Every time I shop with my mom it happens. I set out to find something for the house (lamp, table, etc.) and I just can’t find it. I like unusual things, matching palettes, and inevitably design something in my head that doesn’t exist. Rarely, I’ll walk into a store and find it immediately. Instead, I often visit several stores and websites over the course of months until i find something suitable. My mom says, “why don’t you like that? Pick something to fill the space!”, but I just can’t bring myself to get something that isn’t perfectly right.
When Red outgrew the baby rocker in his room, I was only happy enough to re-purpose the most comfortable seat in the house into the den for my use… but that also meant I needed a side table, lamp, and all the crap that goes with it. Mom was even in town… so off to the store we went. I’m sure she had steeled her nerves against my indecisiveness and lip pursing.
We were lucky. It was a one-stop shop to TJMaxx, where I not only found the perfect turquoise side table, but a neutral, fresh lamp, a fake orchid (um, I can’t keep an ALOE plant alive!!) and a new throw. But with my new mom-cave snuggling into a corner of my den, I really wanted it to be cozy. That meant completing the area with some small wall art, too. UGH. I hate picking out wall art. It’s either too cookie-cutter, or I feel I could do a better job blindfolding Red and getting him to throw tempra at the wall. But, then I saw it. The wire basket on the bottom shelf, tucked behind some awful faux trunks. (…. Mom, if you’re reading this: it was Mom’s idea to hang a basket on the shelf, first… but I saw this one…. soooooooo….. Mom was right. About most everything.) 
Mom had also brought me this great entomology poster (she said it was super cheap) and I loved it. I had originally wanted to mat it, but cutting into it and mounting it on said mat board was much better. I trimmed the mat board to the footprint of the bottom of the basket, and using plain scotch tape, cut the bug paper to size and wrapped the mat board like a present.
Then, I slipped the “bug board” into the basket, and pushed it to the back. The nice thing about mat is that it was sturdy enough to stand up on it’s own and not need any securing. I pressed the wire handles firmly onto the sides of the basket so they didn’t splay out.
A few small picture hooks later, the basket was on the wall and bug board in place. The final touch was adding two antique family books that belonged to past relatives and my 3x great-grandfather’s civil war field glasses on top. The basket wall art doubles as a shelf!
The final touch on the mom-cave is complete! How do you like my new little nook? I’m happy to say that the only one that sits here is really me…. oh… and Dooley… that white booger crawls up there and naps on the pillow when he thinks no one is looking. What a stinker.
That’s a really cute idea!!! It looks adorable in your mom-cave!!
I love it! I am so bad about taking an object and using it in a completely different way – I would never think to hang the basket on the wall. Great idea!
Your little corner looks so pretty! I love it! Making that shelf was so creative. I’m going to have to give a DIY project a shot and pray that it turns out pretty.
Very nice! I have the same problem, I create something in my head that does not exist! I like what you did with the space!
I wish I could come up with creative ideas like that. Good Job!
What a simple way to change up your look! Love it!
I’ve seen this on Pinterest but I have yet to create one of my own.
Thanks a bunch. I love that it makes a mini shelf!
You totally can! Think outside the basket! Pick something up at goodwill and just play with it!
You can do it! Maybe I’ll change out the papers when I get bored.
Thanks so much. It was nice to get my rocker back in a main space since it’s so comfortable.
You can do it! I can’t wait to see your results.
Thanks! The shelf part is my favorite. Not practical for everyday use, but a fun way to get things out of the reach of the kiddo!
Thanks! 🙂