Copycat Pottery barn shelf

I had a customer who wanted this,

but not at the $400 price tag (ouch!) And we all know how hard it is to find quality decor on this island without paying an arm and a leg.

So I decided to recreate it.

I got a few 1x4s, a 1x6 and some crown molding and went to work. Just like I am with every project, if I had to do it again, I would do it differently. I think it's going to be a little difficult to hang...

I basically just built a 3-sided box out of 1x4s, put the 1x6 on top, built another 3-sided box (a little smaller) and put it on bottom. I added one more 1x4 on the very bottom to give it a finished look.

Then I added crown molding where the boxes joined together.
Here's a picture of it while I was working on it.

Here's my version, just finished in my garage. I can't wait to see it on the wall and decorated!

[7.25.12]

I primed, then painted the whole thing dark brown. Waited patiently (or not) for it to dry, and then layered on white and sanded it down between coats to distress. Finally, I sealed it with two coats of flat sealant.

UPDATE:
Here it is hanging in her house.