A Shelf Solution

For the last few days, I've been busying myself with the redo of my hubby's office.  I'm sharing a sneak peak of the space, specifically featuring a shelf I made for one wall.  

I needed a ledge of some sort for display for one side of the room.  I also wanted to infuse some weathered wood in the office.  So I decided to fashion a shelf from a section of an old gate I purchased from a friend about a year ago.

The section of the gate was the exact length I needed and it had a beautiful weathered texture.  For an added bonus, it's original hardware sported a wonderfully aged patina. 

As you will read about in an upcoming post, Nate specifically wanted to incorporate his love for Texas in the space, so I opted to hang the shelf with iron brackets that incorporated the Lone Star of Texas on them.

I didn't snap before pics, but the brackets were originally white.  I spray painted them with a flat black paint to better suit the feel I was wanting to achieve for the office.

*Note the photo below and the angled shot of the finished product ~ allowing you to see the underside of the shelf and brackets as well as a semi view of the display.  

The rest of Nate's office redo will be forthcoming.  I hope you are having a splendid week!  See you soon ~ XO ~ Dana.

Dublin Gate

Today I thought I would share one of my favorite things with you ~ this old gate that has been following us around for years.  The hubby ran across it one day while away on a business trip to, of all places, Dublin, Texas.  Some of you may not know that Dublin is the home of the oldest Dr. Pepper bottler in the world.  This is an important piece of trivia to know, especially if you are a lover of Dr. Pepper like I am.  At this plant, Dr. Pepper is still made with pure cane sugar, unlike the Dr. Pepper you buy in stores ~ and trust me, you CAN taste the difference.  

Back to my story ~ Nat passed by an old junk store on his way to an appointment and saw the gate sitting on the sidewalk outside the store.  He knew I had been searching for a salvaged gate and to my delight, on his way back from the meeting, he stopped in and picked it up as a surprise for me.  To me, there are various details about the gate that make it special and unique.   

~ The scrolly ironwork on the top of the gate ~

~ Its wonderful rusty patina and ornate, curly latch ~

The gate hangs on a wall that has been painted a soothing shade of grey ~ I think the color compliments the iron piece beautifully.  I've adorned the gate with a number of special items ~ they each have a story to tell.

One of the most meaningful collections I own is this grouping of crosses.  Nat made a mission trip to Liberia several years ago and met a gentleman who made these crosses.  They were fashioned from shell casings he had gathered off the ground following the Liberian Civil War.  It struck me as ironic that something meant for death and destruction was turned into something that represents life and hope ~ I cherish these.

I also tucked old black and white photographs on the gate.  This particular photograph is one of Nat's distant relatives ~ I hung it on the gate with old, rusty chain.

More beloved photos ~ one of my mom as a child and one of her with her mom on a shopping trip.

This one is of my dad ~ wasn't he dapper looking?  I love the plaid suit and the bow-tie he was wearing.

For now, the gate hangs in the front room leading to a hallway ~ I pass by it all the time and often stop to gaze upon its sentimental treasures. The items on the gate change periodically ~ whenever the notion strikes me.  I'm sure this gate will remain a favorite of mine for years to come.  What's one of your favorite pieces in your home?