Personal Aesthetic
For my main project, I’m re-creating a mountain shelf I made a few years ago—with added details I’ll discuss later. I love this piece because it perfectly aligns with my personal aesthetic. I’m particularly drawn to wood-based creations, which add a rustic charm and warmth to any space. As a Colorado native, I wanted to design a mountain shelf that echoes the spirit of my home by incorporating the natural wood elements I adore.
Figure 1 shows one of my college bedrooms and how I decorated it. I enjoy blending different natural colors like tans, browns, greys, and greens. My personal aesthetic can best be described as a mix of earthy neutrals with rustic modern. The earthy neutrals appear in my color choices. The rustic modern aspect emerges through the various decor and furniture I choose. This style incorporates the use of natural materials while keeping clean lines and visually appearing patterns.

For a closer look at my original mountain shelf, see Figure 2. For this project, I used 1″x4″ boards that I will use again. I made the mistake of cutting at very difficult angles, and have since learned the lesson and will not have to repeat it. I really like how I incorporated varying sized peaks and I will be doing this again. I am debating if I will stick with the three peak or not yet. I really like the stain color and still have it, so I will be keeping it the same color.

Inspiration
In order to improve my mountain shelf design, I want to create a shelf with a hinged door to keep keys and other miscellaneous items in. I am debating on whether I do this idea or create small drawers. Either idea will satisfy the dynamic requirement of this project. I also think it would be more functional to add coat hangers to the shelf. I looked up ideas for this and there are various ideas on Etsy, one of them shown in Figure 3. I am not completely set on if I will be incorporating both the usable shelf and coat hangers, but I think I have a good starting point of what I want for the finished product. Next steps are to sketch out of the design of my mountain shelf.

4 Comments. Leave new
Your project beautifully combines rustic and modern elements. Adding storage is a great touch. How will you balance functionality with the clean design?
Thank you Matthew! I plan to prioritize the clean design, but I think integrating the storage will add functionality and not interrupt the final aesthetic I hope to achieve.
Your project blends functionality with a strong personal aesthetic, capturing rustic warmth and modern simplicity. The use of natural wood and earthy tones reflects your Colorado roots, making the mountain shelf both decorative and meaningful. Refining your design by keeping the varied peak heights while avoiding past challenges shows thoughtful craftsmanship.
How do you plan to balance added features like a hinged door or drawers while keeping the clean, structured look? Are there specific materials or mechanisms you’re considering? Looking forward to seeing how it comes together!
Thank you Jacob! I am planning on using the same wood for either the hinged door or drawers as the mountain, so that it flows seamlessly into the mountain design. I am thinking of incorporating brass hardware to keep the warmth of the piece. I am still figuring out which mechanism will work the best!