When I saw a gorgeous ottoman from West Elm, I knew that I had to have one! A great way to DIY is to turn something unused and unloved into an item that you che…
From trash to treasure this easy curbside bookcases get a beautiful quick upcycle with removable wallpaper. Check out the before and after bookcase makeover idea. #upcycle #furniture #bookcase
What is it about DIY furniture makeovers that seem so intimidating? You've been meaning to dress up that old dresser, wooden chair, or boring bar stool for a while now, but you're not even sure where to start. That's where these furniture paint…
Hello, amazing Friends! Today I am sharing some of my favorite thrifty makeovers! The theme for this month's Get Your DIY On challenge is "Wood", and when I think of wood, I automatically think of the stash of old fence pickets I have in my garage. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like seeing a
We're sensing that an epidemic of drawer-less dressers is about to sweep the country compliments of this super easy and creative DIY bookcase project.
Have an old bookcase in need of a makeover? Here’s how to give it a new life in a nature-inspired transformation.
My husband is always bringing me home treasures he finds on trash night in our neighborhood. Thanks, honey. His latest find was this solid wood bookcase. It w…
Abbey from Painted Home Goods took a boring, dingy bookcase and turned it into an adorable storage space with Jitterbug! I was given this little boo…
Once I decided to build a Pottery Barn knock-off desk for my husband, I knew the desk would be lonely without a pair of classic bookshelves. Its hard to find good bookshelves people, especially tall ones. When you look online, you find a sea of particle board and bad laminate. Luckily, once upon a time (like... the 90's) you could easily find solid wood bookshelves. The best news is, since "they" decided oak is ugly, you can pick up a pair of these babies for peanuts on Craigslist. After a little searching and a 50 minute drive, I scored a pair of solid oak, 72" x 32" bookshelves (complete with those typical, 90's rounded edges) for $20. Great score, but the plan was to bring them into this century. The wall these shelves were going on is over 12' tall, so these bad boys needed a pair of heels to raise them up. How high you can go is dependent on how tall of baseboard you can find. You will need baseboard tall enough to cover the riser, plus a little more to nail to the bookshelf. You can use 2 x 6 for the bookshelf riser, but I find a 2 x 4 is a reasonable size (Remember, 2 x 4 is the "nominal size". It actually measures 1.5" x 3.5"). Measure your bookshelf, but in my case, with a 2 x 4, I was able to use 5.5" tall baseboard. Measure your bookshelf and cut two lengths exactly the same as the width. Find the depth, subtract 3" and cut two lengths. Now, build a box. If you have a * FULL size nail gun (like the kind framers user, not a finish or brad nailer), you could attach the boards that way. If not, set the boards on edge, vertically. Pre-drill and drive two, 3" wood screws into each end. To attach the riser to the bookshelf you will need pocket holes. If you're smarter than me, you would use your *Kreg Jig® and drill them before you assemble the box, just remember to avoid the last 1.5" of your short ends, where you will have a screw going through. If you're like me, just clamp the jig on and drill pocket holes around the inside of the riser. Depending on your bookshelf, you will most likely need to build out the base before you can attach the riser. Lay the bookshelf down and look at the bottom. Likely the frame will only be around 3/4" thick or less. In order for the screws to go through the pocket holes in the riser and grab into the bookshelf, you need to add more material. Don't worry, its easy. For mine, I found a couple pieces of scrap 1 x 2 and cut them down to size. Then, I flipped the bookshelf on its side and attached the 1 x 2 with glue and finish nails. Boom. That's it. Now you can easily drive 2.5" screws through the pocket holes and into the frame of the bookshelf. Just make sure to have the outside edges lined up. Now, the whole thing should be lifted up 3.5". Cut and miter baseboard to wrap around, covering the riser, and attach with finish nails. Now, our bookshelf has some sassy high heels, its time to tease her hair. Try to keep proportions on the bottom and top the same. Since I used a 1 x 4 riser, I chose 1 x 4 boards to add height to the top of the bookshelf. In order to attach the boards, I needed something to nail them to. I cut 3 pieces of 1 x 2. One, slightly shorter than the width of the bookshelf and 2 slightly shorter than the depth, minus 1.5". On the top of the bookshelf, I spaced the strips 3/4" from the edge and nailed them into place. + This is the same technique you would use if you were simply adding crown moulding, but you would bring the strips all the way to the edge. Cut your 1 x 4 the same dimensions as the bookshelf and miter the corners. Place the board vertically against the 1 x 2 strip and nail into place. Just like crown moulding, nail the pieces of board to the strip, and also to each other at the joints. Now we have some volume. "Yeah, but it just looks like I nailed a board to the top of my bookshelf, It doesn't blend." This is where trim comes in. You are going to use a small piece of moulding to cover the gap where old meets new. Typically, you would probably see "half-round" moulding or similar for this job. Its cheap and easy to find. I happened to have a stash of shoe moulding, so that's what I used. Once again, cut to size, mitering the corners, and nail into place. Looking much better. Just needs some crown to finish it off. If you haven't ever worked with crown moulding. it takes a little practice. I would recommend buying extra material your first time. I would recommend watching a tutorial too, but here is my Reader's Digest version: On a miter saw, flip the crown upside down and lay it against the fence at the angle it would sit on the wall and ceiling (pretend it's where the wall and ceiling meet). Cut at a 45 degree angle. I usually start with the most prominent piece first, nailing it into place, then adding the smaller pieces. To keep your joint from pulling apart, drive a couple nails from one piece of crown into the other, going both directions. Remember, on a bookshelf you can just cut the crown square on the back of the sides and leave the back bare. Its going to be up against a wall. Now, all that is left is make-up. I primed both bookcases and all the shelves with a stain blocking primer. Then, I sprayed 2 coats of Dark Roast from Country Chic Paint (Yes, it is a chalk-based paint and I didn't need to prime, but the oak looked a little orange and I was worried about tannin bleed). Its pretty much my new favorite color. Its the dark, warm gray that goes with anything. Its perfect if you like an Industrial look. You can see my first project I used Dark Roast on, here. Since these bookshelves will see a lot of use, I sprayed 3 coats of satin lacquer to seal my new paint job. Here's what she looks like all gussied up. I think the details on the top and bottom bring a bookshelf into style and make it look much more expensive. Plus, between the riser, 1 x 4, and crown, I added almost another foot in height. A great way to fill a large wall. Once again, here is the boring "before". And after "hair and make-up". What do you think? Quite the upgrade. The bookshelves cost me $20, and I spent about another $40 for materials (not including paint and finish). Not bad for a pair of 7", solid wood bookshelves. Maybe you'll look at those oak bookshelves on craigslist a little differently now? * This post contains affiliate links. Let's be friends! Follow along so you don't miss a thing!
How to take an old bookcase and upcycle it to a rolling cart
There is nothing as exciting as making your own pallet bookshelf. The idea of having to use a few pieces of wood and end up with an incredible design is
This vintage bookcase makeover used stripper, paint, and wrapping paper to update it and make it beautiful and functional for years to come. The story behind the bookcase: I was driving around to some local garage sales and saw a sign on a large piece of cardboard for a sale. It was down a long
My husband is always bringing me home treasures he finds on trash night in our neighborhood. Thanks, honey. His latest find was this solid wood bookcase. It w…
The Ikea Billy bookcase is 40 years old and there are so many great hacks out there that celebrate this birthday! We have brought together the best Ikea billy hacks in one place to inspire you to create something amazing. Using an Ikea billy hack is a great way to create a stunning bookcase on a budget.
On this week's blog, upcycling a bookcase from an unloved piece of shelving and turning it into beautiful storage for my vintage linens...
I had some things around my house that I wanted to update, but was afraid to do something permanent incase I didn't like them, got tired of them, etc. I used co…
Have you found yourself in possession of an ugly, cheap bookshelf that you don't want to get rid of but also hate the look? You know, one of those flat-packed, particle board ones with a
Freestanding vintage pine shelf unit or bookcase. Solidily made with an attractive cornicing and panelled back. Perfect for books or drinks, toys or linen. I have part-painted them using Anthracite chalkpaint which contrasts nicely with the rich tone of the wood. I have given the paintwork an aged, waxed and lightly distressed finish. The wood I have oiled and waxed. The central shelf is fixed and there is an additional shelf which is adjustable - resting on brass pins which can be altered into your chosen position. They are a useful size - 92 cm high by 91 cm wide and 32.5 cm deep. I'm not sure of their exact age but as with all my items this is a genuine vintage piece with a story to tell. If you have any questions please do ask. PLEASE NOTE: I am based in Cheshire and you are welcome to collect in person or arrange your own courier. The price I have quoted for shipping is a guide only. If you require shipping please message me before ordering so that I can give you an accurate quote. Delicate items are best delivered by professional courier and prices vary according to destination. Any queries do get in touch. Jane x
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