Hello beautiful friends! I am happy to report that we have had two full days of virtual Zoom school, and we are still standing! Here is Brennan ready to go on his first day:
Because I feel like I need to hover nearby at all times, I did not get a thing done painting-wise, which I knew would happen. So today, I am sharing a sweet bookcase makeover that I shared a couple of years ago.
This was originally a Furniture Fixer Upper post, so I left the links to my friends’ makeovers at the bottom, so you can see even more fun furniture flips!
I spied this bookcase at a yard sale:
I was out running errands one Saturday morning and of course I just cannot pass up a yard sale sign. An elderly couple was selling this bookcase for $25. That is a great deal for a solid wood bookcase, but I am cheap and didn’t want to insult them by offering what I really wanted to pay, so I left it behind and decided if it was still there on the way back, then I would make an offer.
Well, it was! They had closed up for the day and this was still sitting in front of their garage. I knocked on the door and offered $15 and they happily accepted.
I used the old school painting method on this bookcase this time. Chalk paint is my favorite for most furniture pieces but since this will likely be getting heavy use holding books and all, I decided to sand, prime and paint. (This was before I had been introduced to the magic powers of Gator Hide!) Also, I had no plans to distress this one.
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
First I removed the backing. That makes painting shelves SO much easier! Then I had a few boo boos to take care of..
I sanded the whole piece with my rotary sander using 220 grit sandpaper:
I learned this trick of hooking the sander right up to my shop vac from my fellow furniture fixer upper, Kandice from Just the Woods. Smart, right?? I had to rig mine up with duct tape, but it works!
After giving it a good vacuuming and wipe-down, I primed with leftover Kilz Premium Primer from our kitchen redo.
Then it got two coats of paint in Behr’s Wind Speed in Satin that I had leftover from our boys’ bathroom makeover.
For the back, I used the same blue. Then I used FrogTape for delicate surfaces doubled up to create broad stripes in white. See how I line up my stripes easily HERE. This is leftover paint also…Ultra Pure White from Behr in satin that we used on our kitchen cabinets. I love using up all those old paints!
It took three coats to cover the blue, then I immediately pulled the tape off after the third coat:
There is no need to seal it when you do all that prep and use a satin finish latex enamel so that was it!
My original plan was to paint it for a child’s bedroom, but I had fun staging it for a bathroom:
I had originally planned to add little whales to the back as well, but I liked it when I got to this point. Plus it will be more versatile without the whales. It sure would have been cute though!
FrogTape is a dream to work with, and you know I love some stripes!
Remember that chair? I originally painted it to go with this desk HERE, but just had to keep it.
And you might remember this basket I painted as part of several smalls I shared in this post HERE…
I love painted baskets!
I borrowed the lantern and the grass from my boys’ bathroom…the lantern is a great place to store washcloths:
And just for fun…styled for a sweet little one:
It was fun looking back at this one!
Here are my friends’ makeovers that were shared on that day as well:
I did get a chance to start on these lamps, so I’ll be back with them on Tuesday:
UPDATE! See how cute these lamps look now HERE!
Have an amazing weekend, friends!
XOXO,
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Mary Kaiser says
I remember that book shelf makeover, and I remember how cute it turned out. Gotta love those stripes! Your stuff is so awesome that it is even fun to look back with you!!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Mary!! I have so many makeovers that it really is a shame that most only get shared once and then forgotten! Have a fantastic weekend! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Fun to look back at one of your amazing redo’s. So versatile. Have a great week-end.
Christy says
Thank you, Janice! It’s fun for me to look back too! Enjoy your weekend as well! XOXO
Christina says
Christy, this is such a sweet makeover. And if you would have had Lyla then she could have been the cat on the shelf. 🙂
So glad to hear Zoom school is going well, yay!
Be well and create on!!
Christy says
Thank you, Christina! And yes, ha ha…Lyla would have probably made herself right at home somewhere in there! Have a great weekend! XOXO
ColleenB.~Tx. says
That is gorgeous and how did I know that there would be strips on this piece? That would be adorable in a babies room
Christy says
Thank you, Colleen! Ooh yes…perfect for all those baby things! XOXO
Barbara Warner says
Christy,
What a beautiful makeover. I have often looked at “old” pieces of furniture and haven’t had the vision to see it renewed. Your blue and white bring this old-fashioned piece of furniture to the modern. I love the idea of using it in the bathroom. You did a wonderful job. Thanks, also, for telling us about the Gator Hide and other Dixie Belle products.
Christy says
Thank you, Barbara! It is hard to imagine what something could be sometimes, but a little paint does wonders! Dixie Belle is the first line of products I have found that covers all the bases and provides products for every need. I really love them! XOXO
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Love the stripes!
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
So cute and so many uses! Versatile!
Christy says
Thank you, Rose! Absolutely! XOXO
Gloria Pflager says
Love the book case, and you are so talented with your staging. Love the quirkiness in the stuffed animals — they almost come alive! 🙂 Can you recommend a white paint that is a creamy white and not a stark white? I need to get to some “chippy” painting and don’t want to buy a bunch of trial paints. thanks for your help.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Gloria! It was fun to pull out my son’s toys from when he was younger. I think you would like Drop Cloth. It is more of a cream/ivory color. You can see it here: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/queen-anne-bench-makeover/ XOXO
Carol Iskenderian says
I so love following you and seeing your beautiful projects. I have several things, dark wood, that I want to paint. I just need to get started but I haven’t taken the plunge yet. Thank you for your inspiration and for sharing your projects with us. You brighten my days!!
Christy says
Aww thank you SO much, Carol! Start with a piece you don’t care much about to practice. You might also find this post helpful, with all you need to know about painting furniture: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/how-to-paint-furniture-using-chalk-paint/ There is also a video of how I paint at the end of that post. Go for it! 😀 XOXO
Vicki says
I actually have two very similar shelves to this, one a smaller $2 yard sale find, and the other larger one is the top half of a small hutch style piece from an estate sale (I bought it for the bottom half to use as a nightstand). I also have several colors of leftover wall paint and about a million (okay, maybe thirty-ish) samples containers of Sherwin Williams paint from trying to figure out paint colors for our new house last year. I need to get to work! Thanks for sharing this adorable bookshelf!
Christy says
Oh perfect! And wow, you can’t beat $2 for a bookshelf! Happy painting! XOXO
Carol Karl says
Another gorgeous piece. I love that you are so creative with your makeovers. Thanks for sharing.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Carol! XOXO
Addie says
How dare you be a mom first and put us second!!! “Mrs. James, my dog ate my homework!!!”…….lolol
What a complete change for that bookcase….love it!!!! So cute!
Have a good weekend!!!…xxoo
Christy says
Ha ha I know, right?? You know I still love ya’ll too! 😜 Thank you, Addie!! XOXO
Marietta Walker says
Love, love, love, love-love. I have so many items waiting for me re-beautify them. I hope I can do them at least half as beautiful as you do your items. Every time I see one of your projects, my head explodes with ideas. Alas my back is in need of a bit of work that , good lord willing, I will finally start getting some relief from! Then-well look out!
Still you will always be my refurb hero!!!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Marietta! I love that you’re feeling inspired to create!! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
So I have a very old solid wood bookcase from my parents. Walnut I think. Now I’m sure I must paint it! Removing the back is brilliant! lol. I never would have thought to do that and I love the stripes. Changes the whole look of it. This came out so nice.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Debra! Removing the back sure does make it easier to paint! XOXO
Petra says
Lol I love how you can even make toilet rolls look good 😀
Christy says
Oh ha ha! I try! XOXO