Tips For A Brilliant Bookshelf Makeover

Karin Carr, REALTOR®
Published on December 26, 2018

Read on if you are of the belief that something isn’t worth reading unless you can physically grasp it in your hand, even though book sales aren’t quite on par with those of the Instapot, which was the item that sold the most copies during Amazon Prime Day in the United States in 2018.

Even if you read all of your books on a Kindle, having shelves in your home that are filled with books may be an attractive addition, particularly if the shelves themselves have an appealing design.

If your bookshelves have seen better days, you will be happy to know that bookshelf makeovers are simple, inexpensive do-it-yourself projects that do not require a great deal of skill in carpentry.

The first step

It is often easier to start a decorating project with a blank slate, so take everything off the shelf before you get started. After that, wipe down and dust the entire unit.

If your shelves are of the particle board and plastic sort, such as those found at Ikea, all you need to clean them is a moist cloth and some light cleaner. If your shelves are of the wood variety, you will need more robust cleaning supplies.

On the other hand, cleaning wood units necessitates the utilization of a substance that is not hazardous to the wood itself, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap or Bona Cabinet Cleaner (both available from Amazon.com).

Now that you have some distance, think about all the options.

Does it need paint?

Older bookshelves that seem to have seen as many years as some of the books they hold will look youthful again with refinishing or a fresh coat of paint to the frame and shelves. Especially if the bookshelf is a castoff or bargain purchase, paint or varnish can make it look high-end.

We found a YouTube video walk-through of how to paint wood veneer and laminate surfaces, here.

Painting wood surfaces also has its challenges, but, step-by-step, this how-to video makes the process a lot easier.

Tips For A Brilliant Bookshelf Makeover

What’s behind the books?

The possibilities for creativity presented by bookshelves with closed backs are far greater than those presented by bookshelves with backs that are open to the wall.

Aside from painting the backboard, DIYers use everything from wallpaper to wrapping paper, fabric, and even shower curtains to decorate it.

Consider lighting it up

Lighted bookshelves offer a warm glow to the entire room and there are several ways to provide the light.

Consider LED strip lighting, attached to the bottom of each shelf to illuminate the shelf below. Here’s a video walk-through to help you get this very easy project underway.

For a more casual look, try twinkle lights. Even if you decide against this idea, we recommend watching this charming YouTube walk-through purely for its entertaining nature. We’ve fallen in love with TheFilmingFangirlBOOKS.

If you’re really handy, consider adding hardwired feature lights to your bookshelf.

Time to put the books back

If you’re using the unit to store books and only books, your décor options are limited. Suggestions for arranging them include:

  • Arrange alphabetically
  • Arrange books by theme
  • Separate them by color.
  • Stack some and use the stack as a bookend.
  • Arrange hardbacks separately from soft-bound books.
  • Arrange books by size

Bookshelves can hold more than books and offer a subtle way of decorating the room. The sky is the limit when it comes to which accessories to add to your bookshelves. You’ll find ideas online at HGTV, Elle Décor, and House Beautiful

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