10 Easy Steps to Spice Up an Old Bookcase for that Custom Storage Look
Custom storage furniture does not always come cheap. But storage solutions are a necessity in this day and age of small urban habitats. They are things to have so that your home wouldn’t look like a hoarder’s paradise. Fun does not always come along with it. But when it does, it makes for some of the most adorable furniture you will ever see. And it is so easily done that you can transform any furniture from drab to fab.
The BILLY bookcase is an iconic bookcase. It is also a best seller ever since it came into production. Being iconic also means one thing: old age. But how do you update an icon and make it entertaining to look at? A 14-year old girl, named Karlotta, got bored one day and designed the BILLY with fabric. And here we give you her step-by-step process on how that came to be.
What you will need
BILLY bookcase, 10ft of fabric (for a 3-shelved BILLY), chalk, tape measure, spray mount, staple gun, fabric scissors
Procedure:
1. Iron the fabric, then lay it flat.
2. If updating an assembled BILLY, remove the shelves and pegs and measure the inside.
3. For a new BILLY, measure the inside of the top, back and sides (where there’s a groove, measure to that point only). Measure each shelf, adding 2 inches to the depth.
4. Transfer these measurements to the back of your fabric using chalk or a pencil, then cut out the pieces with fabric scissors.
““It was fun to work with the fabric – it’s my favorite fabric from IKEA! I love to change things with simple skills, and it was so fast and easy. I like the shelf with the flowers much more than before – it looks cozier…””
5. Take everything outside. Lightly mist the surface area of one part with spray mount and the edges of the matching pattern piece.
6. Place the pattern piece on, smoothing it with your hands. Fold the extra fabric over the edge of the shelf to secure it in place.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for all parts. Once all the fabric is stuck on, staple it every inch or so at the edges to secure.
8. If you are covering an existing BILLY, do the same. For an extra neat finish, match up all the fabric edges in the corners before you smooth them down.
9. Before assembling, use a sharp scalpel to pierce the fabric at each screw hole. This will prevent the screws from tearing the fabric when you fasten them.
10. Now you can build your BILLY bookcase according to the original assembly instructions, and use it to store or display your favorite things.
The good part is this fabric trick can be done with other furniture as well such as wardrobes and wall shelves. And with different kinds of design, boring will no longer describe storage furniture.
