Built-in Bookcase Makeover and Tips

We always get requests from our clients to help style out their built-ins bookcases because it is, admittedly, an overwhelming task. All of the "stuff" you need to put in them and how on Earth are you supposed to coordinate it all? Plus sometimes the whole unit needs a rehab, and that just adds to the decisions and work that needs to be done. With all of the angst that goes on with built-in bookcases, we thought it would be good to walk you through the process we just completed for a client to update and accessorize some dated built-ins in their home.

A few month ago we started working with a client who has a beautiful home on the lake. Their family room has two story windows that look down on the lake with breathtaking views, and as much as I love adding two story drapery panels in a room, I just couldn't block one inch of this view (more details on the whole room design coming at a later date!)

As gorgeous as the view was, the wall adjacent to these windows was covered in built-ins bookcases that were dated and not to the client's taste. They were painted in a dark "90"s blue-green color with brass knobs and they made the whole room feel outdated. With the TV and fireplace being on the same wall as these bookcases, it was a huge focal point in the room and the situation definitely needed to be addressed!

Bookcase Unit 1 - BEFORE

Bookcase Unit 2 - BEFORE

After a couple of meetings and estimates, we made the decision with our clients to keep the structure as is and remove the doors from the TV "cabinet" for their flat panel TV. Luckily, the husband was handy and figured out how to do all of this himself, as well as build a faux "back" wall in the cabinet to mount the TV on versus using the dated slide-out shelf that was currently there.

STEP 1 - PAINT

Now, I am a HUGE fan of white cabinets, white bookcases, white trim, etc. It's a classic color that I feel won't be going out of style for a long time and it just brightens up a room. Once bookcases (or cabinets) have been painted, it's very costly to sand the existing paint all the way down to be a stainable surface. So, with all that being said, we came to the conclusion that white was going to be the right color for these bookcases. If you're looking for a great white paint color, the built-in bookcases in my home office are finished in Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17, which is a slightly off-white finish that doesn't look too stark.

This was BEFORE I moved all of my work stuff in here. I wish it still looked this organized and clean! Ha!

With all of the trim and the mantle of the fireplace already being painted white in this client's family room, we had our painter match the existing trim color so that it all worked together.

Bookcase AFTER Painting

STEP 2 - WALLPAPER

Just painting the bookcases and removing the doors made such a HUGE difference! But because we are designers, we needed to put a little extra element into these. We had just finished another family room project where we put navy and white trellis wallpaper in a new built-unit (pic below) and easily sold that idea to our clients.

Built-in bookcase unit designed by New South Design

We selected a silver, turquoise and white geometric wallpaper from the York Wallcoverings Carey Lind Watercolors Collection (by the way, this is ABSOLUTELY my latest favorite wallpaper collection - I am about wallpaper my third room in something from this collection and I've had the book for a short 4 months!!!) to line the back of these bookcases with and are thrilled with the results. I don't think I'm ever going to let a client have plain white bookcases again!

Bookcases AFTER Wallpaper

STEP 3 - ACCESSORIZE

With a little paint and wallpaper on just one wall, I can't even tell you how much the whole room changed! With those key steps being steps tackled, we are now ready to move onto the most daunting part....accessorizing!

Now......I am going to admit something to you......my favorite thing when pulling together a room is definitely NOT the accessories. I think Taylor and I play rock, paper, scissors every time about who is going to accessorize the room (especially when it involves a bookcase unit). However, accessories are a "necessary evil" to our job as they are the finishing details to a room. So, it is embarrassing to admit how long I agonize over built-in bookcase accessorizing when on the job site during an install. It takes a lot of trial and error to get it just right and we bring a carful of accessories with us to each install to make sure we have enough options to choose from.

There are some key tricks to keep in mind when selecting your accessories for your bookcases.

1. FIND ACCESSORIES THAT MATCH THE DOMINANT COLORS IN YOUR ROOM
Having too many colors and items in your bookcases that do not coordinate create visual chaos and looks too much like Grandma's house. My dad liked to use the word "tchotchke" and that is exactly what I think of when I see too many mismatched trinkets shoved on a shelf. Matching colors includes your picture frames and books. I literally buy "books by the foot" by color for my clients so that we can color coordinate them in bookcases and they visually appeal with the rest of the room. We also wrapped existing hardcover books in solid matte color wrapping paper for this particular install to color coordinate them with the rest of the room.

I am not kidding when I say that this is the image that came up when I Google-searched "tchotchke"

2. DO NOT OVER-ACCESSORIZE! 
There is definitely a world of truth in the statement "less is more" (you can again refer to the picture above). Find larger accessories that match back to the colors in your room and will visually and physically fill the shelf space. It is OKAY to put only one or two items on a shelf, and when they have some sort of interesting detail or special story or meaning to them, you won't have to search for them behind other things to show it off.

My "books by the foot" in the colors white and green are shown here, too!

3. USE AT LEAST SOME ITEMS THAT HAVE MEANING TO YOUR FAMILY 
I know that this is impossible to fill an ENTIRE bookcase with meaningful items that ALL coordinate and look perfect together. But, it's nice to have things in your home that have some personal meaning.....it is your home. And it doesn't have to be everything in the bookcase - 2 items out of 20 is better than none. Family pictures in great color-coordinating frames are an easy go-to. I always ask my clients to leave items or pictures out that have special meaning to them and we work them into the bookcases when we re-accessorize.

4. USE VARYING HEIGHTS OF ITEMS TO CREATE VISUAL INTEREST.

Having everything in the same color is boring, as well as having everything at the same height, which looks "flat". Look for tall vases and short vases (finding a matching set of vases in multiple heights is even better!), and short squatty bowls and taller urns. I will use books to make smaller items taller by stacking the books on their sides and putting a small accessory on them (see pic below).

Markergirl.com got it right with these bookcase accessories!!

5. CAREFULLY ARRANGE ITEMS BASED ON TEXTURE, COLOR, AND FUNCTION.

When placing all of these great color coordinated and varying height items on your shelf, you want to make sure that you are "spreading the love" by alternating colors, textures, and functions of the pieces in your arrangement. You don't want all of your aqua blue items to be grouped in one corner or all of your "rustic" wood pieces to be on one shelf. Take time when placing your items to make sure that you are spacing out the colors and textures so that they don't visually "bunch" together. This is probably what takes me the longest when arranging accessories - moving things around, stepping back and taking a look, and moving them around again until I feel like everything is spaced out and alternating. I think the biggest key here is don't be afraid keep rearranging and stepping back to look at it, and then arrange again until you get the results you need. It may take 10 shopping and refunding trips to Hobby Lobby before you get it just right - that's why we bring the whole carful of accessories with us!

The newly completed focal wall with new paint, wallpaper, artwork, and accessories

Let us know if you have any other thoughts or tips that you follow when working on built-ins! We're always looking for new ideas for accessorizing!

-Melissa