Great update and I love that idea for hiding the old a/c space. Very creative.

Love everything you guys come up with.

Your projects always turn out perfect, that's amazing, and you're right about the cream color.

I love it, and what a great use of space in that area. I just love the stained top, gorgeous.

That looks really good!

Brilliant! Looks great.

Very nice. I really like the bronze hardware with the cream painted wood.

Love it...I love everything you two creative people do!

I love seeing the things you 2 do. You seem to work so well as a team...and have such creative ideas.

Huge dittos to all above!

Looks like it always belonged there and the color looks like a perfect match to the cherry table.

I assume you had to strip the paint for the top piece. What was the process and was it difficult to do and did you have to touch up the paint afterwards? (I have end tables with beautiful tops but the entire piece is dark/heavy looking)

You guys have the greatest little ideas that really complete a house. I'm wondering about putting something on the floor - for two reasons, to hide the plugs and to anchor the bookcase to the floor. A woven basket? or something else. Just a thought without knowing what the rest of the room looks like.

It turned out great!

The previous homeowner created a little nook in the kitchen backsplash when they removed the wall a/c unit after putting in central air. I used the space for cookbooks for 25 years until we gutted the kitchen.

Joann, you really ought to enter the picture in some kind of contest because it's that good.

Have people here seen your backyard? If not, then they need to know it's the icing on your house cake! lol

Joann, as usual you and Cliff do excellent work together. What a perfect "cover up" to where the air conditioner was removed.
Would love to see your back yard.

Indeed Joann, we could use a reposting of your back yard photos! It's been a few years since we've seen it, so our newer members have no idea of the paradise you've created outside.

I always enjoy seeing your projects, and admire the skill and patience and care that goes into such creativity!

What a great idea, I think it looks great!

Thank you ladies for your sweet comments.
Actually, I hesitated about posting this cause
I thought it wasn't
such a big deal, but then I thought maybe someone has
and old through the wall a/c they want to get rid of,
and this is a simple solution.

Natesgram, the piece on the top is a seperate piece that I
finished, and it just sits on top of the old shelf. It can be
easily removed when we need to paint the wall.
It overlaps the white top about 3/4" on the ends and the front.
Are your end table tops solid wood or veneer?
If it's solid it can be easily sanded and refinished,
if it's veneer, it is needs a bit more finessing,
as veneer is very thin. This old table is a Drexel
Heritige and has a veneer top. It has a spot of water
damage, so I need to refinish it.

blfenton, the whole unit is inside the wall
3 1/2" and outside the wall about 4" ...so it only
protrudes into the room 4".
the antique chess table was always on the other side
of the sofa, and I recently swaped it out with our old drum table...
that's why I stained the top of the bookcase -- to match the antique table,
cause they're side by side...

This is our old drum table, that was next to the bookcase.

I said to Cliff one day that this table is too low, we should
make a new table that is about 3 to 4 inches higher...

He went downstairs and turned 4 legs -- 3-1/2"
high and attached them to the bottom, then I said,
"well, now I like the table and I like the door style too.
What if we copy that door and make doors for the bookcase...
LOL, that was how this entire project came about. :)
Actually, I would miss this drum end table,
as I store all our light bulbs inside the table.
Also, about the plug, I can plug the light in behind
the sofa, I just have to move the coffee table, and sofa
out to do so...oh my aching back.

I have video's of our backyard and will choose two
to show you, most of them are from 2010, as I had
some health issues last summer and was unable to take many
videos or photos. This week we're going for our
flower baskets that we place all around the pond
and deck...instant gratification is my middle name. :)

Again Ladies, thank you so much.

I'm late...but as usual, you two take the cake. Love the ideas~ keep them coming. :)

The koi are 13, 14, and 15 years old, they range in size
from 18 to 24 inches...they are hand tamed and they love
to be petted and hand fed...we call them our pups,
and we're their Ma and Pa.
If you sit in the shallow end of the pond, they'll
jump on your lap.
Fortunately for us, they can't come in the house
or they would be laying around on the couch.
:)

Here is a link that might be useful: backyard

In this one, you'll see our grandpuppy Dante enjoying
a sunbath on the pond deck.

hi lorilee...ideas? I have enough ideas to keep
10 husbands busy. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: even more backyard

Clever use of the space!!!

Love your backyard and koi pond. Very picturesque and it looks so tranquil back there!

Wow Joann, your back yard it absolutely gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing.

You have such natural talent for turning ordinary things into great pieces. Thanks for sharing.

Joann, i love the AC bookshelf! That was clever.

I clicked on your bacyard link, and was mesmerized by your fish. We are moving to z7, and I am considering a pond again!! I will have to see how much time the pool takes, though, since I am the sole groundskeeper.

We had koi at our previos house, and adored them!!

I am saving your video for plant reference, too, since I have never gardened outside of z8/9!!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Nancy

Thanks Ladies, glad you like the videos.
Cliff is an avid gardener, he just loves
it.
Since we have so many oaks surrounding
us, he has trouble growing roses, so he planted
knock out roses in pots and carries them around
following the sun...LOL
Nancy, where our pond is now we had a small swimming pool
it was small 12' x 20' ... we decides to remove it
after the kids grew up, so naturally a pond was in order.
the system is a DIY bottom drain gravity fed system,
complete with a 200 gallon biological pond that helps
keep the main pond clear.
If you decide on another koi pond
you can email me and I'll give you the pond plans
and diagrams.
koi are amazing creatures, I never dreamed the were
so tame and people friendly.

this is a view from, the back, I call it 'Back of the Moon'

{{gwi:216855}}

This is my favorite photo 'The Hound and The Chipmonk'
see the chipmonk leaning on the rock staring at the
hound?

Oh I Love the hound and the chipmunk!
Your pond is a lot bigger than it looked on the video. We have a pond now that is a long story, but we paid to have it put in and the filter was impossible, which burned out the pump, and since they took it out and left it out, never to return, it just aggrevated me to the point that I couildn't stand to look at it.

Our new pool came with the house, but it is an above ground, so not a future pond candidate, but I would love to have a consultant!

Thanks!

Nancy

Goodness...I love how your brain goes~Yes,when you can hide an ac...you are tops in my book :)