Adding White Built-In Bookcases Around A Window: a house log

Linn’s built-in project is such a strong reminder of how upgrading your bookshelves from furniture to attached “architecture” can truly give an whole room a boost. Here is her letter:

I hoped to share a before and after of custom made built-in bookcases which my husband and I constructed! Seeing how our old bookcases left much to be desired in terms of looks but also in terms of practical storage space, and not wanting to spend a fortune having someone else custom build shelves, we chose to take on the project ourselves.

I have consistently enjoyed the cozy look that built-in shelving provides a home, it gives it so much more character and charm in my mind!

Creating these built-in units seemed a bit intimidating at first, but once we broke it down in parts, it was quite manageable. We constructed two large wooden structures outside in our carport / aka woodshop(!), painted them white, and brought them inside.

For backing we used beadboard which I think gives the shelving a truly pleasant touch. Putting everything together and finishing it off with a fair amount of molding and caulk took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but it is consistently the finishing touches that takes the longest, is not it?

Now these built in shelves look strong in our space and we can fit so many more books which was truly the main reason to build these units in the first place! – Linn

Care to humor me for a moment? Ok, scroll back up and look at the before pics. Does not this room look a foot taller now? It is remarkable how ceiling height built-ins can elongate a room and make it feel so much more open. And the beadboard on the back is such a strong touch. You can learn more about the project (and the building process behind it) over on Linn’s journal. And if you enjoy this update as much as we do, but are intimidated by all of the construction that Linn and her husband did, you can also get a similar effect with off-the-shelf bookcases (like Ikea’s Billy bookcases) that you can simply assemble and then upgrade with some trim and molding for that built-in look. Glad built-in building!

Psst- We picked our random winner for this week’s giveaway. Click here to see if it is you.