A Little Bit of Little “Shiplap”

I decided it was time to try out an idea I had for a little bit of ‘little’ ‘shiplap’.  I am taking liberties here, because this is not really proper shiplap, I actually used paint stir sticks for this project.  I have been wanting to have a long container for my farmhouse table for centerpieces.  I spotted a window box type of planter at the Home Depot.  I painted it white and used it for my Spring tablescape blog hop, but it really didn’t look as finished as I would have liked.  A little bit of shiplap

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A little bit of shiplap

Here it is, a plain rectangular window box or planter before I painted it.  A little bit of shiplapHere was the box painted and my fresh flower arrangement put in it.  Even though I painted it, this somehow did not look finished to me.  Time to create!  A little bit of shiplapSo began the work…well, to be honest, not for me.  My dad who is retired and is going to be 89 years old this August is always looking for something to do, and this was the perfect project for him.  We had some scrap wood (and my Christmas tree sign) left in the garage and he went to work making a wooden box that the planter would fit down inside.

A little bit of shiplapWhen the box was finished I gave it a couple of coats of paint.  I knew I was going for a shiplap look, so my final coat of paint was black.  I wanted the dark lines to show between the pieces of paint sticks I was going to be using to simulate the shiplap.A little bit of shiplapFirst I had to trim all of my paint sticks to cut off the indentations.  Then it was time to spray paint them white.  I love shabby chic and farmhouse projects because nothing has to be “perfect”, it is okay if things are a little crooked, or aren’t totally painted with the same number of coats of paint.   I used 12 inch paint sticks from Amazon.  A little bit of shiplapIt was time to begin gluing my paint sticks to my box.  I used a dime to space the paint sticks a uniform distance apart, but after a bit I realized the paint sticks were not all exactly the same size, so I went to just eye-balling the spacing.  Again, why I like these kinds of projects!  A little bit of shiplapI used Gorilla brand wood glue to attach the paint sticks.  I learned that when cutting them with my chop saw, I had to cut through them very slowly.  I chopped up a few of the paint sticks before I learned that!A little bit of shiplapHere is my box on the table in all of its imperfect farmhouse style!  But wait….A little bit of shiplapI set my planter box down inside my farmhouse box, filled it with ice and used this to ice down white wine and champagne!  It was time for a celebration!  A little bit of shiplapWe used this indoors, but this would be perfect for summertime get-togethers outside for icing down beer, wine or soft drinks!  A little bit of shiplapOf course, I really wanted a more finished look for a centerpiece.  I once again used my planter to hold the floral foam and water and arrange fresh flowers in my new ‘shiplapped’ box!  A little bit of shiplapIf you would like to add a little bit of the shiplap look to your home, but don’t want to make the big commitment of a wall, order yourself a box of paint sticks and cover something in your home!  It is easy to add a little bit of farmhouse look with a little b it of shiplap!

I will be sharing this at the following link parties:  The Scoop | Create Link Inspire 

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25 Comments

    1. Thanks Liz, I know we are always looking for a way to ice down a lot of beer and wine when we have casual get-togethers, and the planter is perfect for that and for a centerpiece!

  1. Happy Easter Chloe! You are so talented & creative. What a great multi use container! Love that you include your Dad. Can’t wait to see what you do next…

    1. Thank you Kelly, I have a wastepaper basket I have been wanting to do this treatment to for about 6 months, and when Hometalk called and needed a fill-in Facebook Live, I thought it was the perfect time to take on this project! I will use the wastepaper basket for my Live on Monday night at 7 PM!

    1. Thank you Jenna, we fell in love with that picture in the Ballard Design store in Jacksonville, Florida. We ordered it when we returned from a trip and it arrived in something like 3 days!

  2. I bought a planter box just like yours but in white. Still deciding whether I want to use it on my dining table or plant herbs in it. Your little bit of shiplap box came out great and way to get more bang for your buck by using it to chill your drinks. Love your projects they are always so creative!

    1. Thank you so much Sandra. Funny, I couldn’t find a white one and had to paint mine white when I first used it for my Spring tablescape. I know ours will get lots of use icing down beverages this summer!

  3. I like that you went with just a little bit of shiplap – it’s a lovely way to add some more texture and interest to your planter box! And your floral arrangement is absolutely gorgeous, by the way!

  4. hello Chloe! Great idea! and it goes well with the art you have in the background! (The flowers are nice but I prefer the adult beverage cooler idea better! ; > )
    good job and thanks for posting!
    rick boyd

  5. Fantastic idea even for out by our pool! Going to give it a try! Thanks for your fun posts…. I always look forward to seeing them in my inbox! Happy day to you

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