So it's another lazy Sunday, sipping coffee and skimming the local news. I get a text message. My best friend Jacky was up with the sun, busy showing off her most recent Pinterest project, which means...It's my turn. You see, we are the very best of friends, but competitive. Not to be outdone, I swapped my comfy Sunday attire for something more utilitarian and scanned the house for a worthy furniture adversary (with room for improvement).
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| Jacky's Fantastic Bookcase Redo |
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| http://prettywellorganized.com/2013/09/fabric-lined-bookcases/ |
For mine, I dug through my surplus fabric trunk picked out a black, white and grey graphic design, accented with vertical pattern on the edges.
All in all, (including removing all the stuff on and off), this project only took me about an hour! I don't know about you, but I LOVE a project with (nearly) instant gratification!
So let's do it!
If you're starting with a inexpensive, particle board based piece, make sure you remove everything off the shelves before removing the back panel. The back panel is usually what maintains the structure of the entire shelf. Next, use a hammer to pry the back board off, use a flat head screw driver to help ply out the stubborn ones.
Save your nails!
Measure the backboard piece and pick out some fabric! I used leftover fabric from in my stash from another project, but if you're going shopping, Jo-Ann's Fabrics usually has quilting fabrics on sale, which work well. Pretty much any lightweight, non-stretchy, cotton-dominate fabrics will work.
Iron your fabric! It makes it easier to smooth out when you're sticking it down.
Cut your fabric to match the panel, leaving an excess of an inch or two.
Mix a 1:1:1 ratio of Modge Podge, glue and water, I used about two cups of this mixture for a six foot shelf.
So here is where I forgot to take pictures, d'oh! Sooo....Since I'm not the first person to do this project, I'm using a few pictures from another blog so you can get the idea, (to see their whole tutorial, you can click here).
Using a large paintbrush, generously brush the glue/water to the panel, about two feet at a time, laying down the fabric to adhere it and then brushing another thick coat of glue on TOP of the fabric.
Continue this, using the edge of the panel as a guide, don't worry too much about overhang, once it dry, it will be stiff and easy to trim.
As you go, use a squeegee (a plastic ID-like card would also work in a pinch), or if you're like me, I used the handle of the paintbrush and my fingers. :)
With the fabric being relatively wet at the end, you have a few minutes to continue to push down bubbles and smooth creases. Once you're happy, allow the panel to dry all the way, overnight if necessary.
Trim the excess fabric bits off the panel and get ready to reattach it to your now naked bookcase. Here's where an extra pair of hands can really come in handy...I was not so lucky; but after a few hammer misses for fingers instead of nail heads, followed by some choice words, I had it!
And there it is! A quick way to breathe some life into this old thing!
I love this bookcase so much more! I've relocated it out of the back room study and put front and center in the living room. Now maybe a coffee table change is in order...hmmm..Maybe another cup of coffee first! :)
~Peace~
Kira
~Check out my initial inspiration (and better photo takers too)
http://prettywellorganized.com/2013/09/fabric-lined-bookcases/
http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/06/office-progress-bookcase-building/
I removed the back panel of the shelves and used a concoction of Modge Podge, Elmer's Glue and water to adhere the cut fabric to the panel before repining it back to the bookcase and viola!
All in all, (including removing all the stuff on and off), this project only took me about an hour! I don't know about you, but I LOVE a project with (nearly) instant gratification!
So let's do it!
If you're starting with a inexpensive, particle board based piece, make sure you remove everything off the shelves before removing the back panel. The back panel is usually what maintains the structure of the entire shelf. Next, use a hammer to pry the back board off, use a flat head screw driver to help ply out the stubborn ones.
Save your nails!
Measure the backboard piece and pick out some fabric! I used leftover fabric from in my stash from another project, but if you're going shopping, Jo-Ann's Fabrics usually has quilting fabrics on sale, which work well. Pretty much any lightweight, non-stretchy, cotton-dominate fabrics will work.
Iron your fabric! It makes it easier to smooth out when you're sticking it down.
Cut your fabric to match the panel, leaving an excess of an inch or two.
Mix a 1:1:1 ratio of Modge Podge, glue and water, I used about two cups of this mixture for a six foot shelf.
Using a large paintbrush, generously brush the glue/water to the panel, about two feet at a time, laying down the fabric to adhere it and then brushing another thick coat of glue on TOP of the fabric.
Continue this, using the edge of the panel as a guide, don't worry too much about overhang, once it dry, it will be stiff and easy to trim.
As you go, use a squeegee (a plastic ID-like card would also work in a pinch), or if you're like me, I used the handle of the paintbrush and my fingers. :)With the fabric being relatively wet at the end, you have a few minutes to continue to push down bubbles and smooth creases. Once you're happy, allow the panel to dry all the way, overnight if necessary.
Trim the excess fabric bits off the panel and get ready to reattach it to your now naked bookcase. Here's where an extra pair of hands can really come in handy...I was not so lucky; but after a few hammer misses for fingers instead of nail heads, followed by some choice words, I had it!And there it is! A quick way to breathe some life into this old thing!
I love this bookcase so much more! I've relocated it out of the back room study and put front and center in the living room. Now maybe a coffee table change is in order...hmmm..Maybe another cup of coffee first! :)
~Peace~
Kira
~Check out my initial inspiration (and better photo takers too)
http://prettywellorganized.com/2013/09/fabric-lined-bookcases/
http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/06/office-progress-bookcase-building/
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