The other side of the living room needed something large. A statement piece I think real designers would call it. Well, I fell in love with the bookshelves in the lobby at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and thought, “hey, I could build that”.
And I did!
We sold the old wall unit and embarked on the master planning of the new plumbing conduit shelving unit. You know, I don’t even know where to begin with a How To. It took over a week, a lot of frustration (with many changes to the original plan) and about $200.
The unit is 8′8″ wide by roughly 7′6″ tall and 11 1/4″ deep
Here is the supply list:
Plumbing pipe and fittings (all at 1/2″)
Fittings:
18 – 90ยบ elbows
14 – 3-way tees
8 – Base flanges
Pipe:
6 – 12″
7 – 18″
1 – 32″
3 – 30″ (Custom cut at home depot)
1 – 42″ (Custom cut at home depot)
14 – 8″
4 – 9″ (black gas pipe for the top flange wall connectors)
Wood Shelves
2 – 1″ x 12″ x 10′ pine planks (cut down to 8′8″)
2 – 1″ x 12″ x 6′ pine planks (cut down to 4′4″)
Minwax Stain
1 – Dark Walnut
1 – Walnut
(I mixed 1/2 and 1/2 to get the color I wanted)
Rustoleum Gloss Spray Paint
3 – Black
We drilled holes in the pine planks for the pipe to fit through. We used a 3/4″ round drill bit to allow some wiggle room. Clean all the grease of the pipes (dish soap will do) and spray paint all the pipes black. Then sand and stain the wood.
After that it just all screws together. The hard part was figuring out all the math and prepping everything. The Boy and I assembled it by ourselves pretty quickly and surprisingly easily and then secured it to the wall with some screws through the flanges. That thing is SOLID.
Some in progress installation shots…
I couldn’t resist vignetting it up a bit after it was all installed. I rushed to get it styled up before the sun set.
A super quick and dirty styling job.
Unfortunately the sun set before I finished playing around with it, so of course it’s already styled differently. I will probably need some time to mess around and get everything looking fabulous.
This shelving project is what led me to install those controversial doors on the fireplace bookcases. I knew I wanted a big wall of open shelving in the living room and didn’t want the two areas to compete. I have open shelving in the den, kitchen, dining room and now a whole wall in the living room, so I thought we could sacrifice those bookcases being open – especially since I could never could get them to look right.
Mission C.A.H.L.R.S.P. has been accomplished. Holler!
87 Comments
Morgan, it has been awhile. One word needed to describe this project, RAD!!!!!!
Cool!
It's Tendo Mokko. I know it has, I'm still mad.
What a beautiful professional job!
Your blog is a constant inspiration, the Eames chairs and now this… who needs a fortune when you've got creativity, taste, wit and patience? Everything is possible!
you have reached goddess status.
you and the boy need to have your own tv show.
omg – that is the coolest thing I've ever seen and when I move out of this tiny condo I am going to have my handyman build me one (or maybe I could hire you-it would give you some extra thrifting money)! Complete awesomeness!
Wow! between you and Benita I am feeling positively lazy. Fantastic job! If I didn't already cop out and buy some open shelving for my office, I'd need to go to Home Depot and start buying pipe right now!
OMG. Seriously. Seriously?
You did an INCREDIBLE job. It looks so perfect. And actually, I think I like it better on a plain white wall better than the stone. This is one of the best diys I've ever seen.
Love it. It looks awesome.
Looks amazing!
My grandmother had an owl like that on her patio when I was little. She would light candles and put them inside so the light could shine out the holes, try it, it looks nice.
this looks great! and thanks for the supply list, very helpful to see what you actually used to put it together. i had seen a similar shelving unit somewhere and thought that it would easly be recreated, yours turned out even better.
very cool. you top yourself every week. if things dont work out b/t you and The Boy let me know. haha
again, so jealous.
i'm with elissa. first benita's coffee table and now this amazing shelving. i think i need to up the ante.
oh, one more thing.
i totally agree with your decision to close the bookshelves now. not that you need our approval – you clearly make fabulous decisions.
f*ing awesome.
I had the same reaction when I saw the ace shelves, but now someone else has done it first, and made it that much easier on me!!!
Q: what kind of rug have you go there? is it kilim? hearts.
i had to do a double take…i thought a few pics were the Ace (Hotel) & not your home.
those shelves are so money & they don't even know it.
you got the look i want to know better, you got the look thats all together, working playing day or night, the brick house has the fits that right the brick house look the brick house looook..
Seriously? Wow. It's amazing! And I just adore how the spacing is just right to fit some seriously awesome art work.
Morgan,
This is fantastic.
Unlike your bookshelf doors, I think it will be hard to find a hater for this project.
Brick….House!
You are indeed MIGHTAY MIGHTAY!!!
An inspiration! Mind if I copy?
This is incredibly impressive – and lovely!
You're totally right. I mean, I LIKED the doors on the bookshelves, but with all this other open display, it makes perfect sense now.
Looks great. Can't wait to see it all tricked out.
Thanks everyone, we think its killer.
This is stunning Morgan!
Did you have to thread the shelves through the pipes? How did you do that on the left side when you already had the left side pipe installed before the longer shelves?
I made a holes in the wood beforehand and threaded the pipe through. The left side wasn't installed at that point, just leaning against the wall.
You just unscrew the pipe from the 3-way tee and then thread the pipe through and screw it back in to secure. Super easy to install.
Bad.Ass.
Did you drill into the floor too for added stability? Just curious.
Nope. I really didn't want to ruin the floors.
After everything is pieced to together and attached to the wall it really doesn't need to be secured at the bottom. It is surprisingly solid.
it looks sick!! I need to clear a wall somewhere in my house and get my man to make that pronto!!
It took me a few weeks (my husband thinks I'm obsessed- I am) but I decided to read your blog from the beginning to really feel and appreciate the progress. I felt the frustration when you felt like breaking down a few times (especially with the outside of the house and the bathrooms. I'm living it right now. We're in a fixer upper from 1976. It's our first house and we just moved in April. We're are starting our 6th month. I had major ups and downs (still do) but your blog really helped me get over it and l am reminding myself that patience and determination is the way to go when you don't have the cash!
About the shelves… I LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! LOOOOVE IT!!!!!! So green with envy!!! I almost hate you but I know that you deserve it. You did great! Love the look. The colour of the stained wood is perfect with that black. It goes very well with the rug… Perfect! I'm looking around my space to see where I can put one! : ))
I thought I was smart when years ago I walked to my local HomeHardware to get some copper pipes to make curtain rods. Ikea was too far, I had little cash and wanted to make a difference NOW. So I went with my measurements and came back with the perfect thing. It was so cheap and looked so much better than what I had before. Loved when people asked where I got it. Loved it even more when they found out what it was. You just took this to a new level!! Awesome job and to be copied!!!
Wowie zowie! Amazing job! I am speechless…
Hi. Just stumbled across this blog from apartment therapy.
Wanted to say BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO.
First for the taste that is at once bold and thoughtfully restrained.
Second for the text that is hilarious (I laughed out loud at "that's a lot of money for a 15" ceramic penguin") and full of the right kind of obsession and fearlessness that good design requires.
Third for taking on and talking about design in a way that's direct, open, creative, proud, democratic, serious, and funny–and connecting it to your quality of life and everyday happiness. As an architect I find this incredibly rare, and entirely praiseworthy. Kudos.
PS: can you get rid of the classical-profile moulding strip along the top of the fireplace mantel? It kills the dream, no…?
PPS: the giant owl is fantastic and always will be.
Damn girl. I need you in my apartment. Looks fab.
hey anon, thanks so much. i'm still new at all this so its so nice to hear from pros. i keep thinking i might want to do my postgraduate work in design or architecture.
that mantel is so so so awful. the lines of it have always bothered me. i've been toying with ideas on how to replace it (another project i keep putting off). i kind of want to do a raw slab of wood with rough edges. who knows though…nothing too boxy or ornate, definitely a little rustic or more organic.
hi brick house. anonymousarchitect here again.
if you do postgrad work in design or architecture, just make a book out of this blog and it will be a killer portfolio; your clear combination of ability to see and ability to make would be very apparent.
my advice on the fireplace (one professional to another!) would be just rip off the wood, or whatever it is on top, and don't replace it. instead, just paint the brick or masonry below; you may need to add another layer of bricks to close off the top, or the interior (flush to the horizontal or vertical edge of the rest of the fireplace below). but that would be easy for anyone who can restore fiberglass! this way the fireplace becomes a single strong sculptural object in a single material, rather than wearing a fussy top or mantle, like a bad hat killing a good outfit.
…also, i had a brainwave for your front porch, to give it more of a palm springs/eichler/modern feeling. may i presume to send you that idea, too?
again, amazing project, great story!
I am loving me this, and all the ensuing comments, and anonymousarchitect coming to the table. Morgan, you are amazing.
I love it! That's fantastic.
wowzer!
you need to come here and make me one!
NIIIICCCCCCEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
amazing. amazing. amazing. and totally inspiring. your blog, and that shelving unit, ROCK!
anonarch – what is your idea for the front? I have a plan but would be curious to hear. wanna email me? morgansatterfield (at) gmail (dot) com
No way. This looks like just like the original! I'm calling my husband over to the computer as I type this to show him what I want him to do to our stone wall. He's not going to be happy with you . . .
Wicked Awesome!! You rock!
Awesome work! Love it.
Love it! Very awesome!
this is too cool. way to go!
These are fantastic! Thanks for the "how to".
Holy crap that's amazing! I wanted to build some pipe shelves too, but my boyfriend won't let me
I'm going to try to convince him, because this looks dope!
This is so rad that as soon as I saw it I went to Home Depot to find the materials. I haven't bought any parts or materials yet, but want to complete it this week. I have to ask. Are the pipes copper and did they come threaded? Where did you buy all your materials?
The pipes are galvanized and the pre-cut lengths are threaded, but the custom lengths had to be threaded in the store. Ask them to do it…we almost forgot.
I got everything form the Home Depot.
Well done! Will post on our site asap.
love the shelves, but I'm really drooling over that sofa….what kind is it and where to buy?
Thanks!
oh man, i get this question all the time. It sucks but I'm not sure.
I picked up off craigslist years ago…there are no tags, and the guy said it was used for photo shoots in Palm Springs.
It is rad though and 9 feet long!
I have a couple questions:
1) is the unit only secured to the wall on the top 4 base flanges?
2) what happens in when the wood shelving meets the 90degree elbows on the back bottom of the shelves? do the shelves just rest on the elbow?
3) you say it is sturdy… could it handle some more weight and books without shifting around?
1. Yes it is anchored to the wall only at the top flanges.
2. The back of the wood just rests on those elbows.
3. Yes, it could handle a lot more weight. The way the plumbing is screwed together made it way sturdier than I imagined. It is a solid unit when anchored to the wall at the top. It does not move.
I think I solved the couch mystery…I think your sofa is a Blu Dot Paramount in the charcoal color:
http://www.bludot.com/Browse_Products/Seating/product/Paramount_sofa
still drooling, thanks for the inspiration.
oh man, I don't think so. mine has four cushions, less tufting and the legs are very different. They don't have that L shape – they go straight up and have like metal sliders on the bottom….
very similar though.
you are a goddess. wow.
Gah! (Thud)
I fell over from too much awesomeness.
Love that!
Ayeeeeeeeee! I LOVE.
I am so going to make this one day.
(sigh) (wanting this to appear magically, right now, in my dining room)
- Kristin
Would one of these shelves be able to hold 50 lbs of weight? I'm looking to recreate this system on a wall in my kitchen, and ideally it will hold my cookbooks and microwave (its a hefty 40lb microwave oven).
Also, I really love this look (hence my stealing of it! mwuha!).
I think so – the supports are screwed into the two pipes and are super sturdy, but it depends on what the length between supports is and how thick the wood is.
the small sections could hold it no problem, the longer one would bow a little.
cool project
I just went to home depot to take a look at the pipes and fittings. It looks like the tee fittings will add about an inch to an inch and a half to the length of an attached pipe. This means if you’re building shelves from floor to ceiling, make sure to account for the additional length of the fittings or your wall-unit will be too tall!
Also, I’m trying to avoid having to spray-paint the pipes black. Home depot had black steel pipes, but not in all the lengths I need. So I’m now hunting in the bay area for a good supplier of black steel pipes.
Yes. I built mine to be 7-1/2 feet tall and they ended up a few inches taller. I wanted some wiggle room for my eight foot ceilings.
I don’t think you’re going to avoid painting, the black only comes in short lengths that I’ve found. Plus they are all greasy and dinged up…degrease and paint – it’s better.
I just looked at your measurements and wondered about the 32″ pipe and the 42″ pipe measurements. It seems like the 32″ accounts for the additional length of the adjacent 18″+12″+Tee fitting. But the 42″ inch doesn’t seem to account for the Tee fitting next to it. How did you get the 42″ to fit properly? Thanks!
Sorry, one more quick question for you! Did you line of the flanges with the wall studs, or did you use anchor screws?
Just saw this on Apartment Therapy – I LOVE it!!!
Nice! I’m ripping your idea for a home office (in which I’ll also borrow your book case + doors for hidden storage).
Quick question — I’m a little worried about shelf deflection; what’s the distance between vertical pipes?
What do you mean shelf deflection? The whole thing is about nine feet wide, I think it broke down to four feet and then two feet between vertical pipes, with like six inches of overhang on each end.
Shelf deflection = bendy shelves. I’ll be piling loads of books on my shelves.
Two feet between pipes (and shelf supports) means there should be no problem with deflection.
After I queried you, I googled a bit and found this site (http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/index.htm), which features a lot of design/build calculators, including this one (http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm) that calculates shelf deflection based on material and span.
Thanks for the quick response!
I am glad that you could afford a place with level floors.
Love this! Thanks so much for sharing
You could also just buy black plumbers pipe, rather than galvanized, and get a similar yet slightly more rough appearance.
I have the same question as Chanpory: Did you screw directly into the wall studs or use those plastic drywall anchors? Or is there some sort of magical self-anchoring screw? Because 16 anchors seems like a pain in the arse…
Thank you for inspiring and guiding my own Brick House/Ace Hotel MCM pipe shelving wall units. I built two recently. One similar to yours and one very tall one with all the shelves the same width.
A couple of notes I thought I would share for those considering taking a crack at this.
1. 1×12 is hard to come by in ten foot lengths without spending a fortune. I used mahogany on the wall unit and beech on the tall shelf. Pine doesn’t take stain well in my experience.
2. Pipe lengths don’t match when connectors are used in one and not the others. eg. A 30″ pipe joined to a 12″ pipe with a tee connector is not the same length as a 42″ pipe. I joined the pipe and had the longer pipe cut to length.
3. I used 6″ pipes between the top elbows and flanges instead of 10″ that you listed. I like having the hopes for the pipe sit back a couple of inches from the edge of the 11 1/4″ boards.
4. I noticed the spray painted pipes scratched easily so I sprayed a topcoat of lacquer on the pipes. I used semi-gloss black spray paint and lacquer to minimize the dust factor and I think it looks softer and more mid-century.
5. The pipes, connectors and spray paint set me back around $450 for both units. The hardwoods were an additional $350. Much more than I thought I would spend initially, but I love my shelves.
Thanks again.
Just built our shelving unit on a smaller scale and it looks AWESOME!! I agree with Neal’s 2nd comment above – we had to go back to get a longer piece of pipe to accomodate for the difference. Thanks for the tutorial
I love, love, love this bookshelf, and will be making one when I move to my new apartment. One quesiton: are the pipes really only 1/2″ diameter? They look a bit “fatter”….Thanks for the inspiration.
I truly love your bookshelf, and plan on building one when I move to my new apartment. One question: are the pipes really only 1/2″ diameter? They look “fatter” in the pictures.
Thanks for the inspiration, and for your generosity in providing a step-by-step.
Has anyone made these shelves so that they’re corner shelves? Just curious as we’re planning on building these, but it would be great to make full use of this corner we have in the office. I was thinking of just building two of these so that one goes all the way into the wall in the corner and the other one would stop at the beginning of the first one’s shelves (if that makes sense). That wouldn’t look as clean as actually building either a continuous shelf into and out of the corner or even cutting the shelves so they were angled and fit against each other in the corner. On the other hand, building two of these would allow us to possibly make better use of them in a different place if we were to move later on, as we wouldn’t be constrained to using them in a corner. In any case, great blog and great DIY.
Hey question, So i just went to put my shelf together this week and the stain turned out HORRIBLE on the pine. Did you have problems with splotching/unevenness? It looks like poo i’m so upset.
K
Erica – the diameter listed on pipes is the inside diameter since that’s what you would normally be worried about i.e. how much liquid would be able to flow through the pipes.
Thanks so much Adam…so if I ask for 1/2″ pipe at Home Depot, that will get me the correct product?
CAPITAL OH-EM-GEE
I’m going to make one of these for my house. I’ve been in love with plumbing parts forever and you’ve just made my shelving dreams come true!
Just built one of these this past weekend. It was a learning process for me, and i’ll pass along some, let’s say, supplemental materials to the above directions/discussions. My materials were all from Home Depot. For the stain, apparently pine should be “conditioned” in order to absorb stain evenly. Since pine is a soft wood, its surface is inconsistent and the conditioner (which is diluted shellac i think) tightens up the grain/evens out the surface so that the stain goes on more consistently. Wood conditioner is in the stain section at HD.
For the drilling, I used a hole saw, which is like a drill bit with a cup around it. This part is somewhat tedious because the wood plug gets stuck in the cup, which you can remove with a screw (google remove plug from hole saw). I would do all my drilling before staining, as the wood splinters a bit.
On the pipe – Neal’s #2 point is right on. Also, I used “Oil Rubbed Bronze” paint instead of black and am pleased with the outcome. And yes, 1/2″ pipe is substantially thicker than 1/2″ (prob closer to 3/4″-7/8″), as it’s the internal diameter that’s measured.
On securing them to the wall – I live in an apt building built in 1926. I used anchors screws, and it seems solid.
Only thing that I am unhappy with (totally my mistake, not the design) was using 2 coats of the stain mix, which evened out the color but made the wood very very dark and obscured the grain.
Overall very pleased and many people have been impressed with it when they see it. It also matches well with the Koff Designs (Brooklyn) bench/coffee table I have in the same room.
Looks great, did you paint the pipe before or after putting it all together?
These are beautiful! Did Home Depot pre-thread the pipes? And did you run into any problems with having the threads going the wrong direction when you hooked multiple pipes together?
Leave a comment