The visual heft and stately appearance of built-in bookshelves have made them a premium fixture in luxury homes across the world. Their extravagance can make your space look like something right out of the glossy pages of a high-end interior design magazine, thus elevating it to new heights of sophistication. Unfortunately, if you live in a rental unit, adding a custom-made bookshelf to your living room can get you in trouble with your landlord. Even if you do own your place, creating such a bookshelf can put a dent in your bank account. This leaves you with one option: fake built-in bookshelves.
Since we have already shared DIY bookshelf makeover ideas that can make your home décor worthy of a Pinterest board, it’s time we walk you through how to make cheap bookcases look like built-ins without spending a ton of money. There is no denying that built-in bookshelves not only look classy but they can serve as the focal point of any room, drawing the attention of every person who visits your home.
Fortunately, there are quite a few local and international furniture brands that sell affordable bookcases in various styles. Whether you want to go for something metallic and modern or wooden and mid-century modern, you can easily find a bookshelf that goes with the overarching theme of your interior design. However, if you really want to upcycle cheap bookcases and turn them into statement pieces, this guide is meant just for you.
Guide on How to Fake Built-In Bookshelves in 6 Easy Steps
Want to turn standard floating shelves into stunning furnishings to display your most precious collections? Here is a step-by-step guide on how to fake built-in bookshelves all by yourself.
Step 1: Measure Your Space
The first step is to measure the space where you plan to install your new bookshelf. It could be the empty space around the large bay window in your living room or the bare wall in your bedroom that you have been planning to decorate for a long time.
To eliminate any errors, consider measuring the space more than once. If you already know what kind of bookshelves you want in your home, determine how many of those you will have to buy to completely fill out the area.
Step 2: Buy Shelves or a Bookcase
The second step is to buy shelves or bookcases to go into the empty space in your chosen room. If you want your built-ins to truly stand out, consider going for a more modern vibe by investing in unique shelves. Some of the most popular wall shelf designs include adjustable metal shelves, invisible bookshelves, hexagonal shelves, intersecting shelves, floating corner shelves, and rope hanging shelves, among others.
You can also opt for easy-to-assemble wooden or rod-iron bookshelves. These furnishings are usually light, minimalistic, and available in a wide range of hues to complement the colour palette of your home.
Step 3: Remove the Backing
One of the tell-tale signs of cheap bookcases is their particleboard or cardboard backing, which peeks from behind the books and other decor items arranged neatly on the shelves. Whether you have purchased a new piece of furniture for this DIY bookshelf makeover or are planning to use an existing one, please make sure to remove the backing. However, please note that doing this might make your bookshelf a little wobbly. Therefore, it is important to be careful when moving the shelves around.
Alternatively, you can replace the inexpensive and flimsy backing with something that looks better and upscale. For example, you can cover it with beadboard or opt for a textured material that adds more depth to your furnishing.
Step 4: Paint the Wall
You can’t complete a bookcase makeover without paint. To make your standard bookcase look like an elegant built-in, you should consider painting the wall where you are planning to put the shelves. Depending on the overall theme of your home design, you can even choose to create an accent wall by painting the surface a different shade than the rest of the room.
Furthermore, don’t forget to paint the shelves and the trims you have selected for the project (if any).
Step 5: Adjust Your Bookshelves
Once the paint has completely dried, it’s time to arrange the bookshelves.
You can start by installing the shelves or placing the bookcase in the space you have selected. If it’s a larger space, you may have to fill it with more than one bookcase. In that case, try to fit as many bookshelves as possible to minimize any empty space. Depending on the size of the bookcases, you may even be able to stack them horizontally on top of each other to create ceiling-to-floor shelving. Just make sure to secure all the bookshelves with fasteners.
Step 6: Add Finishing Touches
The last step in our guide to building fake built-in bookshelves is to close all the gaps peeking from the periphery and add caulking along the edges of the trim.
If you are using multiple bookshelves to fill the empty space on your wall, there is a good chance that there may be a slight gap between each of their seams. The best way to get rid of them is to measure the gaps and fill them with plywood or fibreboard panels. If the holes are rather small, you may be able to complete the job using wood filler as well. You can also use wood glue to ensure everything is properly affixed before sanding and repainting the edges of the bookcases.
Once you are satisfied with how your fake built-in shelves look, it is time to organize your books and decorate your bookcase. You can also check out our DIY floating shelf ideas for inspiration.
More DIY Bookshelf Makeover Ideas
Here are a few design tricks that can help you upcycle cheap bookcases.
Add Moulding to a Bookcase
A decorative base and crown moulding can elevate a store-bought bookcase and give it a custom-made appearance. To add some gravitas to the profile of your furniture, please consider matching the moulding to the colour of the walls. It will make your space look more cohesive and visually appealing.
Build Shelves Around a Door or a Window
Do you have that one wall in your house that has a window or a door right in the middle of it, leaving no space to use it for storage? If your answer is yes, you can utilize this wall to build your fake built-in shelves. All you have to do is install shelving of your choice around the doorway or the window, adequately framing it from either side and the top.
Spruce Up You Bookcase with Picture Lighting
The best way to make your standard bookshelf look like it belongs in a regal library is to spruce it up with some picture lighting. These light fixtures are easily available in the market and add to the aesthetics of any room by turning your bookcase into the centre of attention.
Match The Finish to the Walls
Perhaps the easiest and the most time-effective bookcase makeover idea would be to repaint the wall and shelves to ensure they match. If your bookcase has moulding, please make sure it also matches the colour palette. Matching the finish to the walls will not only add to the aesthetics of your space but also make your room look more spacious than it actually is.
This brings us to the end of our guide on how to fake built-in bookshelves. For more tips and tricks on bookshelf styling, please stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best real estate and home improvement blog in Pakistan.
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