
On a recent visit to Stratford Hall Plantation in VA (General Robert E. Lee's boyhood home), we were inspired by the transom windows in the interior hallways. These windows had horizontal shutters that when opened, resting on their chains, looked like shelves over the doors…..

We couldn't help but think "What a great place to put stuff"! It was easy to do; we bought pre-made shelves from our local hardware store, hung them upside-down over the door frame and voila! Instant storage!
We plan on lining all the doors in our hallway with these!

-Caroline
>>To All AT Washington Posts
hmm...i don't particularly care for the look unless you really can't find another place for extra storage. For display purposes it seems odd to look up everytime i walk through my doorway, not to mention to high to appreciate anything up there.
view Soulstice8's profile
something like this over a kitchen door would be a great place to store cookbooks for example. I like the idea, though I think the shelves pictured have too much stuff on them.
view smileydq's profile
This is such an imaginative use of "dead" space! I think it creates a great little vignette and definitely adds to the hallway's appeal. It reminds me of the plate rails you see above cabinets in older homes, but with even more options.
view ASK's profile
I like this, it just may be the answer to where to put the cookbooks in my tiny kitchen. And on a similar note, I have friends whose home has very thick door moldings; they put vignettes of tiny whimsey above many of their doorways, which I have always found charming, most of the doorways in our home have no molding at all.
view fjorlief's profile
I think it would be nice over a bedroom door so when you lay in bed you can look and see it
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
I have a long hallway in my house. I've installed 3 Ikea CD shelves above the cabinets and closet doors, and use the space for seldom-consulted books. It's a great use of the space and even adds some interest. We're tall enough that reaching the books is not a problem. I don't think I'd like it in a bedroom unless as a last resort, and then I'd like to see the shelves run all the way around the room.
view pvett's profile