I have been in love with this Pottery Barn mantel since I first set eyes on it in the Pottery Barn Catalog a few years ago. I love that it is big and chunky {how I like my chocolate chip cookies}.
I wanted the mantel to be positioned over our bed in our master bedroom ( versus the bed in our laundry room). Like where else would our bed be located? I made monthly trips to Home Depot and talked to Chuck in the mill work department about the measurements and design details. I brought the PB catalog along with me so Chuck to appreciate my vision. FYI.. the PB dimensions listed a 66’wide x 9″ deep x 15.5″ high).
I adjusted the measurements a little because I decided to make the top “box” wider than the 66.” I matched the bottom box to the width of the headboard and added approximately 2″ for the remaining 2 boxes. This is where it started. I was just going to make 90 degree angled cuts on all three boxes, but it was my {first} husband’s idea to angle the top one to a 45 degree (approximately).
You are basically building three boxes with the back side open. I used these scraps of 1×2’s to add support to the back side of the mantel. I glued them along the edge to place them in position. This made it easier to nail the trim pieces from the other side and attach the boxes to each other.
After I built the 3 “boxes” I added the trim. A miter saw was key to this project for the angled cuts and trim work. I primed the mantel, sanded, took a few chunks of wood out with a screwdriver, added some stain and then painted with an random can of off-white paint in the garage. And then repeated the steps above.
This was a two person job to hang this up. My {first} husband and I added a cleat to the wall so the mantel could be placed on top of the cleat (with the top ledge “attaching” to the top of the cleat) and then screwed from the top ledge into the top edge of the cleat.
And, here it is on the wall. This mantel is heavy! It was a two person job and a little tricky standing on top of the bed. But, totally worth it.
Here are the materials used for this Pottery Barn inspired mantel.
- 3 1x6x10 for the front facing pieces
- 2 1x10x8 for the top of the shelves for the 2nd and 3rd tiers
- 2 1x8x8 for the bottom piece
- 40 + feet of assorted trim pieces ( I went with the cheapest trim to keep it in my price range)
- Total Cost for Materials: $122.57
Love it! I’m working on getting my handy on and might have to try this. Thanks for the great instructions!
I came from Liz Marie.
~ Megin of VM206
Great job! Thanks for the tutorial! Have a happy and blessed Valentine’s Day!
Wow! Beautiful job, Laura! It’s gorgeous! I love PB knock-offs…great DIY inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing!
This mantel shelf looks awesome! Great Job!!! I always admire a woman whose handy with a saw (I’m not)! You can do so much more! On another note, you kept putting husband (1) while explaining the process. Did you get rid of husband #1 and am now with husband #2? This is hilarious or am I just being silly?
I still have my {first} husband. The back story is when he used to put his foot in his mouth I made a joke and said, “yes, this is my first husband.”…. it’s the same with my blog title. I would joke with my girlfriends after a long day… “I just want to be a trophy wife.”
Thanks!
I own the PB mantel…my husband bought it for me as a surprise because he knew I was obsessed with it. I have it in my family room and I always wanted another one for my bedroom and now with your instruction I may tackle making my own. You did a wonderful job!
Thanks Carol! I have to give credit to the millwork guy at Home Depot. He walked me through the entire process.
Looks so great–thanks for the instructions!