Learn How To Make A Wood Crate Shelving Unit

I saw a wooden crate shelving unit about a year ago at an antique store in Fredricksburg, Texas about 6 months ago and I fell in love with it. I was so happy when I found this Youtube video, so I could finally make this shelving dream I was having a reality. I started by going to JoAnn Fabrics and getting 11 wooden crates, which were pretty much “in the raw” with no finish whatsoever, so I stained them with Minwax.

Then I arranged the crates on the floor in a representation of how I wanted to see them on the wall.

Then I was ready to install them, using a drill and drywall screws that came with plastic anchor jackets. It was so easy and fun! I mounted them on the wall in the living room to display my collection of wooden safari animals. I had moved the animals all around my apartment and now they really had a home where they could shine in all their glory. After I started arranging them I had another idea to put plants all around them so they would really look like they were in the jungle, then I had all these African Trade Beads hanging around and I made necklaces for all of them, that looked fabulous. There was still something missing though, the animals needed some scenery in the background. So I found some old mirrors I had bought at a yard sale and some small watercolor sunsets I had done in my last year’s art class and placed them behind the animals and plants and that gave it the wow factor. I had some friends over that evening and they went wild the moment they saw my DIY Wooden Crate Shelving Unit. I really put a new twist on the run of the mill still life tableau.