You guys, I'm so excited to share this post today because this shelf is aaahhhh-mazing. I've been eyeing picture ledge shelves for a while now, but I couldn't find something "just right." Until Minted debuted their new collection of art shelves and photo ledges.
Yes, that Minted. The online marketplace that sells oh-so-lovely stationary, wedding invitations, and artwork—all created by independent artists and designers. Lately, they've expanded into home products, too. Pillows, curtains, table linens, holiday decor—you can shop it all. But these shelves are exactly what I was looking for.
The good folks at Minted sent me over the shelves of my choice to style, review, and share here on the blog. It was a tough decision. I kept bouncing back and forth between the shiny metal shelf in copper and the French farmhouse shelf. But ultimately, I kept going back to The Little Artist shelf. I loved that it not only offered a ledge for pictures, photos, and artwork, but also a wire with clips for hanging even more art. (In my humble opinion, the more art to look at the better!)
The Little Artist shelf is designed with kids in mind. It's a perfect way to stylishly put children's artwork on display. You could frame their favorite "masterpieces" to place on the ledge along with some cute decor items, then have a revolving gallery of artwork clipped onto the wire.
But because of its sleek design and range of neutral colors (white, natural wood, soft gray, and whitewashed), this shelf is versatile and stylish enough for grownups, too. In fact, I put it to the test styling it eight different ways—and I had so much fun!
1. Bar Cart Companion
What's more grownup than adult beverages? If you have tiny bar cart and need a bit more space for the accessories, this shelf has you covered. I outfitted it with a jar of colorful swizzle sticks, my favorite gold deer bottle opener, a bottle of bitters, a cute beer sign, and a couple tasting glasses from craft beer festivals. On the clips, I hung a biz card for a brewery we want visit along with some coasters. But the clips are a perfect place to hang some cocktail recipes, too.
2. Extra Bathroom Counter Space
Am I the only one who scatters her makeup across the bathroom counter? If you're short on vanity space but want to keep certain items from your beauty arsenal handy, look to this shelf. It's just the right size to corral favorite skincare products, a pretty glass of brushes and eyeliner, and some decor. My bathroom's mermaid-themed, so I incorporated a few of those accessories. On the clips, I hung this mermaid towel that's just too adorable to use.
3. Girly Bedroom Storage
My dresser is completely overrun with girly things—perfume bottles, jewelry, lovely little knick-knacks. I love the idea of using one of these shelves to store those items in a less cluttered way. Plus, the clips and wire are kinda perfect for hanging favorite necklaces and earrings.
4. Coffee and Tea Shelf
Even though our kitchen isn't super spacious, I'm lucky enough to use a bit of our butler's pantry as my "tea and coffee nook." As a lover of caffeinated beverages, I love having certain things out on display—like coffee-inspired prints, tea infuser spoons, pretty mugs, and my colorful French presses. If I didn't have a designated butler's pantry nook for these items, I'd totally put them on display in the kitchen with this shelf. The clips would be ideal for "be your own barista" coffee recipes, too.
5. Foyer / Entryway Decor
I might have to purchase another one of these shelves for my foyer just because I love-love-love how it's styled here. This option is less about storage, more about decor. I accessorized the ledge with a few wood signs I'd picked up from flea markets and other shops. And aren't the clips so cute with my painted skeleton keys dangling along the wire? It makes me super happy.
6. Off-the-counter Kitchen Storage
Back to the kitchen because this shelf is just such a handy multi-tasker. For someone with scant counter space but wall space to spare, this shelf is a great spot to display a favorite cookbook, items like honey or spices, and adorable kitchen decor like my little creamer cow. And the clips? I'd use them for hanging favorite recipes (like my grandma's vegetable soup) and grocery shopping lists.
7. Sentimental or Seasonal Decor
Even though it could step in to help you out in a variety of ways, sometimes a shelf just wants to be decorated. If you're short on tables or other furniture for decor purposes, a few of these shelves on the wall are perfect for seasonal or sentimental decor that you can swap out depending on your mood, the holiday, or whatever. Here, I decorated it with a favorite photo of me and G, books cut into the shape of our initials, and a couple lovey-dovey items.
So... are you wondering where the shelf ultimately ended up in my house? Well, I actually have three shelves. And they were the perfect size, color, and style for a certain corner of my home office. :)
8. Pretty Home Office Shelving
Since I work from home (and blog/write in my spare time), I spend a lot of time in my home office. We recently took down wallpaper, repaired the walls, and painted it a gorgeous shade of dark gray. These shelves came along right as I was getting to the fun stuff: decorating. The 2-foot size was a perfect fit for this little sliver of wall next to my desk and perpendicular to my big bulletin board. And the soft gray just happened to be the exact color of gray that I'd be painting my file cabinets, which also matches the gray in my rug and my office chair. It's a win-win-win.
But what I really love about the shelves is the versatility. I need creative inspiration overload in my office. So I'm always filling up my bulletin board and scattering pretty objects all over my desk. The shelves help take some of the decor off my desk, but still within sight. And the clips are oh-so-perfect for keeping things handy that I don't want getting lost on the bulletin board—business cards, coupons, thank you notes, paint chips, and notes for my blog or novel.
Here's a view of the desk space overall. I'm really happy with how it's turned out. The dark and light grays feel neutral and modern alongside the dark wood tones of the room's original trim and my desk. And the grays are an ideal backdrop for the pops of white, mint, turquoise, and hot pink. When I sit here, I feel happy and inspired. It's functional with every thing I need within reach. It's also visually stimulating—I can look at my bulletin board and shelves when I just need to look away from the screen.
I adore these shelves. It's like they were made for the space. Also, I should mention just how impressed I am with the quality. They arrived from Minted very well packaged. They've got a nice weight to them and feel very high end. The wires are secure and the clips are hardy, too—no cheap hardware here. Also, the shelves came with all the hanging hardware and were a breeze to hang.
Here's a photo I borrowed from Minted's site. It shows the back of the shelf. The shelf comes with a metal hanging strip that you attach to your wall. Then, the shelf slides right onto the metal strip. The genius part is that because it hangs on the metal strip, you can slide the shelf left or right to adjust it—perfect for hanging more than two above/below each other without having to get the nail in just the right place so that they're even.
Also borrowed from Minted's site, here's a side view of the shelf.
I'm so pleased with these shelves and I'll already planning to purchase some more for other areas of my house. The best part? The price is on point, too. The Little Artist shelf starts at just $62 for a 2' length. Not a bad price tag to pay considering how well these are made. I know that mine will last for years and I'll get tons of use out of them—and I'll probably move them around my home over the years, too.
Which one most matches your style?
What would you use the shelf for?
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