Behind-the-couch shelf

I had the idea for a shelf behind the couch when I realised our sharp cornered coffee table was a serious liability now The Bubs is getting mobile, and it's going to have to go. This way there's still somewhere to put cups of coffee.

But even if you don't have to get rid of your coffee table, this is a good idea for small space storage or just to make the most if dead space behind your couch.

Our couch has a hard back behind the cushions and its a big heavy couch and won't accidentally slide, so half the shelf rests on the couch and the other half is supported by three legs.





To make it this way, just measure the length and height of your couch.

Get 2-3 legs cut to height.
Get one plank cut to length.

(We just used ordinary plain old pine and plan to stain/varnish after.)

Screw the legs on to the back half of the plank at even intervals.
(As in the side that will sit against the wall.) Leave enough space to clear the skirting.

Stain, paint or varnish whatever colours you like and just slot your shelf in behind the couch.

Don't have this kind of couch ?

You could always use brackets to fix the shelf to the wall instead of using legs and resting it on the couch.

Or you could put legs on either side - 2-3 pairs of legs - to make it free standing. You might want to still fix it to the wall if your couch isn't heavy enough to keep it in place.

This is a pretty simple project. My husband did most of it for me, but I think I could have managed to do this myself with a bit of patience, especially getting the wood all pre cut to size at the store.

Tip for painting drawer pulls and knobs

Rather than trying to hold the knob with your fingers and paint at the same time, use the screw that will fit the knob to the door or drawer. Screw it in a little and use it as a handle to hold on to.




Then to let the paint dry, leave the screw in and sit the knob on the edge of something. I used the inside ledge of a chest of drawers I was painting at the same time, but you can use any flat edge. Even though you don't paint the flat underside of the knob - since you don't see that anyway - paint might have still lipped the edges, so either protect your surface or put them somewhere a few paint spots won't matter.