Outdoor Shelf DIY: Wall Storage for Plants & Pots

While antiquing one day, I stumbled upon a vintage wooden child’s school desktop—weathered, full of character, and just the right amount of charm.

It had me thinking: why not turn it into an outdoor shelf? With a bit of creativity, it became the perfect spot to house terracotta pots in our outdoor space, adding warmth and texture for summer, spring, and fall.

If you have an old board lying around or come across something similar at an antique store, this simple DIY gives plants easy access to the sun while bringing a touch of vintage charm to your summer house or backyard.

Vintage Children’s Wooden Desktop

Sage Farms Antiques in North Hampton, New Hampshire, was having one of their weekend pop-up shows, which I never miss!

There, I found this vintage children’s desktop for $12. I instantly thought it would be perfect for creating an outdoor shelf for the side of the garage—a unique space to display my mother’s terracotta pot collection for the summer months.

Outdoor Shelf Brackets

For this outdoor shelf, I grabbed a couple of simple wooden shelf brackets from our local hardware store and gave them a fresh coat of Essex Green—the same deep, classic shade we used on the trim of our Maine home last year.

It was an easy way to tie everything together while adding a little extra charm to our outdoor space.

These brackets come in all sorts of unique shapes and sizes, so you can pick whatever fits your style.

Whether you stain or paint them, be sure to seal them properly to handle the elements—especially if you want this little storage solution to last through the seasons. You can find similar brackets at any big-box store or your favorite small-town hardware shop.

A little paint, a quick install, and voilà—instant outdoor shelves with vintage charm!

(And just wait until you see the before-and-after—it’s such a simple update with a big impact!)

How to Hang Outdoor Shelf Brackets

Hanging outdoor shelving is easier than you think!

First, we measured the spot on our garage wall where we wanted the shelf to go—right above our DIY grilling station (which, by the way, was made from an old dresser and shutters—I’ll link that project here in case you love a good repurpose like I do!).

Once we had the placement just right, we drilled in the screws that came with the brackets.

These simple wooden brackets easily hook onto the screws, instantly creating a sturdy foundation for this outdoor shelf. Whether you use yours for plant stands, decorative accents, or everyday storage solutions, you can customize the size and height to fit your specific needs.

It’s the perfect little touch for summer houses, backyards, and cozy outdoor corners where you want both function and charm!

Outdoor Wooden Shelf

Once the brackets were up, the rest was a breeze!

We simply set the vintage children’s wooden desktop on the secured brackets.

You can easily screw or nail it down for extra security, but ours rested so snugly on the brackets that we left it as-is—no tools required!

Terracotta Pots

Then came the fun part—styling it!

I arranged my mother’s collection of chippy terracotta pots, which I’ve been absolutely crushing on this year.

Their weathered charm adds so much character, and I can’t wait to switch things up throughout the summer.

This little outdoor furniture piece is such a simple yet stunning way to showcase planters, and with its unique shape, it adds just the right amount of vintage charm to our backyard!

Looking for even more terracotta decor ideas? Check out these similar posts:

This outdoor shelf was such a simple DIY, but it adds so much charm and functionality to our backyard.

Whether you’re displaying terracotta pots, seasonal décor, or garden essentials, a project like this is an easy way to bring character to any outdoor space.

I can’t wait to style it all summer long!

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