We moved into a rental house that was built in the '30s and has all the charm that money can buy (think arched doorways, worn-in hardwoods, antique moldings) and included a whole set of strange nooks and crannies that took up valuable square footage. Exhibit A above is a 3' x 4' alcove in our hallway that was the resting place for old gym shoes, a discarded wooden chair that Wes picked up off the curb, and useless boxes of 'important documents' that everyone feels obliged to keep but never needs (or opens to begin with, in my case).
My natural inclination was to add shelves so at least it could be organized storage instead of a pile of junk. I measured the nook, went to Home Depot and got them to cut some plywood that was sized to fit and picked up a set of L brackets to hold them in place. I bought a power sander and some white paint and went to town but couldn't make it past the first shelf. Instead, I decided to make it into a writing desk by installing it at table-height. I love how it has become a natural home for that salvaged old chair and some of our souvenirs, brass hooks, picture frames, and my new Jonathon Adler bookends (that I wrote about here).
Side note: how amazing is the lion's head doorknocker? I found it for $12 but don't have a door for it so I nailed it to the wall for the time being.
