The niche areas and alcoves of a home serve as both a blessing and a curse, depending on your budget. Most often, home builders add them with the expectation that they will ultimately become cool built-ins or interesting display areas, but that can cost a pretty penny. Most of the time, they remain a strange bit of architecture that doesn’t get sorted out until you move on to your next home.

My latest niche project was originally designed by the architects to house a television…. if you’re 7 feet tall or love craning your neck so high that you need a heating pad to watch a movie. I chose to mount the television at a better viewing height, but then there was the little problem of a very deep niche area (or the area I like to refer to as a portal to another dimension) that was left up above. With a very small budget, I opted for an inexpensive art cover-up that would still allow me extra storage.

Supplies You’ll Need:

• 1×2 Lumber (measured out for the diameter of your niche opening)
• Miter box and saw
• Wood glue
• 2½” wood screws
• Piano hinge
• Wall anchors and screws
• Artwork large enough to cover the hole

You could always choose to install a series of shelves or even install your own built-in, and you can certainly expect to save big bucks by taking the job on yourself. However, for the spaces above the TV or high up on the wall, I like the artwork option. This way, when you step back the awkward area just blends into your environment and your guests never have to know that it’s an area for storage too. On top of that, your equipment sensors will work through the canvas!

1. Measure It Out

First off, you need to know what you’re dealing with. Measure out the diameter of your opening, adding a few inches onto each side. You want your hardware and artwork to give complete coverage, not just barely cover. You also want to make sure the frame you’re building can be securely attached to the wall, and you can’t accomplish that by getting too close to the niche edge.

2. Mitering the Frame

Now that you know your dimensions, start mitering the frame. It’s certainly possible to keep the cuts square and not worry about the mitering at all, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Having your edges mitered means extra stability for your frame.

3. Joining the Pieces

Lay your cut pieces out and begin to attach them together. To keep your frame from cracking, drill a pilot hole (smaller than the size of your screw) into each of your joints. The most effective way to do this is to join your pieces together, then drill in from the top or side. Once your pilot hole is in place, insert the wood screw. For added security, use a bead of wood glue on the inside of your joint before the wood screw goes in.

Here is where you can also pre-stain your frame if you’d like it to stand out a little more from your art piece.

4. Attach your Artwork Hinge

Ultimately, there will be a small piano hinge that attaches the artwork to your frame. You need this in place so that you can install your artwork as if it’s a cabinet door, which will give you access to the niche. For my niche project, I’m choosing to mount canvas artwork on the wall. For yours, feel free to use a mirror, cool sign or framed photo—whatever you want to display as art. Whatever you choose, it needs to be the same size as the frame you’re building. If you don’t have something already… well, it’s time to get creative, but that’s another project and blog post altogether.

Take your piano hinge and line it up with your artwork. Be careful to place the hinge based on which way you want your “cabinet” to swing open.  You also want to test out your hinge before you get it screwed into place so that you know it opens OUT. The last thing you want to be dealing with is an art piece that doesn’t move at all because the hinge is mounted backwards.

Line your hinge up and press in with an al or your screw to get the holes going. Finish attaching the hinge.

5. Marking and Pre-drilling the Frame

You have a few steps coming up that will be much easier to accomplish if you get a little pre-drilling out of the way first. Let’s start with the piano hinge.

Ultimately, the artwork will attach to your new frame, but for now you want to start by setting the art atop your frame and lining up your hinge. Once, the placement is settled, mark out where all the holes will be (on the frame side). Put your artwork aside and use your screws to begin the pilot holes. The screws themselves are on the small side so you don’t need to install them completely. Just get a decent start on the holes so that you can attach the hinge quickly once you finally get that step.

Here is where you also want to mark out your pilot holes for mounting the frame to your wall. Mark a hole on the face of your frame in each of the four corners. Be aware of where the screws from your frame are so you don’t run into them during this step. Once the holes are marked, create a pilot hole using your drill. Remember, the pilot hole should be smaller than your final screw.

6. Mount the Frame

Now that your frame has been built and your pre-marking and drilling steps are complete, you’re going to attach it to the wall. Put your frame up on the wall where it’s meant to be installed. QUICK TIP: When working alone, use earthquake putty to keep the frame in place. This allows you to step back, check that it’s level and mark your holes without your frame falling to the ground.

Once you have your frame level and in the right place, use the location of the pre-drilled holes from your frame to mark the wall behind using a pencil, al, or long screw. Remove the frame and put off to the side.

If you’re not drilling into a stud, or for heavier artwork, drill holes into your walls and install anchors. If your artwork is light, you can probably get away with only a few anchors. However, I wouldn’t nix them completely. Remember, you’re going to be opening and closing your artwork and there might be some pull on your frame. To keep from pulling your frame out from the wall over time, make sure to anchor it in place.

Once the anchors are in place, mount your frame on the wall. Feel free to paint it (if you haven’t pre-stained it) so that it blends in with your wall color. This will help the “cabinet” aspect of this project to disappear.

7. Attach the Artwork

On your frame, you should already have your piano hinge pilot holes started. The next step now is to attach your artwork to the frame. If you’re concerned with the artwork swinging open on its own you can add a magnet to the bottom, non-hinged corner. Other than that, all that’s left to do is step back and admire your new niche hideaway!