard will be happy to cut all of your wood to size for when you purchase it. Just take the measurements of all the pieces with you...and ask. They don't offer to do this, but really don't mind.

All you need to do to turn this into a shelf is cut a board the length of the cornice and attach it to the top. There are many paint colors available now, so choose one that will compliment the room that you will be hanging the shelf in. If the cornice is made of wood, paint the entire cornice your new paint color.

After the paint is dry, decorate the cornice if you wish, using stencils, or by hand painting motifs on the surface. You can also decorate using script and wording to relay a message. If this is going in a child's room you can write in a fancy script, the child's name, or favorite character. You can also cut out pictures or designs from magazines and glue them lightly to the painted wood. After the glue is dry and pictures are all in place, use a small brush and using 2 coats of varnish, cover the entire surface, sealing the pictures to the wood. You can use one or two pictures, or create a collage of pictures. People, places, or things. You can also use one of many painting techniques. You can marble the surface, splatter paint or stipple the surface. For a boy's room you can create a very nice leather look using faux painting techniques. .

You can use a long cornice to create a shelf to place over your bed. Extend the shelf over the edge to accommodate a lamp, or install a light strip the length of the cornice inside the cornice to create indirect lighting. Hang fabric from the underneath and let it drape as a headboard over your bed. There are countless things you can do. If there is something you have done with an old cornice, leave us a comment and tell us about it.