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Simple and Inexpensive Bookshelves

ByMelinda Living Room, Living Space Design
colorful living room with plaid rug, blue ottoman, green walls, fireplace, shelving turning into a library
View of the bookshelf wall in our living room.

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 way this wall looked for years + testing color swatches.
Planning bracket placement.

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!

Partially through painting, TV covered with a garbage bag
Already loving the green, getting ready to add more brackets
Make sure you have at least 2 brackets in studs for every shelf
Loading the shelves up with our collections of books was fun!
Ready to be enjoyed, and dusted every 6 months or so

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.

The textured spray paint here was on the entire top and bottom layers of this poor table
Getting off almost all of the rest of t he texture

TA-DA!
And then I put things back together and finally decided to color drench the entire downstairs in the dark green.

Other fun and affordable room makeovers here and here.

PRODUCTS USED –
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Thanks for being here and supporting me!
Melinda

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