A handmade Christmas gift for the home: peg shelf gift guide

From LivingCraftCo, a small shop in Temecula, California that makes solid pine Shaker peg shelves. Our shelves are linked below; the tips work for choosing any useful home gift.

The best home gifts get used every day. A wall peg shelf is one of those: it catches coats and bags by the door, holds towels in the bathroom, mugs at a coffee bar, or stockings at Christmas. It is a practical gift that still feels personal, because you choose the size, the color and the room it is for. Here is how to pick one well, and how to get it there in time.

1. Who a peg shelf is a good gift for

• New homeowners and newlyweds. A first entryway or mudroom rarely has enough hooks. A housewarming or wedding gift that solves that gets used from day one.
• Busy families. Backpacks, jackets and hats finally have a home by the door.
• Coffee and tea lovers. Mugs hang from the pegs and the shelf holds beans, a grinder or a small plant.
• Expecting parents. A shelf by the changing table holds tiny outfits, a hat and a blanket. If a non-toxic finish matters to them, see our nursery listing, which is offered with a non-toxic stain.
• The person who has everything. Something handmade from solid wood, built to last, is hard to duplicate.

2. Pick the size without asking (and spoiling the surprise)

Most of our shelves come in 20, 28 and 46 inch widths. A few quiet ways to choose:

• 20 inch: a small entry, beside a door, a bathroom or a nursery corner.
• 28 inch: the safe middle choice for most walls.
• 46 inch: a long hallway or mudroom wall, or a big family.
• Not sure of the wall at all? We also make a made-to-measure shelf in any length, so the size can fit a tight space exactly. If you can, glance at the wall on a visit, or ask a family member to measure it for you.

3. Pick the color

Our shelves are solid pine stained with Minwax, in colors such as Early American, English Chestnut and Dark Walnut, plus a distressed red. A simple rule for gifts: match the wood tones already in their home. Warm medium browns go with most farmhouse and traditional rooms; darker stains suit modern or moody rooms. Check the full stain list on each listing.

4. Order in time for Christmas

Each shelf is made by hand, so it takes about a week to make before it ships, then shipping time on top. Etsy shows an estimated delivery date at checkout for your zip code; check it before you order. As a rule of thumb, order by early December for Christmas delivery, and earlier is safer during the holiday rush. If you are running late, a printed photo of the listing in a card makes a nice "it's on its way" gift.

5. Make the gift easy to put up

Every shelf comes with screws, and small holes are pre-drilled above the pegs. The best mount is into wall studs; where there is no stud, heavy-duty drywall anchors work. Do not use the silver shelf brackets, as they are not strong enough to hold the shelf. Tuck a note with our guide to hanging a Shaker peg shelf and finding the studs in with the gift, or offer to help hang it.

6. A few gift pairings

• Entryway: the shelf, a small basket for keys on top, and a new scarf on a peg.
• Coffee bar: the shelf, two favorite mugs and a bag of local coffee beans. Our deep shelf has a bigger top for this.
• Christmas: the shelf plus the family's stockings, so it goes up as a stocking holder and stays as a coat rack in January. More ideas in our stocking holder without a mantel guide.
• Nursery: the shelf with a hand-knit hat or blanket on the pegs.

Shop our shelves

• Christmas stocking holder shelf
• Deep peg shelf for a coffee bar
• Made-to-measure peg shelf, any length
• Bathroom towel rack peg shelf
• Non-toxic nursery peg shelf
• Browse the whole shop on Etsy

Real photos from the shop

Questions people ask

Is a peg shelf a good housewarming gift? Yes. Most new homes are short on hooks and storage by the door, and a solid wood peg shelf is useful every day.

What size peg shelf should I give? If you cannot measure the wall, 28 inches suits most walls. Choose 20 inches for small spaces and 46 inches for long walls, or a made-to-measure shelf for an exact fit.

When should I order a handmade shelf for Christmas? Each shelf takes about a week to make before it ships. Check the estimated delivery date at checkout and order by early December to be safe.

Does the shelf come with hardware? Yes, it comes with screws and has pre-drilled holes above the pegs. Mount it into studs, or use heavy-duty drywall anchors where there is no stud.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17) Thank you for thinking of a small shop when you give. We pray the homes our shelves go to are full of warmth this season.