I know what you’re thinking. Do John & Sherry want to marry built-ins? The answer is yes. What can I say, we’re just suckers for them (function + form = jackpot) so it was no surprise that Hilary’s project of turning cheap Craigslist bookcases into an architectural feature had me at “Hey there.” It was just such a smart use of space and such a wise way to adapt something pre-made (and affordable) to work for the room. Here’s her letter:
Hey there John + Sherry! My husband and I moved into our little cape cod in Jersey just over a year ago. In the first year we tore out the old flooring, laid all new wood floors, and completely gutted and renovated our kitchen. After we checked the biggest projects off of our To Do list we were able to move onto more fun projects like adding lots of storage and display space in our living room by means of two built-ins. After scouring Craigslist for months I finally found two perfectly ugly yet sturdy all-wood bookcases for only $100.
After I removed some outdated trim, sanded them down…
… and painted them in white (Benjamin Moore’s White Dove)…
… they really popped against the navy blue walls that I painted to show through behind them (Behr’s December Eve). Then we just finished things off with trim that we painted to match. Adding crown molding and putting the doors back on was the final step. And filling them back up with things we love – and stashing additional items in the bottom cabinets – was the icing on the cake.
There’s still more trim work and paint touch-ups to be completed but I just couldn’t wait any longer to share.
I hope you’ll find them as awesome as we do! – Thanks, Hilary
Is that not an awesome idea? The royal-ish navy blue wall color that shows through from behind them is such a great choice, the dark frames are cool, and most of all we just love that Hilary so smartly adapted old bookcases from Craigslist to earn all that display space (and storage!) against that formerly useless wall. You can see more about how these built-ins came to be on Hilary’s blog – and even tackle your own version with some old secondhand bookcases if you hunt some down. And beyond just the shelves themselves, I’m really digging the items on them. Methinks I need to find myself a vintage fan…
More and More I don’t know what I’m waiting for to get the backs of our bookshelves painted. Looks fantastic- thanks for the inspiration!
Wow! I would not have thought of this. This usually is an expensive look. Next time I see those ugly shelves at the sal val I will take a second look and think bookcases!
Lovely! We are buying a home that has an abundance of oak and it’s almost overwhelming. This gives me hope!
Impressive! Pinned to my DIY pinterest board like lightning!
They look fantastic!
I am SO with you on the vintage fan love! Great job, fellow reader!
It looks like the used the top as an additional shelf?! So smart. I scrolled up and down because I was CERTAIN those bookcases got taller. Real pretty. Totally changed the whole room!
Hahaha I did the same thing. Kept scrolling up and down, up and down trying to figure out how they suddenly were so much taller! They’re like magic growing shelves :)
That is inspiring. If I found those cabinets free on the street I probably would have walked right past them.
I immediately zeroed in in that fan. I have a few old fans and just love them. It doesn’t cost much to have them rewired so they’re functional. (Not exactly Clara-safe though.)
Absolutely GORGEOUS!!! So in love with that bold blue.
Looks amazing!
I’m a little confused between picture 3 and 4. How did the bookcase go from what looks like a foot between the top of the bookcase and the ceiling (picture 3) to ceiling height (picture 4)? Did they have a section about adding to the top of the bookcase that wasn’t included here?
Looks like they used the top of the bookcase as the top shelf when they built them in. So smart! There’s more info if you click over to their blog I think!
xo
s
Here’s that link for ya on how we beefed up the bookcases to make them floor to ceiling:
http://www.mysocalledhome.com/2012/06/beefing-up-built-ins.html?m=0
Love that!
xo
s
that was my question, too. they look great!
Ah! Thank you SO much for the feature! We are just loving how much interest they add to our plain jane living room, not to mention storage space. The extra space will definitely come in handy this Spring when we welcome baby “#1 into the world (yay May babies!). Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Wahoo! May babies, represent! We love your room, and wish you all the best with the wee one you’re cooking!
xo
s
So, so great!!! Hilary, since you’re not calling them done (which you totally could) may I just say that a built-in bench under that window connecting the two bookcases would MAKE this. :)
I came on here to say the same thing! A window seat (with a lift up lid to store baby toys) would be divine!
Like this: http://www.bhg.com/rooms/living-room/makeovers/living-room-decorating-ideas/#page=17
So pretty!
xo
s
I love this project, but I’m sooo glad you posted this because I used to read her blog but somehow lost the link. Such a pretty house!
I have a love for builtins as well. How can you not??? This was a really smart move and very clever!
Does Hilary have a blog? These look A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I so want to create a functional bootkcase/tv stand combo in the corner beside our fireplace! This gives me so much inspiration!
Yes, we linked over to her at the bottom of the post. Hope it helps!
xo
s
I LOVE this! And it’s the exact thing I need in my living room on either side of our fireplace to define the space and give me some much needed storage. (We have a loooong living room/dining room that I’m having trouble defining as two spaces.) I wanted to do bookcases anyway, but I love the idea of making them look built in!
Absolutely stunning!
Isn’t this original bookcase the cousin of your original kitchen with the googly eye knobs? :)
Haha, it’s true!
xo
s
This is great! I seriously own almost the exact same bookcases. They were hand-me-downs when we first got married (almost 9 years ago…yikes that we’ve held onto them that long…not that we’ve been married that long!). I’ve never really liked them, but they are extremely functional (and were free) and we haven’t gotten around to replacing them. I sense another project in the works…
So awesome! Send pics!
xo
s
oh la la…I love that moody blue :)
Say what??? How clever to build out the top and sides – I would never have thought of that. The crown moulding looks great. What a cute room!
I have two matching solid oak bookcases. Golden Oak (shudder). I ADORE the look of the dark blue background against the white shelves. I really, really, REALLY need to get my husband on board with that! He’s very matchy-matchy and all ‘wood-is-good’. I just don’t do the matchy-matchy thing!
Maybe I’ve scared him enough this year with my Ocean Depths blue powder room. Then again, the year is almost over!
This is fantastic! I hope both $herdog and John and all these other bloggers realize how much those of us who don’t have time to blog but need inspiration, appreciate all these projects you invest so much time into!!!
Aw that’s so sweet Angelica! We love to share the love, and find ourselves getting completely inspired and excited every time we see cool projects like this!
xo
s
These look great! We’ve been painting like crazy here – old brick fireplace now sparkling white. And I can definitely see a paint change coming in the future of our big oak bookcase and hutch. If I can only convince my husband that painting the insides a different color is a good idea.
And unless I’m mistaken, these folks must watch even less TV than I do. looks like the TV is basically behind the couch in that bookcase.
At first I thought that she had turned that cigar box into a tissue box holder, then I saw that it was a shell. I think I’m going to have to DIY myself a cigar box tissue holder, though.
I love this!! The blue paint makes it pop! What color blue did you use?
I think if you click over to her blog she has all that info for ya!
xo
s
Awesome! I am now on the lookout for cheap, ugly bookcases…
I love the built-ins! If I had a house, this is totally something I’d want to do.
Ohhhhhhh so pretty! Love how she used the navy in the back. So pretty with the crisp white. :)
These turned out so fantastic! I can’t believe the reveal photo came from craigslist finds! Also the styling is awesome. An overall win! :D
eBay is a good source for amazing old fans that could use a little love. I spiffed one up a few years ago and it’s one of my favorite possessions! With Clara (and other kiddos) around, non-functional wouldn’t even be a deal-breaker–seems like the older the fan, the bigger the hand that can get through the protective grill…
Smart!
xo
s
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
Hey John – I love how you worked “methinks” into this post. Hahaha! Is that one word or two though?!?
Methinks it’s probably two. I get that stuff wrong. Haha.
xo,
s
i love the navy against the white!
xo julesinflats.com
They look really nice, but I can’t quite figure out if you boarded up the gap between the sides and the wall. That seems like valuable space for more books or for a wider window treatment. I really love this project, but the shelves look a bit skimpy compared to the available wall space.
What I appreciate about this, though, is the challenge of figuring out how to maximize the available shelving space while still using these same Craigslist units you purchased. One option (should I have the opportunity with my own home) would be to place the shelving units flush against the two walls with moulding along the sides so they look built-in, and then hanging your curtain rod across the larger span with fabric draping on both sides. This would give the illusion of a wider window and eliminate the appearance of wasted space.
Carla, that was actually my original intent, to sit the bookcases flush on the wall but after stepping back it seemed like too large of a gap between them and we’d have to get wider curtains to fill in the space which I felt looked strange. Then we considered turning the sides into extra shelves but again it just seemed like it would look too clutterrd and jam packed with “things.” In the end we decided building out the sides a little was our best solution. Truthfully the trim isn’t finished in these photos but it will look much more finished and intentional when it’s on. Hope that explains my train of thought a little better! :)
I adore all things built in, and this project is no exception! Love the finished product. If I saw the before and after side-by-side, I would never guess they’re the same shelves. Amazing!
What an awesome adaptation to something so simple. I love how the room is being pulled together by the pops of blue here and there.
My best, Lynn
Nicely done — we have a nice built in that’s all open shelving, I’m wondering now if I can add doors to the bottom to add some much needed concealed storage for toys.
Ooh I bet you can!
xo
s
Great job! It takes vision to come up with that final result from the initial view of those bookcases on sale.
Love the idea, color choices, execution, etc.
Must check out their blog now :)
The whole room looks so nice but those bookshelves are to die for!
Your new bookshelves look absolutely amazing! Very nice transformation… you did an excellent job. Thanks for sharing!
Wait! I think there were a few steps that were not shown. The original shelves were at least 8 inches short of the ceiling and the final product goes all the way up to the ceiling and has several shelves that the original shelves did not. So how did you add the top piece to have it reach up all the way to the ceiling ?
Oh yes, she used the top of the bookcase as the top shelf. So smart, right?! There are more details for you over on here blog!
xo
s