Naturally Stained Pine Shelves

If you are an apartment dweller come moi, you know that apartment bathrooms are ALWAYS minuscule and severely lacking in storage.  My current bathroom has a single cupboard under the sink.  That's it.  NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE.  Not when you share with boyfriend who has five old containers of hair product at any given moment in time.  I could have spent fifty dollars or more on one of those mdf white painted or metal contraptions that stand over the toilet and offer a few shelves.  However, I HATE THEM, so that option was out.  I had some plain knotty pine pre-cut into 2 foot long and 6 inch wide pieces from a different project that never got done.  However, did I want plain pine? No sir.  I wanted this kind of pine from nimidesign

Steps:

1. Put one bundle of real and super fine steel wool in a sealable contained (a jar works well).  Pour a few cups of apple cider vinegar over the steel wool and let sit for 24 hours.

2. After 24 hours (let it sit for longer if you want the stain darker) prep your wood.  Steep two teabags in two cups of water and let sit for a few minutes.  Paint your pine with the tea and let it dry. 

3.  Remove your steel wool and carefully paint the dried pine with the apple cider vinegar stain. Let it sit and watch as it transforms over time!

4.  If you've missed any spots you'll be able to tell once it has dried, then simply touch up those spots and let it dry again.  Finish with a polyurethane to seal it and voila, vintage pine.

A contrast of plain pine and my lovely stained pine!  The stain darkens the wood for about an hour before you have the finished product.  Here's another photo in a different light that shows it a bit more grey than this one:

And the finished product with more storage! Though I am going to need to make an Ikea trip for some much needed boxes to disguise ugly toiletries inside it ...