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Breathing new life into your bookcase

When I was putting together my daughters’ nursery almost 9 years ago, I purchased the Cameron bookcase from Pottery Barn. 
White
Pottery Barn Cameron 3-shelf bookcase

It held all her books, picture frames and extras. On some days it was even a dollhouse. When we moved into our new house she changed furniture to my old bedroom set from when I was little. She didn’t have the need for the bookcase anymore, so into the basement it went. 

I had a table for my foyer which just wasn’t making the cut in the new foyer. The only place for the table was on the wall near the door. This meant that when the front door swung open, it would bang into the table. No big deal except the tabletop has a iron frame with a separate glass top. Not a good idea in my house!

So I shopped my house to look for an option. I wanted something there to cozy up the foyer. I brought the bookcase upstairs and it fit perfectly. No banging when the door was open whatsoever! The only problem was that it looked a little boring. There were no colorful children’s books to brighten it up. No random ceramic puppy dogs or family pictures. I put a couple of accessories on it but it still read blah. 

I turned to one of my favorite things in the world, paper. It’s a graphic designer thing. I searched Joanne’s Fabrics and found some paper with a subtle pattern and even some texture. Here’s what I started out with.


{paper of choice, double stick tape or 3M strips}





With only some double stick tape to get the job done, I started taping. I had to trim the pieces a bit since my shelves were not removable. Twenty minutes later, I had this.





Then came the fun part. Dressing it up. Not too much clutter because we do want it to show now!





There are so many different ways you can do this. If your shelves are removable the job will be much easier. Tile your paper and try to match up the print. It doesn’t have to be paper though. Maybe there is some fabric you love. Just apply the 3M strips along the top and bottom. Wrapping paper could work too. You could even get really adventurous and do it yourself. Buy some white package paper at your supply store and decorate it. Stamp it, paint it, glue trim on it, or have your two year old display their artwork.  



The best part is that it’s not permanent. No commitment, no worry about ruining your furniture.  It really changes up a piece of furniture that otherwise goes unnoticed. Your bookcase will thank you.
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