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How to Make Fixer Upper Style Farmhouse Shelves

Learn how to make easy DIY shelves with brackets for a Fixer Upper farmhouse style look. You’ll love how it looks ~ and it’s easy on the budget!

DIY wall shelves with black metal brackets above an antique dining room buffet

Inspirational DIY Wall Shelf Ideas from Joanna Gaines

I was hooked on the Fixer Upper tv show and Joanna Gaines’s style from the first episode.

It was awe-inspiring to watch the transformation of homes in just an hour (ha ha!). Each show had great scenes of home choices and demolition, but my favorite part was the last 15 minutes.

I watched with intensity as Joanna styled the homes with beautiful touches. I noticed she liked to mix warm wood tones with blacks, metals, greenery, and vintage touches. She also often used her signature Fixer Upper style farmhouse shelves.

(Styling done by Joanna Gaines -Photo Source)

When we moved into our townhouse 2 years ago, I wanted to figure out how to add some of Joanna’s modern farmhouse style into our builder basic space.

It’s been a challenge to figure out how to do that, but little by little it’s coming together. The shiplap wall and custom Billy bookcases set the tone for our main living space

Farmhouse bookcase

Then, a gallery wall above our new couch added to it.

Lazy Boy Edie Couch with farmhouse gallery wall above it

And, now, I’m happy to report, the connecting Dining Room has just had a feature installed that makes my Joanna Gaines’ loving heart so happy ~ Fixer Upper style farmhouse shelves filled with farmhouse goodies!!

How to Make Fixer Upper Style Farmhouse Shelves

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Harbour Breeze Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Supplies Needed for wood shelves with brackets:

  • Black metal L-brackets to accomodate a 7 inch board (I found mine half price at Hobby Lobby, but a similar bracket is here)
  • 1 x 4 boards cut to length (Your local building supply may be able to cut them for you.)
  • level
  • 1 1/2 inch wood screws
  • 3/4 inch wood screws
  • screwdriver or drill with screwdriver bits
  • measuring tape
  • pencil
  • wood stain
  • stud finder

Prep the shelf boards

Rather than use one wide board for our shelves, we chose to use 2 boards per shelf with a small “crack” between the two.

We purchased 4 – 1×4 boards at our local building supply store and cut them to the same length as the Dining Room buffet.

Then, I wiped on Minwax stain in Early American color with a rag and let them dry completely.

Find wall studs using a stud finder

Since shelves will be holding items with weight, they need to be hung securely to the wall. One way to do that is to attach the screws to the wood studs in the wall. If studs can’t be located where you would like your shelf brackets to hang, you will need to use drywall plugs like these to hold the weight of the shelves.

Measure the height you’d like your shelf to sit and hang the first bracket.

Once the top screw is attached to the first bracket, use a level to make sure the bracket is hanging straight up and down.

Mark the placement of the corresponding bracket.

In order to ensure the shelf is completely straight, lay a board on the top of the brackets and place a level on the top. Adjust the 2nd bracket (before you screw it to the wall) until the level bubble is directly in the middle. Then attach the second bracket.

Lay boards on the brackets, and attach from the underside with 3/4 inch wood screws.

Install the second set of brackets repeating the same process as the first.

Style the shelves with your favorite farmhouse finds!

Once the shelves are all secured well, it’s time for the fun part ~ styling them!

Easy DIY Farmhouse Shelves placed above an antique oak buffet in a dining room

On our recent holiday trip down to Washington, I happened upon a (miraculous?) half price sale at Hobby Lobby.

I was overwhelmed with options of items that I loved ~ metal, wood and greenery ~ all for half price!

rusty metal bucket with greenery inside

After plotting and planning and thinking over every purchase (and 2 trips to the Hobby Lobby later…), I finally ended up with items that I love all tucked together on their new farmhouse shelves.

Dining Room table with buffet behind it and farmhouse shelves above it

I’ve been dreaming of shelves over the buffet for SO long, and it’s fun to finally have them finished.

And, thanks to Hobby Lobby’s half price sale, the shelves & brackets only cost $28!

The pretty things sitting on them cost more…;)

So, here’s my question: For those of you who also love the Fixer Upper style of Joanna Gaines, and live near a Hobby Lobby ~ how do YOU choose between so many beautiful options of home decor?

This budget-loving thrifty gal would love to know your tips!;)

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17 Comments

  1. I didn’t realize that you didn’t have the shelves up to being with… I thought last night you were just showing me the decor! Now I’m even MORE impressed! Just lovely! Pinned and scheduling!

  2. Oh! I just squealed with delight when I read this post. LOVE, love, love! But, I’m a farmhouse style lover and I also love Hobby Lobby! These look fantastic and I really love all of the decor on them! I think it takes a true talent to decorate shelves nicely and you’ve got that talent, my friend!! I love the metal tobacco basket and that ‘Gather Together’ sign on the top! I would have never thought to hang mugs on the wall like that, are they just little hooks? And, I like the mix of metal, greens, neutrals, etc.! So perfect!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

  3. Hello Rita!
    Awesome job with your new shelves!!! I know, I love it when Hobby Lobby and other stores have great sales. Part of me really loves how Joanna Gaines decorates: the woods, the black and high contrast whites, the metals and the shiplap. Part of me is ready for something different. I am just not that much into black but I do like it on certain things. There are no shiplap houses up here in North Central Texas in the Dallas suburbs (at least that I am finding) which I would LOVE to have in several rooms, so as I look for our next house I am still hopeful there is one out there with at least a little. 😉

    Again, love your new shelves and I know you’ll have a fun time decorating them for Christmas. Oh! Congratulations for being featured this week at Share Your Style!!! I am one of the new hosts this fall and really enjoy visiting as many folks as I can each week who link up.
    Blessings to you,
    Barb
    http://www.frenchethereal.net

  4. These shelves are great, I love all your completely achievable home decor. I need to put a shelf in our bathroom an wasn’t sure what I wanted. This helped me out. Thanks for sharing.

  5. Just got the supplies today to get this done and can’t wait! I was surprised husband wanted to help with this and even seems to like my ideas! Thank you for sharing your ideas and how to!

  6. I am very happy because this blog very informative me to how to make fixer upper style farmhouse thanks sharing this wonderful article

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