Modern cabinet furniture has one undeniable advantage - it is a variable product that is suitable for rooms of any size.
However, even such multifunctional products are not dimensionless, so sooner or later the apartment owner faces the problem of storing books or other small items needed in the household. To solve this, you can make a hanging shelf using plywood, an unnecessary piece of board or chipboard.
Advantages of corner shelves
Unlike linear shelves, such accessories have an undoubted advantage in the interior:
- Compact sizes.
- Convenient shape.
- Hanging shelves allow you to free up space for other purposes (for example, a small table or a cabinet with a sink in the bathroom).
- Such furniture is distinguished by its ease of independent work.
- A large selection of ready-made projects with a detailed description of each step of the work, diagrams and drawings.
Craftsmen should pay special attention to the reliability of the fasteners used, the maximum permissible load on the shelves, as well as the condition of the underlying wall.
Photos of original hand-made corner shelves will allow you to evaluate the merits of each known model.
Icons for home iconostasis
The Orthodox Church attaches great importance to a “beautiful corner.” She says that a person has the right to pray not only in the temple, but to honor the Lord at home. A properly constructed chapel should contain the following images:
Some lay believers place the face of the Guide in the “red corner”. The Vladimir and Kazan images of the Mother of God are also allowed. At the same time, you need to turn to shrines not only for help. We should not forget to express gratitude for their support.
Where to use a corner shelf
There are a huge number of options for arranging corner shelves in a house or apartment. Wall-mounted and floor-mounted structures can be placed:
This DIY corner shelf can be used in the kitchen and pantry. In such premises, every square meter is taken into account to organize storage areas. Such shelves can be placed in the most non-standard places (under a corner sink, above the junction of an L-shaped kitchen unit).
In the bathroom above the washbasin, a hanging shelf will find its application (location of personal hygiene items, organizers with decorative cosmetics). Some models of corner shelving can be additionally equipped with hooks and towel rails, a mirror facade, and lighting.
Very often, shelves up to the ceiling are used in the hallway and on the balcony. In these rooms, additional space for storing small items, bags, and boxes is very necessary.
Multi-tiered flower shelves are popular among zealous housewives. The convenient shape and size allow you to care for vegetation and store care, watering, and fertilizing products there.
Some craftsmen additionally think through designs for fixing fluorescent lamps (a light source to stimulate plant growth).
L-shaped structures can be used for any room where there is a shortage of free space or a room with non-standard sizes and shapes.
The difference between icons and paintings
It is important to note that if there are some picturesque paintings in the house that depict various biblical scenes, they should under no circumstances be installed near the home iconostasis. Since it is known that with the help of holy images and icons, Orthodox believers communicate with all the saints and the Almighty, but there is no connection between the icon and the picture.
In this case, it is important to know that the home iconostasis is a holy place, a kind of small temple in your apartment and it is intended to offer prayers and thank the Almighty for help. Therefore, installing reproductions of various paintings depicting biblical scenes is inappropriate.
In your own apartment, you cannot place the Sacred Face close to posters or paintings depicting certain famous people. Because, in this way, Orthodox Christian believers insult the shrine, placing them, in some way, on a par between worldly idols and the Almighty.
It is known that the eastern part of an apartment or house is of particular importance for the Orthodox religion, therefore it is necessary to place home iconostases or create a red corner on the eastern side.
The eastern part has a definite place in all historical religious information, which is why the Old Testament speaks of the creation of paradise in the eastern part of Eden. The Gospel Scriptures say that lightning came from the east, and the Almighty also comes from heaven to earth from there. Every Orthodox parishioner knows that in a church the church altar is located on the east side.
Selecting material for work
The most important parameter for self-assembly of a corner shelf is the choice of material. All modern construction supply stores offer their customers a huge range of the following consumables:
- Wooden beams of various sections.
- Chipboard panels, MDF.
- Plywood.
- Metal profile pipes.
- Reinforced and sheet iron.
- Plastic and glass panels for assembly.
You can also use PVC pipes left over after renovations in your apartment (house). For pre-processing of parts and subsequent assembly, you will need a drill, jigsaw, welding and grinder, tape measure, construction pencil or marker, and level.
Fasteners for connecting parts together can also be purchased in stores: dowels, screws, self-tapping screws, metal corners.
For decoration and special impregnation, moisture-resistant oil, antiseptic and antipyrine, anti-corrosion composition, paints and acrylic varnish, PVC films with imitation of various materials (like brickwork, natural stone) are used.
For craftsmen with proper experience in wood burning or carving, you will need a set of appropriate tools. Making wall-mounted corner shelves will require purchasing mounting hardware.
Step-by-step manufacturing of a corner shelf
The stages of construction of a rack or shelf depend on the purpose of the structure, expected dimensions and model (suspended, floor-standing types).
To make a corner shelf for icons with your own hands, all you need is one tier and small-height carved sides. You can additionally consider stands for the iconostasis and holding candles.
Designs for flowers, books, toys will require several floors. Bathroom shelves are best built from a combination of materials, for example, the supports are made of metal pipes, and the plates themselves are made of wood.
How to arrange a home iconostasis
Publication date: August 23, 2016
The temple is a house of prayer and a place for performing the sacraments. A home is a family hearth, but in the home of a believer there should be prayer, because the home of an Orthodox Christian is a small Church. And we pray in front of icons, and there must be icons in the house. In sufficient quantity, but within reasonable limits.
An Orthodox Christian living in a modern home often has questions: what icons should be in the house and how to place them correctly?
Preparation of the drawing
An important stage of independent work is the preparation of a drawing, according to which further assembly of the structure will be carried out. The following parameters must be displayed on the diagram:
- General dimensions of this accessory.
- Dimensions of supports and horizontal strips.
- Assembly features.
It is important to identify any additional details: built-in spotlights, doors and mirror facades, fixing devices and limiting edges.
Parts processing and assembly
Today, many furniture stores sell ready-made panels for assembling shelves of all sizes, shapes and models. But if desired, the master has the opportunity to independently cut out the parts for his design. Further work consists of several stages.
How to make a corner shelf with your own hands:
Pre-impregnation of wooden surfaces with moisture-resistant oil, and metal parts with an anti-corrosion compound to protect against moisture and rust.
It is very important to consider the purpose of future furniture. For example, shelves and shelves for the bathroom must be treated with an antiseptic and antifungal solution, because the development of a pathogenic fungus can harm not only wood, but also humans.
Careful sanding of sharp edges and cuts will significantly reduce the risk of injury.
The structure is assembled using dowels, self-tapping screws, and metal corners can be laid along the inner surface for strength.
Particular attention is paid to the strength of fastening of suspended shelves to the underlying wall and the maximum permissible load. They complete their independent work by decorating surfaces: burning or carving wood, stencil painting, attaching PVC films or decorative veneer.
History of the red corner
Every person has heard the phrase “red corner” or “God’s place”. However, not everyone knows why this place received such a name and how correctly it was located. You can often hear the answer that this is the right corner from the door. But it is not always the case.
Ethnographers claim that in past times, “God’s place” was located diagonally from the stove.
And this was done for a reason. The word red was associated with spring, summer and warmth, so they tried to place icons more on the south or east side.
The north and west for the ancient Slavs were comparable to death, evil spirits and severe winter. A little later, these stereotypes diverged, and people began to simply create cozy corners with numerous icons.
