Make a recessed display wall - global village style

Building out a wall to create an alcove is a great way to display decorative accessories and favourite objects; a row of recessed lights will showcase them beautifully, creating a truly personalized look. Experiment with colour by painting the alcove a paler shade than the rest of the wall. Your room will be stylishly transformed!


Level 1, less than 4 hours
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List of tools
List of materials
Cutting list
Step-by-step instructions
The alcove is formed by building two small false walls, one 24" high and the other 40" high, and fastening them to the existing wall to form a recess 6" deep. Apart from their differing sizes and the fact that pot lights are fitted into the top section, the two walls are made identically. Each consists of a structure built from 2" x 3" stock, to which plywood strips are attached so as to provide a greater surface area for fastening to the existing wall studs.

For this project, we will assume that an electrician has already installed the wires for the lighting, that those wires are emerging from a hole at the top of the wall and that they are long enough to be connected to the lights. We will also assume that a wall switch has been installed to turn the lights on and off.

Finally, note that the following instructions are for the construction of walls 96" long. You may need to adapt the size and the number of parts to fit your chosen space.

List of tools

  • Mitre saw
  • Table saw
  • Driver drill
  • Hole saw with 3" blade
  • Square
  • Utility knife or drywall knife
  • Pencil
  • Measuring tape
  • Stud finder

List of materials

  • 1 sheet of plywood ½" x 48" x 96"
  • 2 panels of drywall ½" x 48" x 96"
  • 8 pieces of spruce 2" x 3" x 96"
  • 2 lengths metal corner bead
  • Drywall tape
  • Drywall compound
  • 1 ½" and 2 ½" wood screws
  • 1 1/4" drywall screws
  • Primer
  • Paint

Cutting list

(for walls 96" long)
PartsQuantityMaterialDimensions
A - Girt10Spruce 2" x 3"2"
B - Riser - top wall10Spruce 2" x 3"20"
C - Riser - bottom wall10Spruce 2" x 3"36"
D - Cross brace20Spruce 2" x 3"5"
E - Fastening board6Plywood ½"5 ½" x 96"
F - Front of top wall1Drywall ½"24" x 96"
G - Front of bottom wall1Drywall ½"40" x 96"
H - Top of bottom wall1Drywall ½"5 ½" x 96"
I - Bottom of top wall1Drywall ½"5 ½" x 96"

Step-by-step instructions

Preparation
  1. Using a stud finder, determine the location of the existing wall studs and ceiling joists. Mark the location of each stud and joist.

    N.B.: Make the stud marks at least 8" from the ceiling, otherwise they will be hidden by the plywood strips.

  2. If there are electrical outlets on the existing wall, ask an electrician to move them so that they are ready to install on the new bottom section of wall.
Structure

Each false wall is built from stud frames to which plywood strips are attached to make it easier to fasten the structure to the existing wall. Another plywood strip is fastened along the top of each section: the strip along the top wall helps you screw the structure into the ceiling, while that along the bottom wall adds sturdiness to the ledge.
  1. Make the stud frames for the top wall as follows: Screw cross braces D to the ends of two risers B. Insert a girt A in the centre of the two risers. Make as many frames as necessary to run the whole length of the wall, calculating one for every 24". For this wall, which is 96" long, we need to build five frames.

  2. Screw two fastening boards to the back of the frames, spacing the frames 24" apart, centre to centre. The board edges must be flush with the upper and lower ends of the frames.

  3. Screw a third fastening board onto the top of the previously assembled structure, making sure its edges are flush on all sides. The top wall structure is now complete.
  1. Build the bottom wall structure in exactly the same way, this time using risers C.
  1. Draw a line down the centre of drywall strip I (bottom of top wall) and mark the location of the lights along this line. The lights should be evenly spaced.

    N.B.: Use the stud frames in the top wall as a guide to help you determine where to position the lights, which should be spaced between the frames rather than in line with them.

  2. Using the hole saw, cut out the holes for the lights in the drywall strip.

  3. Fasten drywall strip I to the bottom of the top wall structure using drywall screws.

    N.B.: For this top section of wall, the strip of plywood is fastened along the top of the stud frames and the strip of drywall along the bottom. Thus, the drywall strip is not fastened to a plywood strip but attached directly to the underside of the frames.
Assembly

Start by installing the top wall structure. At this stage, you will need someone to help you hold it in place.
  1. Position the back of the 24" (top) wall against the existing wall, pressing the top up against the ceiling. Screw through the fastening boards into the wall and the ceiling, in line with the marks made previously.

  2. Switch off the power supply, fit the recessed light fixtures into the holes made in the drywall strip and connect them to the wires already in place.

  3. Switch the power back on and check that the lights are working properly. Switch the power off again.

  4. Cover the wall structure with front of wall F.
  1. Install the 40" (bottom) wall by positioning it against the existing wall and screwing through the fastening boards into the existing wall studs.

  2. Install the electrical outlets in the new wall structure.

  3. Cover the wall structure with front of wall G, after having cut out the holes for the electrical outlets, as necessary.

  4. Screw drywall strip H along the top of the bottom wall section.

    N.B.: In this case (bottom section of wall), the strip of drywall is fastened on top of the strip of plywood already fastened to the top edge of the wall.
Finishing
  1. Install metal corner bead to the outside corners of the new walls.

  2. Tape the inside corners where the new walls and existing wall meet, as well as the joint between the top wall and the ceiling.

  3. Apply 2-3 layers of drywall compound, leaving each layer to dry for 24 hours. Sand when the final layer is dry.

  4. Before applying primer, it is advisable to clean the wall surfaces with a soft-bristled brush and to wipe them clean with a damp cloth to remove all traces of dust.

  5. Apply primer, leave to dry, then paint.

  6. Install baseboard along the bottom of the wall.


    Just one small step remains: a quick ‘click’ of the light switch after reconnecting the power supply, so you can step back and admire the result!
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