Bookshelf 101 & Taylor’s New Room

All right, let’s get you up to speed. Lily, our youngest, just swapped rooms with Taylor, our oldest.

Taylor has an unhealthy obsession with books which we encourage on a daily basis.

She needs a place to store said books.

I asked a pro about building a custom built-in bookshelf.

I cried at the cost and decided to do it myself.

Up to speed now?

Good.

Oh wait, one more thing. Taylor’s room has this cutesy built-in molding that used to have sheer drapers hanging from it. It was originally meant to hang above a crib or bed centered in the room.

I think the room is too small for a bed centered underneath it, so the whole idea is for the bookshelf to sit underneath it.

Mostly ’cause I don’t want to rip it out and repair the ceiling, and create a huge mess.

Just so ya know, bookshelves are actually quite easy to build.

After all the swearing and fighting with your spouse, of course.

First things first:  measure your space.

Second, build a box.

I added extra support on the shelves since this bookshelf will be entirely books. I would love for it to be all decorative but you just don’t know my teen.

That girl can read!

Even though I know how to build a bookshelf, I don’t like the mathematics involved.

You seriously have to measure every little thing, and do it multiple times.

It takes foreeeever.

After making sure every shelf was perfectly spaced apart, Mr. Wright used wood glue and a nail gun to piece it all together.

Afterward I lightly sanded the whole thing, then filled the small nail homes and primed it. No wait, I a primed it first then realized I forgot to fill the nail holes. Sloppily fill the nail holes and then said oh screw it, sanded again and painted the darn thing.

It’s taller than it looks friends.

Two coats of paint did the trick, beadboard was added to the back, and then it was ready to go.

I removed the carpet underneath and the floor molding directly behind before installation. I also added molding to the bottom, and caulked the sides after installing it to make it look more permanent.

The top looks a little funny where it indents in so I might add more beadboard. Maybe.

The important thing is it’s functional, Taylor loves it, and holy crap I built a custom bookshelf!

We are still organizing and adding books, but here’s how it looks so far.

I gave Taylor the organization assignment.

Hey Taylor, how’s it going?

Ummm… she keeps stopping to read.

Here’s a few more shots of her room. It’s coming along!

She loves the big reading chair.

And here’s by her window next to her closet. Sometimes I find her late at night hiding in her closet. Reading.

Hey, I tried to tell you it is a problem.

Anywho, she loves it. Done and done.

(Update: To see the latest look in Taylor’s room be sure and check out our house tour HERE.)