The wife wants a shelf over two windows that abut in a corner of our
bedroom. She also wants a small piece cove molding to come down like a
mini-valance in front of the top of the drapes.

I priced out 2 pieces 8 foot 1"X10" Cherry and two pieces of 8' cove molding
and the price was close to $300.

Plan B was for me to just glue up some smaller pieces of cherry onto the
leading edge of the shelf and the backer piece to the cove molding and stick
with the real cherry for the cove molding because this all you are really
going to be able to see. Probably closer to $120.

But, then I thought to come here and ask if there might be a cheaper and
acceptable alternative? The rest of the furniture in the room is a dark
cherry which really doesn't have any great pronounced grain. Is there a wood
and stain combination that might satisfy the spouse acceptance factor and
keep me out of the poor house?