The Starter Kit

I can't take credit for this expression...a client shared it with me. I find it elicits a chuckle and a knowing nod from all who understand it however.

The starter kit is the little project that sends you to the _______ store. (Fill in the blank here to fit your next or last home dec project). Perhaps it's the craft store for a quick couple of sheets of scrapbook paper and you leave with a new cutting system...guaranteed to make your life easier. Perhaps you popped in to Sur l' Table for a new garlic press and left after you'd scheduled yourself for a series of 10 classes taught by the latest chef to grace the cooking schools schedule.

In my case (the one that prompted my darling client to deem my project "The Starter Kit") it was a couple of shelves. Just a quick couple of shelves for the niche in my family room. A place to store the small library of books (I HAD edited the book collection) and the DVD movies the children have acquired.

I had it all planned out. The space measured a perfect 48.5". Just right for the 4 foot shelves at Lowes. The problem?? They didn't have them in the right color. Oh yes...and I had The Husband with me. The Husband...who thought that PAINTING those Oh-so-easy and Oh-so-affordable shelves was not a road he wanted to travel down. No. He wanted custom. Just a bit of lumber. Paint (of course). Nails. Masonry screws (the fireplace flanked the niche, after all). A masonry drill bit...of course. Trim for the cleating. Trim for the face. Trim for the crown....didn't matter that it was going to be painted. We selected beautiful finish grade beech wood for the shelves. Oh yes...and Sheetrock for the back. Did I forget to mention that there was panelling on the walls?? Must have slipped my mind. AND as we tore into the project I was BACK at the hardware store in response to the husbands question about electrical in the wall. Of COURSE I wanted lighting. A switch for accent lights. Recessed cans with eyeball spots. On a slide dimmer, of course. NOT the affordable 6" spots, mind you. No...I wanted the 4" spots at three times the price. Why? They looked better, of course. Now, I have lovely custom shelving with space for book, DVDs, small lamps and at Christmas time, a couple of decorative items.

All from the starter kit. Those little 4 foot shelves from the store.

(in the interest of full disclosure...these are NOT my shelves in the picture. I haven't shot photos yet! Shooting photos would require making them look gorgous. Which would require editing. And decorating. And another Starter Kit is off and running.)