Simple and Inexpensive Bookshelves

Mar 19

Dark green living room with warm wood shelves surrounding a tv mounted on the wall. The vibe is academia with a side of mid century modern, but make it cozy. there are chairs and a table in front of the wall of shelves, the table has a lamp on it. — *View of the living room wall with floor to ceiling shelves*

This wall has come a long way.

Our living room has been a work in progress for the entire time we have lived here. I recently decided to go dark with our paint color and started with this wall. I previously only had 4 bookshelves under the television but was inspired to go a little more 'library' and 'academia' feeling and take them all the way up the wall.

Absolutely no regrets. We have since color drenched the entire downstairs with this green, Heritage Park by Behr. Check out my other living space design posts to see. It's glorious.

The before image for this living room makeover. Light gray walls, with warm wood shelves partially up the wall surrounding the TV. Chairs in front of the shelving, with a table in between. A warm patterned rug with shelves of books and a plant climb

A progress picture of a living room that is currently gray but has a large green swatch of paint on multiple walls. The shelves have been removed but the brackets are still there, there is a ladder leaning against the wall and the chairs and table h

The shelves and the cost.

So when we did the first 4 bookshelves it was the year of our Lord 2020. The pieces of wood, which are just 2x12x8's were $10 each. So to say I was actually terrified to go price them now was an understatement. I actually didn't believe the app when it said one shelf was only $13. For sure it meant $13 per linear foot. I absolutely went into the store to double check it. They were actually only $13 per piece. And I only needed 3 more. I was delighted.

Staining oopsy!

We did end up having to sand and stain all of the shelves because there was a mix up in communication and the wrong stain was used, which was okay because I like this color better anyway!

A partially painted wall, part green part gray, the TV is covered in a garbage bag to protect it and there is a drop cloth laid out on the floor to catch drips.

A living room wall fully painted green, but no shelves on the brackets. The TV is still covered and the baseboard is still white. The decision to drench the trim has not yet been made.

A lose up of the green walls, and brackets and shelves. A magnetic stud finder is attached to one of the brackets that is being installed to make sure it is level. There are other brackets, screws, and a tape measure laying on the shelf below.

A cozy living room with a warm plaid rug, green paint, a wall of warm wood shelving. The shelves are still empty and the room pulled apart. it is obviously still in process of being put back together after the shelves were installed.

A cozy green living room, warm wood shelves surroundng a tv mounted on the wall. a woman is standing on a teal step stool putting books up on the top shelf of the shelves that have obviously been newlly installed

Another shot of the woman putting books up on the top shelf of the new installed shelves. She is watching the classic rom-com, You’ve got Mail on the TV starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Hanging the new shelves:

I added the rest of the brackets for the top bookshelves, I always go for at least 2 studs when I'm hanging heavier stuff like shelves, even if that means my brackets are not exactly symmetrical. I've had too many anchors fail me no matter what the weight limit on them is. I had some help getting the shelves up there and got them all screwed in.

Give a mouse a cookie.

After it was put back together I decided to do a quick sand on the table between the chairs. It's been a work in progress ever since I picked it up at a yard sale covered in textured spray paint for $8 a few years ago. I took a piece of sandpaper and about 15 minutes and it's now way better than it was.