Create something beautiful with these easy DIY bookcase makeover ideas that won’t break the bank.

You know you’ve found true inspiration when you can’t stop thinking about the idea! I saw this picture on Facebook and absolutely fell in love with the neutral color scheme and the two-toned look…

Via Facebook

I love to decorate with neutrals and texture and this look is spot on for our house. We had give a couple of other pieces this same color story including an old hutch and secretary desk which are in our dining room but there was just something about the way it looked on the bookcase. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to try to replicate this look in our living room. Of course, this wall is a bit over the top but I can give it my own spin in my own space. 🙂

Friends gave us this old bookcase a while back and I wasn’t sure where I would use it until I found this project. You could also one for a great price on Facebook Marketplace, at a flea market, a thrift store or even at garage sales. This is the time of year to start looking with the garage and yard sale season upon us!

It’s a standard bookcase in fairly good condition. It definitely needed an update and this was a great solution. Since the idea was to use beadboard on the back, we started by removing the original backing.

This wasn’t difficult but it took a bit of prying with a flat head screwdriver to get the large staples out. Once they were loose, it popped right off. We also removed the plastic shelf brackets which I was not planning on using again. Eeeek, it’s in worse shape than I thought.

The next step was to give it a really good cleaning. It had sat in the barn for quite a few months so it was dusty but it also had what I thought were stains on it. I soon found out they were not stains, but knots in the wood. I hadn’t planned on giving it a coat of primer because I was using black paint but decided to anyway just to make sure it and get a consistent coat of paint. After a good cleaning a coat of primer, it looked much better.

I didn’t use chalk paint for this project because I already had this satin paint on hand and I wanted a more shiny finish against the rustic look of the stained wood on the back. I brushed in the corners but used a roller on the flat surfaces to get a smooth finish.

Here is the first coat. A much better look for this old bookshelf.

On to the back of the bookcase…

We picked up this piece of beadboard paneling at a local home improvement store for about $65 but you can find something similar at Home Depot or Lowes.

Here it is after 2 coats of stain. For most of my stain projects I use “Early American” stain. I like the warm richness of it and for this DIY bookshelf makeover it made perfect sense.

My husband and son used the table saw to cut it to the right size to fit on the back. Then we attached it with brad nails. I painted the edges of the beadboard black so you wouldn’t see it from the side.

The last step was to add the shelves back in. Instead of the old plastic shelf holders, I opted for small bronze tone metal ones because I didn’t want to see them from the top of the shelves.

If you wanted to make it more formal, you could always add crown molding to the top. I added my favorite home decor pieces including some vintage books and I LOVE the end result.

As far as DIY projects go, this cheap bookcase makeover is one of my favorites so far. We created a whole new look and the entire process took less than 3 hours of work (not including dry time). Since I already had the paint and stain on hand, the entire project costs about $75. If it is a solid wood bookshelf and you can’t remove the back, you can always cut panels of the beadboard to fit in each shelf.

Eventually, I would like to add built-in bookshelves to either side of the window for a more custom look but for now, I think this is a pretty good solution.

Other bookshelf makeover ideas.

Another great idea is to use removable wallpaper (peel and stick wallpaper), wrapping paper or gift wrap.

Find the tutorial here.

Try adding trim to the top and bottom to give it a more polished look.

Get the full tutorial here.

Worthing Court added a sliding barn door to hers and absolutely LOVE that idea! You can see the full tutorial here.

You could also decoupage fabric of your choice to the back. Think thrifted tablecloths or fabric shower curtains.

You can see the full tutorial here.

Why not give it a mix of paint and stain? How pretty is the DIY shelf makeover from Raggedy Bits? You can see the full tutorial here.

I say this all the time, but it really is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do! I hope you’re inspired to give new life to a tired piece of furniture or, in this case, a simple bookcase, with this easy DIY project.