Bookshelf Before and After
A Beauty of a Bookshelf
How I re-imagined this sad and lonely ‘ol girl into this stunner of a statement piece !!
OK. This project came together SO much more fabulous than I had originally hoped for … sometimes that happens. You have a plan and then you start creating and then this happens … and it’s amazing !!
Don’t forget to clean
As always, I CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN … I probably sound like a broken record, but I will NEVER stop telling you to CLEAN YOUR PROJECTS with TSP Alternative before you do anything else !!
A little “TSP”
Just a couple capfuls in 1 litre of water, a little swish around, then spray and wipe … you’ll be blown away at just how much comes off your piece, even the ones you think are ‘clean’ … TSP Alternative is the BEST for taking off dirt, grime, grease, fingerprints … all the things !! A bottle will last you a LONG time !! You can order it HERE …
Once the bookshelf was cleaned, I started sanding. While sanding isn’t necessary on most pieces, I wanted to see the wood grain once I got through all the layers of old chipped ‘whatever was used on it’ by it’s previous owner !!
I am SO glad I took the time to do this, as the top was GORGEOUS !!
stain
I absolutely LOVE working with Fusion Stain and Finishing Oil and chose Cappuccino for the top … I always ‘paint’ it on using a foam brush, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then wipe back the excess with a clean, lint free cloth !
It’s super easy to work with, the results are amazing and it comes in (6) fabulous colours … you can find them all HERE !!
Lichen
You all know my love affair with Fusion Mineral Paint runs deep … and I truly have strong feelings about ALL the colours …. and EVERY time I use a colour on a piece that I haven’t used before I get SOOOO excited… the same rang true when I added Lichen to this bookshelf. IT. IS. SO. PRETTY !!!
A soft green, a little darker than Eucalyptus but not as dark as Bayberry … it’s a must for green paint lovers !!
the “leg poll”
So this original piece din’t have legs but I knew as soon as I dug her out from the pile of old furniture at the thrift shop that she was meant to stand tall and shine all on her own !!
I did a ‘leg poll’ over on my Instagram acct. but everyone kept picking wrong LOL … I just knew these 6″ gold Hairpin Legs were going to be the perfect addition, so I went against the group LOL … and added them and am SO happy that I did !!
(the little white clips are just to project the bottoms of the legs until she gets to her forever home)
add a backer
It is pretty rare that I will leave the original backer on a piece. They are usually pretty banged up and most of the time have holes cut into them for cords and wires etc … from the previous owner. This is a SUPER inexpensive way to upgrade your project and it has maximum impact !!
Before I attached the new backer to the bookshelf,I added this gorgeous peel and stick wallpaper to it and I am obsessed with how it compliments the paint, stain and legs so beautifully ! It really was the perfect finishing touch that pulled it all together !!
I can’t wait to see where she ends up living her best life … and hope the new owners share pics !!
(BEFORE) (AFTER)
Second chances
This girl is proof that darn near everything deserves a second chance … when I pulled her out of the rubble in the far corner of the thrift shop, the store owner looked at me a little funny when I hauled her to the register. I said ‘you just wait, she’s going to be gorgeous’ … and she is !!
This beauty is NOW AVAILABLE … you can check her put on my website HERE to see if she should be yours !!
I hope this has inspired you to look at old and forgotten furniture in a different light … and I am happy to help if you have any questions !!
Let’s keep these pieces out of the landfill … and have fun while doing it !!
Until Next Time … j. XOX
