Bookshelves, we’ve all got them, but do we under think their potential awesomeness? I happen to love a simple reclaimed wood bookshelf, but below I want to show you how I did a fun farmhouse style DIY bookshelf makeover using only paint and a stencil.
Before
When I found this solid wood bookshelf at a local salvage sale, I knew it would be a great candidate for a DIY bookshelf makeover. I tend to skip over items that are made with laminate when I am looking for something to makeover. Solid wood is much easier to work with and more desirable to buyers if you are looking to re-sell.
The Inspiration
Since this DIY bookshelf makeover project wasn’t going to be for my own home, I wanted to do something outside my box. I have been loving the cement tile trend that has been popping up all over my Pinterest account. I eventually decided I wanted to incorporate that look into this bookshelf makeover.
Stenciled Detail
To get the cement tile look, I removed that back of my bookshelf. I then painted the whole back in a couple coats of my base color, which happened to be white in this case.
Next, I used a ruler and pencil to draw out a grid on my board. Since I wanted to get a tiled look, I painted over my pencil lines with a grey paint. I didn’t use tape for this step because I tend to like whimsical look. To get a more crisp look however, you can use tape to get perfectly edged lines.
Let your line paint dry, and then start stenciling. I’m not going to lie, this can be kind of a long process. I worked by stenciling every other square in each row. Once my first round of stenciling had dried, I went back in and finished the rest of the squares. Your method will depend on the size of your stencil.
Here are some fun cement look stencil options. Stencil one , two and three.
Grey Washed Shelves
For the shelves, I opted to give them a layered look. I started with a grey wash, which was 1 part grey paint to 1 part water. I painted this mixture on and then used a rag to wipe it off again. This gives a grey stain affect. Then I used my palm sander to thin out this layer even more.
Next, I made a white wash of 1 part white paint to 2 parts water. Then I did the same thing as the grey paint, painting on and then wiping off. Again, I sanded the whole thing to get the look I wanted. I focused most of my sanding on the edges and places where the furniture would get natural wear over time.
The Finished Product | DIY Bookshelf Makeover
Once I had painted, sanded and sealed my shelves with this sealer, I replaced my backing. Then she was ready to get styled and find her forever home. I really love how this DIY bookshelf makeover turned out, and can’t wait to try this stenciling detail on future furniture projects.
