I was in the middle of setting up our Guest Bedroom and I wanted to paint the bookcase in blue to match the dresser I painted, which you can find the post HERE.
I found this cheap bookcase but did not want to leave it in the dated dark brown cherry color it was in. I also wanted to make it a little more interesting than just painting the whole thing blue.
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Wallpaper
I love using wall paper scraps for projects! I found some spare wallpaper and took the backing off the bookcase and wrapped the wall paper over the backer like wrapping a gift. Then I nailed it back onto the back of the book case. This is a simple cheap way to dress up a bookcase!
Applique
I also felt like I needed to add a little wood applique to the side of the bookcase just for interest. I simply found an applique at my local builders center and used some wood glue to apply it to the side of the bookcase. Let it dry overnight and then proceeded to paint it the next day.
If you are interested in trying a wood applique yourself, they are relatively inexpensive with so many options to choose from! Here are some really pretty ones I would recommend!
Painting
I painted the bookcase out in 3 coats of baby blue chalk paint. If you are looking for a similar pretty blue chalk paint, I can recommend this one!
Distress
I also wanted to scuff up the corners and the edges of the bookcase just for more interest! I used a sanding block I had on hand to make the distress marks after the paint had dried.
To make the bookcase more interesting, I purposefully did not paint the entire bookcase. I think it turned out super cute and added books and a small TV on the top of it to double as a TV stand as well.
The part I love about chalk paint is that it takes no time at all to complete a small project in your home. If you are a beginner furniture painter, I would suggest starting with a small project such as this one! You will gain confidence and skill and it will help you be ready to take on larger projects in the future.
Are you looking for more furniture refinishing projects?! If so, please check these ones out as well!
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