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One Room Challenge, The Reveal: Built In Bookcases

 
 
Hello and welcome to the last day of the One Room Challenge!
 
 
 
A great big huge thank you to Linda of Calling It Home, who created the ORC, in which 20 design bloggers completely makeover a room in six weeks. Linda also opens up the ORC to anyone who wants to join the challenge by becoming a linking participant (hi! That’s me.)  Since I’m a rule breaker, a rebel, (a wimp), once again I decided to focus on part of a room for the ORC. My challenge was to build a wall of bookcases in our living room – a room that has lacked an identity or purpose for the 4 years we’ve lived here.
 
I wanted to see if it was do-able for ONE person, a non professional with intermediate carpentry skills, to tackle this project and make it look like it wasn’t a DIY. And guess what – it is completely possible!!!
 
Our living room has been a room of castoffs and I could never really decide how best to use it. Here is a true before from the day we moved in….
…..and for the past few years it’s been kind of a blank canvas. (I made that armoire into a bar cabinet, something that has come in quite handy in the last six weeks!)
 
To create my dream library wall, I used a combination of Ikea Billy bookcases and a made-from-scratch custom sized bookcase; you can read more about the comparison in labor, quality and cost here. Then I built the four bookcases into the wall and tricked them out with all sorts of trim.
 
Keep in mind that this project is about 95% done. I still have a bit of painting to finish, and continue the baseboard and crown molding around the room, but I’m mostly done with this project and I did it almost entirely on my own. Here it is at the end of the One Room Challenge! Scroll down to see it filled in after a year or two.
 
My biggest challenges to this project were building the “bridge” over the doorway, and making the finish carpentry look professional.
 
 
 
 
It has taken me YEARS to figure out how to do things like miter the perfect corner, and I finally mastered it.
(See the trick I learned here!!)
 
I learned how to install a base and frame out a header, splice together trim so the seams are disguised and install crown molding. (I wrote about how to create a chair rail “return” if you’re interested.)
 
 
Before the wall of bookcases, I had never taken on a carpentry project this big on my own, and there was a lot to learn. It took me the whole six weeks just to build this but it has been so worth the time and labor! It’s CRAZY gratifying to create something with your own two hands!
 
Update – here are the bookcases filled to the brim with books….
Styling bookcases with lots of books and a few objects to break it up.
…..and more books!
 
 
Use large baskets to give weight to a bookcase when styling.
 
Check out this post of simple ways to style a bookcase…..
Five simple tips to take your bookcase from chaotic to cohesive!
 
Once I built this wall of bookcases in our living room, I had the courage to try tons more carpentry projects around our house, including making over our fireplace in our family and rebuilding the bookcases around it to change the style, modify the shelves, and add doors.
Styling fireplace bookcases with a color palette of blues, greens and white with a few natural elements.
 
I also hacked simple metal utility shelves into bookcases for my son’s room…..
An inexpensive bookcase using two metal utility shelves.
 
Thank you again to our fearless leader Linda of the One Room Challenge for inspiring me to be courageous and try something waaaaaay out of my comfort zone!!
 
Thanks also, so very much, to everyone who stopped by and commented here and on IG over the past six weeks. You kept the momentum going and made the ORC so much fun, and I am so appreciative of all your encouragement!
 
A huge congrats to my fellow ORC Challengers!! You made it!
 
xo
 
Pin this post to save for late!
DIY built in wall of bookcases incorporating both Ikea Billy bookcases and custom made bookcases.

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Comments

  2. Ange says

    Wow Lisa!!! The bookcases look amazing! You should go enjoy the bar cart and a book now basking in the glow of all your hard work!

    Reply

  6. Cyndy Aldred says

    wow, wow, wow Lisa! So proud of you for doing this girl! That's gotta feel great and the bookshelves look so amazing! High five girl!

    Reply

  10. Denise Greenwood says

    Oh my Lisa!! You did an amazing job!! They look sooo good!! Like they were always there. I love the wider detail on the one shelf towards the bottom, it really gives it a more interesting look. The styling is top-notch too!! Great job!!

    Reply

  18. Tiffany says

    I may have shed a tear. You are beyond inspiring. I hope when we take on the task of building a bookcase that they turn out as beautifully. I'm so impressed and in awe. Amazing job!!!

    Reply

  19. Kris @ Driven by Décor says

    Lisa, seriously this is beyond amazing! I am truly astounded that you were able to do this all on your own. Now I just have to convince you to come visit me for a long weekend and teach me all your new carpentry skills 🙂 And the styling looks awesome too – I think doing that alone would have taken me the whole six weeks! Congrats my friend – so well done!

    Reply

  21. Dana Frieling says

    LISA!!!! Holy smokes you're amazing. I'm so impressed with your patience and determination. The finish out truly sets you apart from an average DIYer. Great work!

    Reply

  23. BlueClearSky Elizabeth says

    That looks beautiful! Love love the mlllwork detail and it looks like a pro job. It must be great to have the book and styling space too. Pinning to hopefully do a project like this one day.

    Reply

  24. Tracy Laverty says

    Lisa, I've been excited to see how your bookcases turned out! They look so beautiful! Amazing job at styling them too- which is not easy for such a large piece. It makes such a difference in your space. LOVE it!

    Reply

  26. Kimberly Lemmon says

    Lisa I can't believe this! You have some serious skills. I would be so afraid to even try anything like this! Amazing job!!

    xo

    Reply

  28. Cathy Wall says

    I am beyond impressed with how beautifully these bookcases turned out, but also with the fact that you learned all of the how to's in the process! Job well done, hope you are sitting staring at them drinking a glass of wine…right now!

    Reply

  31. Tricia says

    You deserve a bottle of wine for taking that all on! I would never in a 100 years think I could do it (total boy job written all over it) but after see what you did I feel like I need to be a bit more courageous in the carpentry department. I am so impressed by your beautiful bookcases. Congratulations!!!
    Tricia // Suburban Bitches

    Reply

  32. ElevenGables says

    Lisa! I knew I loved you! I have a secret desire to learn how to use woodworking tools. I am so jealous of your awesome skillz!!!! Amazing! You did a fabulous job! Can't wait to see more! Cheers!!

    Reply

  33. Alison Fauls says

    Your finish work looks perfect. I love how your trimmed it all out. Congratulations on such a professional looking job!

    Reply

  38. [email protected] says

    Oh girl, you ROCKED THIS! I am completely amazed that you did all that trim work, and it looks SO GORGEOUS. And to say that I covet those black french doors is a total understatment! Great great job!!!!

    Reply

  41. Vel Criste says

    Aaaaaahhhh! It looks fabulous Lisa! I'm so proud and happy for you!!!!! I had such a busy weekend that I'm just checking out the reveals today! I bet you enjoyed this room and MOthers day all the more! A big hug and CHEERS to you my dear!

    Reply

  43. sarah sofia knepp says

    Lisa, I'm still in admiring all your handyman wood work! WOW, you put me to shame! I LOVE everything you've done! I will look for tips, and maybe, just maybe can pull something like this off. Bravo on a job well done! So fun participating in ORC with you!

    Reply

  46. Linda {Calling it Home} says

    Thanks, but it was ALL YOU! Can we talk about things that others can't really appreciate….LOVE the miters and returns. I still need help with my returns (how weird are we?). I love this statement in your room. So, so, so good. Way to go.

    Reply

  47. kate@willowinteriors says

    OMG!! This is unbelievable! It's taking me 6 weeks to check out everyone's rooms and in the same amount of time you've professionally built the most beautiful bookcases I've ever seen! How gorgeous!! I would seriously sit and stare at them all day. Anyone who came to the door (even the postman) would get ushered in and told to look at these beauties. Enjoy and well done!

    Reply